EYE SAFETY AT SMALL ARMS FIRING RANGES.

SEC. 1045. EYE SAFETY AT SMALL ARMS FIRING RANGES. (a) Actions Required.—The Secretary of the Defense shall— (1) conduct a study of eye safety at small arms firing ranges of the Armed Forces; and (2) develop for the use of the Armed Forces a protocol for reporting eye injuries incurred in small arms firing activities at the ranges. (b) Agency Tasking.—The Secretary may delegate authority to carry out the responsibilities set forth in subsection (a) to the United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine or any other element of the Department of Defense that the Secretary considers well qualified to carry out those responsibilities. (c) Content of Study.—The study under subsection (a)(1) shall include the following: (1) An evaluation of the existing policies, procedures, and practices of the Armed Forces regarding medical surveillance of eye injuries resulting from weapons fire at the small arms ranges. (2) An examination of the existing policies, procedures, and practices of the Armed Forces regarding reporting on vision safety issues resulting from weapons fire at the small arms ranges. (3) Determination of rates of eye injuries, and trends in eye injuries, resulting from weapons fire at the small arms ranges. (4) An evaluation of the costs and benefits of a requirement for use of eye protection devices by all personnel firing small arms at the ranges. (d) Report.—The Secretary shall submit a report on the activities required under this section to the Committees on Armed Services and on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on National Security and on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives. The report shall include— (1) the findings resulting from the study under paragraph (1) of subsection (a); and (2) the protocol developed under paragraph (2) of such subsection.111 STAT. 1888 (e) Schedule.—(1) The Secretary shall ensure that the study is commenced not later than January 1, 1998, and is completed not later than six months after the date on which it is commenced. (2) The Secretary shall submit the report required under subsection (d) not later than 30 days after the completion of the study.