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###### Department of Defense

###### Office of the Secretary

# AGENCY:

Department of Defense (DoD).

# ACTION:

Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

# SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2166(e), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a), the Department of Defense gives notice that it is renewing the charter for the Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (hereafter referred to as “the Board”).

The Board shall provide the Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Army, with independent advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to the operations and management of the Institute.

The Board shall: (a) Inquire into the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, and academic methods of the Institute; other matters relating to the Institute that the Board decides to consider; and any other matter that the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate; (b) Review the curriculum to determine whether it adheres to U.S. doctrine, complies with applicable U.S. laws and regulations, and is consistent with U.S. policy goals toward Latin America and the Caribbean; and (c) Determine whether the Institute emphasizes human rights, including the rule of law, due process, civilian control of the military, and the role of the military in a democratic society.

The Board shall report to the Secretary of Defense through the Secretary of the Army.

                        The Board shall be comprised of no more than fourteen members appointed by the Secretary of Defense. All Board member appointments must be renewed by the Secretary of Defense on an annual basis. The Board shall be comprised of: (a) Two Members of the Senate (the Chair and Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee or their designees); (b) two Members of the House of Representatives (the Chair and Ranking Members of the Armed Services Committee or their designees); (c) one person designated by the Secretary of State; the senior military officer responsible for training and education in the U.S. Army (or designee); the commanders of the combatant commands with geographic responsibility for the Western Hemisphere (U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command (or designees); and (d) six persons designated by the Secretary of Defense, including, to the extent practicable, persons from academia, religious                               ( print page 11497)                            institutions, and human rights communities.                    

Board members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are not full-time or permanent part-time federal employees, shall be appointed to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109 and shall serve as special government employee members. With the exception of travel and per diem for official Board related travel, Board members shall serve without compensation.

The Secretary of Defense may approve the appointment of Board members for one to four year terms of service; however, no member, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense, may serve more than two consecutive terms of service. This same term of service limitation also applies to any DoD authorized subcommittees.

Whenever possible, appointments shall be staggered to avoid complete turnover of the Board's membership at one time. In addition, the Board may be assisted by non-voting subject matter experts or consultants. These consultants are designated at the request of the Board by the Secretary of the Army with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense.

Each Board member is appointed to provide advice on behalf of the government on the basis of his or her best judgment without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.

The Department, when necessary, and consistent with the Board's mission and DoD policies and procedures may establish subcommittees deemed necessary to support the Board. Establishment of subcommittees will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense or the advisory committee's sponsor. Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered Board, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Board for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Board; nor can any subcommittee or its members update or report directly to the Department of Defense or any Federal officers or employees.

All subcommittee members shall be appointed in the same manner as the Board members; that is, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint subcommittee members even if the member in question is already a Board member. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, may serve a term of service on the subcommittee of one to four years; however, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the subcommittee.

Subcommittee members, if not full-time or part-time government employees, shall be appointed to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and shall serve as special government employees, whose appointments must be renewed by the Secretary of Defense on an annual basis. With the exception of travel and per diem for official Board related travel, subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.

All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing DoD policies/procedures.

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jim Freeman, Deputy Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Board shall meet at the call of the Board's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Board's Chairperson. The estimated number of Board meetings is one per year.

In addition, the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in attendance at all Board and subcommittee meetings for the entire duration of each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the Designated Federal Officer, the Alternate Designated Federal Officer shall attend the entire duration of the Board or subcommittee meeting.

Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation membership about the Board's mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

                    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer for the Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, and this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation Designated Federal Officer can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database—                    *https://www.fido.gov/​facadatabase/​public.asp.*

The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned meetings of the Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. The Designated Federal Officer, at that time, may provide additional guidance on the submission of written statements that are in response to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in question.

Dated: February 22, 2012.

Aaron Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 2012-4440 Filed 2-24-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5001-06-P