Soldiers are placed on the Temporary Disability Retired List when their disabilities are not

• A. stable enough for permanent rating
• B. stable for permanent rating
• C. eligible for permanent retirement
• D. not stable for permanent rating

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that the Temporary Disability Retired List is used when a service member’s disability hasn’t stabilized enough to assign a final, permanent rating. If the condition is still evolving—likely to improve, worsen, or change—it wouldn’t be appropriate to lock in a permanent retirement decision yet. A re-evaluation will determine whether a permanent rating can be set or if another disposition is needed. If the condition were stable for a permanent rating, or already clearly eligible for permanent retirement, the temporary status wouldn’t apply. So being not stable for permanent rating is precisely the situation that places someone on the temporary list.