Understanding the Air Force IRILO Process: What Airmen Need to Know

If you are an Air Force or Space Force member going through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES), you will encounter a step that does not exist in the Army's version of the process: the IRILO. Most airmen have never heard of it before their case reaches that stage, and the lack of information can lead to costly mistakes.

This guide explains what the IRILO is, how it fits into the Air Force IDES process, and what you need to do to protect your rights when your case reaches this stage.

IRILO stands for Integrated Disability Evaluation System Review and Informal Line of Duty Officer. It is a review step unique to the Air Force (and Space Force) IDES process that occurs after the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) has completed its evaluation but before the case is formally referred to the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).

The IRILO review serves two primary functions:

1. It reviews the MEB's findings to ensure they are complete, accurate, and properly documented before the case moves forward.
2. It makes or confirms Line of Duty (LOD) determinations for the conditions identified by the MEB.

The LOD determination made at the IRILO stage is critical — it determines whether each condition will be treated as service-connected for purposes of the disability evaluation. Conditions found "Not in Line of Duty" at this stage may be excluded from the PEB's rating, which can significantly reduce your disability rating and benefits.

The Air Force IDES process follows this general sequence:

1. Referral to the MEB
2. MEB evaluation and Narrative Summary (NARSUM) preparation
3. Service member review of NARSUM and opportunity to rebut
4. IRILO review (Air Force-specific step)
5. Referral to the Informal PEB
6. Informal PEB findings
7. Service member election (accept, request formal hearing, or request reconsideration)
8. Formal PEB hearing (if requested)
9. Final disposition

The IRILO sits between the MEB and the PEB — making it a pivotal checkpoint in the process. Problems that are not caught and corrected at the IRILO stage can follow the case all the way through the PEB and become much harder to fix later.

The IRILO officer reviews the MEB package — including the NARSUM, medical records, and any rebuttals submitted by the service member — and makes several determinations:

Completeness of the MEB package. The IRILO officer checks whether the MEB has properly documented all referred conditions and whether the package is ready for PEB referral. If the package is incomplete, it may be returned to the MEB for additional work.

Line of Duty determinations. For each condition identified by the MEB, the IRILO officer determines whether it occurred "in the line of duty." This determination follows the same legal standards as other LOD determinations — a condition is "in line of duty" if it arose from or was aggravated by military service.

Whether conditions meet the criteria for referral. The IRILO officer may also assess whether each condition meets the threshold for referral to the PEB — specifically, whether it potentially renders the service member unfit for duty.

The IRILO is not just a rubber stamp. It is a substantive review that can significantly affect your case in several ways.

Adverse LOD findings at the IRILO stage can reduce your rating. If the IRILO officer finds that one or more of your conditions is "Not in Line of Duty," those conditions may be excluded from the PEB's rating. This can reduce your overall disability rating and, if it drops below 30%, eliminate your eligibility for disability retirement entirely.

Errors in the MEB package can be caught — or missed. If the IRILO officer identifies errors in the NARSUM, they may be corrected before the case reaches the PEB. But if errors are not caught at this stage, they become embedded in the record and harder to challenge later.

The IRILO is your last clear chance before the PEB. Once the case is referred to the PEB, the focus shifts to the fitness determination and rating. The IRILO stage is the last point at which the underlying medical documentation and LOD determinations can be comprehensively reviewed before the PEB process begins.

Adverse LOD findings based on incomplete records. IRILO officers sometimes make "Not in Line of Duty" findings based on incomplete medical records or without fully considering the service aggravation theory. If you have evidence that your condition was aggravated by military service — even if it pre-existed your enlistment — that evidence needs to be in the record before the IRILO review.

Conditions omitted from the MEB package. If the MEB failed to include a condition that should have been referred, the IRILO stage is an opportunity to raise that omission. However, this requires the service member to be proactive — the IRILO officer will not independently identify conditions that were never referred to the MEB.

Inadequate documentation of severity. The IRILO officer reviews the NARSUM's description of each condition. If the NARSUM understates the severity of your condition, the IRILO review will not correct that — it will simply pass the understated description along to the PEB.

Submit a thorough MEB rebuttal before the IRILO review. Your MEB rebuttal is the primary mechanism for correcting errors in the NARSUM before the IRILO review. A well-prepared rebuttal that addresses factual errors, missing conditions, and severity understatements gives the IRILO officer the information needed to make accurate determinations. See our detailed guide on MEB rebuttals for a step-by-step breakdown of how to write one effectively.

Ensure your LOD documentation is complete. If there is any question about whether your conditions will receive an "In Line of Duty" finding, gather supporting documentation — medical opinions, service records, buddy statements — before the IRILO review. Do not wait until after an adverse finding to build your record.

Know your appeal rights. If the IRILO officer makes an adverse LOD determination, you have the right to appeal. For Air Force members, the appeal goes to the SAFPC. Our post on the SAFPC LOD appeal process explains the new procedures in detail.

Consult an attorney. The IRILO stage is technical and consequential. An experienced military disability attorney can review your MEB package, identify potential problems before the IRILO review, and advise you on how to protect your rights at every stage of the process.

The attorneys at Gately Law Firm represent Air Force and Space Force members throughout the IDES process, including at the IRILO stage. Visit our Air Force PEB attorney page to learn more. Call us at 757-481-0772 for a free consultation.