[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 27053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13466]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Notice

    In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel 
and Readiness) announces the following proposed extension of a 
currently approved public information collection and seeks public 
comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) whether 
the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of burden of the proposed information collection; (c) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information 
collection on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments by July 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection should be sent to the Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) OASD (Force Management 
Policy) (Military Personnel Policy/Accession Policy) ATTN: Randolph 
Lougee, 4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To request more information on this proposed information collection or 
to obtain a copy of the proposal and associated collection instruments, 
please write to the above address or call at (703) 696-0651.

TITLE AND APPLICABLE OMB CONTROL NUMBER: DoD Survey of Recruit 
Socioeconomic Status (SES), OMB Control Number 0704-0293.

NEEDS AND USES: This survey collects socioeconomic background 
information from a representative sample of new recruits to the active-
duty military. It provides annual data that are descriptive of the 
military composition as a whole. The data are included in an annual 
report to Congress on population representation in the U.S. military. 
The data will be used by members of Congress and DoD policy makers in 
the debate over the relative merits of voluntary accession and 
alternative means of recruitment.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Annual Burden Hours: 3,340.
    Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Frequency: Other: during sample days each year.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Summary of Information Collection

    In response to Congressional interest in the background of Service 
members, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and 
Readiness) collects data on the socioeconomic background of new 
recruits. Since 1989, data have been collected on the occupational and 
educational background of recruits' parents in order to provide an 
index of socioeconomic status. The socioeconomic status questionnaire 
is administered routinely at recruit training centers.
    Key questions pertaining to socioeconomic status are matched to 
questions in the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. Each year, 
data from new recruits are compared to data on comparable civilians, 
and findings are incorporated into an annual report to Congress on 
population representation in the military. Results are used by the 
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) in 
an annual report to Congress on the sociodemographic representation of 
new recruits. The report also is used to respond to inquiries from 
Congress, the media, and members of the public on social representation 
in the U.S. Armed Services.

    Dated: May 23, 1996.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 96-13466 Filed 5-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M