[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10062-10063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5866]



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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: National Cemetery System, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, National Cemetery System (NCS) invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to comment on this information 
collection. This request for comment is being made pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)). Comments should address the accuracy of the burden 
estimates and ways to minimize the burden including the use of 
automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology, as well as other relevant aspects of the 
information collection.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposal for the 
collection of information should be received on or before May 13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Robert Kline, National 
Cemetery System (401A1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420. All comments will become a matter of 
public record and will be summarized in the NCS request for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval. In this document NCS is 
soliciting comments concerning the following information collection:
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0232.
    Title and Form Number: Verification of Eligibility for Burial in a 
National Cemetery, VA Form 40-4962.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Need and Uses: The information is used to verify and determine 
eligibility for burial in a national cemetery and to establish 
permanent records of interments.
    Current Actions: Cemetery directors now collect the information via 
the Burial Operation Support System (BOSS). BOSS is an automated 
program used to verify and determine eligibility and replaces the need 
for the routine use of VA Form 40-4962. The next-of-kin (or veteran) 
may provide an honorable discharge document to a cemetery director 
which would accelerate the verification and determination procedure. 
However, a majority of the requests for burial are made by telephone, 
and primarily by a funeral director. Many times discharge documents are 
unavailable to the next-of-kin, funeral director, or person making the 
final arrangements. The necessary information needed to verify and 
determine eligibility is entered into BOSS by the cemetery director. 
The information collected also provides a means whereby other documents 
can be completed. Inscription data for headstones or markers, 
scheduling of interments, preparation for the number of attendees, 
honor, etc., are noted in BOSS to facilitate a burial. VA Form 40-4962 
is a basic working document that is used during BOSS downtime to 
collect information and then supply input for required forms or 
permanent documents, and indicates action to be taken.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    
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    Estimated Annual Burden: 11,754 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 10 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 70,522.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form should be directed to Department of Veterans 
Affairs, Attn: Jacquie McCray Information Management Service (045A4), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20420, telephone (202) 565-8266 or FAX (202) 565-8267.

    Dated: March 1, 1996.

    By direction of the Secretary
Donald L. Neilson,
Director, Information Management Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5866 Filed 3-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P