((a)) ** .—** The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish a process to define the military medical and dental personnel requirements necessary to meet operational medical force readiness requirements.

((b)) ** .—** A military medical or dental position within the Department of Defense may be converted to a civilian medical or dental position if the Secretary determines that the position is not necessary to meet operational medical force readiness requirements, as determined pursuant to subsection (a).

((c)) ** .—** In carrying out a conversion under subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense—

((1)) shall convert the applicable military position to a civilian position with a level of compensation commensurate with the skills and experience necessary to carry out the duties of such civilian position; and

((2)) may not place any limitation on the grade or level to which the military position is so converted.

((d)) ** .—** In this section:

((1)) The term “military medical or dental position” means a position for the performance of health care functions within the armed forces held by a member of the armed forces.

((2)) The term “civilian medical or dental position” means a position for the performance of health care functions within the Department of Defense held by an employee of the Department or of a contractor of the Department.

((3)) The term “conversion”, with respect to a military medical or dental position, means a change of the position to a civilian medical or dental position, effective as of the date of the manning authorization document of the military department making the change (through a change in designation from military to civilian in the document, the elimination of the listing of the position as a military position in the document, or through any other means indicating the change in the document or otherwise).