[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43817-43818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16638]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and 
Readiness).

ACTION: Notice.

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    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 reinstatement of a 
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 received by 
September 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection should be sent to the Office of the Principal 
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) (Military 
Personnel Policy/Compensation), Attn: Thomas R. Tower, 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 (703) 693-1059.
    Title, Associated Form, and OMB Control Number: Application for 
Annuity--Certain Military Surviving Spouses, Form : DD Form 
2769, OMB Number: 0704-0402.
    Needs and Uses: This information collection requirement is 
necessary to identify and pay surviving spouses who meet the criteria 
established for benefits under the provisions of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998, Public Law 105-85, section 644, 
as amended. The DD Form 2769, ``Application for Annuity--Certain 
Military Surviving Spouses,'' used in this information collection, 
provides a vehicle for the surviving spouse to apply for the annuity 
benefit. The Department will use this information to determine if the 
applicant is eligible for the annuity benefit and make payment to the 
surviving spouse. The respondents of this information collection are a 
never-remarried surviving spouse of a member of a Uniformed Service who 
(1) died before March 21, 1974, and was entitled to retired or retainer 
pay on the date of death, or (2) was a member of a Reserve Component of 
the Armed Forces who died before October 1, 1978 and on the date of 
death would have been entitled to retired pay except for not yet being 
60 years of age.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Annual Burden Hours: 200.
    Number of Respondents: 200.
    Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 1 hour.
    Frequency: On occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 43818]]

Summary of Information Collection

    The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1998, Public Law 105-
85, section 644, requires the Secretary of Defense to pay an annuity to 
qualified surviving spouses. As required by the Act, no benefit shall 
be paid to any person under this section unless an application for such 
benefit is filed with the Secretary concerned by or on behalf of such 
person. This information collection is needed to obtain the necessary 
data so that the Department can determine if the applicant is eligible 
for the annuity benefit and make payment to the surviving spouse.

    Dated: July 15, 2004.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 04-16638 Filed 7-21-04; 8:45 am]
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