[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23467-23468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9419]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Re-establishment of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of 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(d), the Department of Defense gives 
notice that it is renewing the charter for the Board of Visitors, 
National Defense University (hereafter referred to as ``the Board'').
    The Board of Visitors, National Defense University, pursuant to 41 
CFR 102-3.50(d), is a discretionary Federal advisory committee that 
shall provide the Secretary of Defense through the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff and the President of the National Defense 
University, independent advice and recommendations on organizational 
management, curricula, methods of instruction, facilities and other 
matters of interest to the National Defense University.
    The Board shall report to the Secretary of Defense through the 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the President of the National 
Defense University. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may act 
upon the Board's advice and recommendations.
    The Board shall be comprised of no more than twenty members, who 
are eminent authorities in the field of national defense, academia, 
business, national security affairs, and the defense industry. The 
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the Department 
of Defense Chief Information Officer, and the Department of State 
Director General shall serve as ex-officio members of the Board (these 
ex-officio members have voting rights). Board members shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense, with annual renewals.
    The Board Membership shall select the Board's Chairperson and the 
Co-Chairperson from the total Board membership, and these individuals 
shall serve at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, through the 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may invite other 
distinguished Government officers to serve as non-voting observers of 
the Board, and appoint consultants, with special expertise, to assist 
the Board on an ad hoc basis. If approved by the Secretary of Defense, 
these experts and consultants, appointed under the authority of 5 
U.S.C. 3109, shall have no voting rights on the Board or its 
subcommittees, shall not count toward the Board's total membership, and 
shall not engage in Board deliberations.
    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 to serve as special government employees.
    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.
    Regardless of the individual's approved term of service, all 
appointments to the Board shall be renewed on an annual basis. In 
addition, they shall serve without compensation, except for travel and 
per diem for official Board-related travel.
    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, 
task groups, or working groups 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.
    These subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered 
Board, and shall report all of 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 subcommittees or any of its members update or report directly to 
the Department of Defense or any Federal officers or employees.
    Such 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 permanent part-time government employees, shall be appointed in the 
same manner as the Board members. Such individuals, shall be appointed 
to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 
3109, and 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 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.

[[Page 23468]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, 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 President 
of the National Defense University and the Board's Chairperson. The 
estimated number of Board meetings is two per year.
    The Board's 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 
Board's Designated Federal Officer, an Alternate Designated Federal 
Officer, duly appointed to the Board according to DoD policies and 
procedures, shall attend the entire duration of the Board or 
subcommittee meetings.
    The Designated Federal Officer, or the Alternate Designated Federal 
Officer, shall call all of the Board's and subcommittee's meetings; 
prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and adjourn any meeting, when 
the Designated Federal Officer or Alternate Designated Federal Officer, 
determines adjournment to be in the public's interest or required by 
governing regulations or DoD policies/procedures; and chair meetings 
when directed to do so by the official to whom the Board reports.
    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, National Defense University's 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 the Board of 
Visitors, National Defense University.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal 
Officer for the Board of Visitors, National Defense University, and 
this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to 
the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the 
Board of Visitors, National Defense University 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, National Defense 
University. 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: April 16, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-9419 Filed 4-18-12; 8:45 am]
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