Which agency uses line of duty (LOD) determinations to evaluate the eligibility of an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) cadet for compensation for injuries sustained while training?

• A. Office of Personnel Management
• B. Department of Veteran's Affairs
• C. Department of Labor
• D. Air Force

Answer: (C)

Line of duty determinations decide whether an injury occurred while performing official duties and thus qualifies for benefits. For AFROTC cadets seeking compensation for injuries sustained during training, the agency that evaluates this and administers the related compensation is the Department of Labor, through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. They review the evidence to determine if the injury happened in the line of duty and, if so, provide the appropriate workers’ compensation support. Other agencies don’t handle these line-of-duty determinations for cadet injuries: the Air Force handles military operations and discipline, but FECA-based benefits come through the Department of Labor; the Office of Personnel Management focuses on civilian HR policy, not on-duty injury compensation; and the Department of Veterans Affairs handles veterans’ benefits after service, not the line-of-duty determinations for current cadet injuries.