[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 82 (Thursday, April 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22557-22558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9897]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Military Family 
Readiness Council; Charter Amendment

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Charter amendment.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, (5 
U.S.C., Appendix 2), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 
U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.85 the Department of Defense announces 
that it has amended the 2008-2010 charter for the Department of Defense 
Military Family Readiness Council (hereafter referred to as the 
``Council'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Deputy Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-601-6128.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council's charter was amended to reflect 
congressionally-mandated changes to the Council membership, and the 
Secretary of Defense's decision to appoint a senior flag officer's 
spouse as an advisor to the Council.
    The Council's mission is to review and make recommendations to the 
Secretary of Defense on: (a) The policy and plans required under 10 
U.S.C. 1781b; (b) monitor requirements for the support of military 
family readiness by the Department of Defense; and (c) evaluate and 
assess the effectiveness of the DoD military family readiness programs 
and activities.
    The Council, no later than February 1st of each year, shall submit 
to the Secretary of Defense and the Defense congressional oversight 
committees a report on military family readiness. Each report, at a 
minimum, shall include the following:
    a. An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the military 
family readiness programs and activities of the Department of Defense 
during the preceding fiscal year in meeting the needs and requirements 
of military families.
    b. Recommendations on actions to be taken to improve the capability 
of the military family readiness programs and activities of the 
Department of Defense to meet the needs and requirements of military 
families, including actions relating to the allocation of funding and 
other resources to and among such programs and activities.
    The Council, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1781a(b), as amended by section 
562 of Public Law 111-84, shall be comprised of no more than 14 
members, appointed as specified below:
    a. The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, who 
shall serve as chair of the Council.
    b. One representative of each of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and 
Air Force, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense.
    c. The senior enlisted advisors of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, 
and Air Force, or the spouse of a senior enlisted advisor in lieu of 
that Military Services' senior listed advisor.
    d. One representative from the Army National Guard or Air National 
Guard, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense.
    e. One representative from the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine 
Corps Reserve or Air Force Reserve, who shall be appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense.
    f. Three individuals appointed by the Secretary of Defense from 
among representatives of military family organizations, including 
military family organizations that represent the Regular and Reserve 
Components.
    With regard to membership requirements of subparagraph ``b'' above, 
the Secretary of Defense has appointed the Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. 
Army; the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy; the Vice Chief of 
Staff, U.S. Air Force; and the Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Marine 
Corps. With regard to membership requirements of subparagraph ``c'' 
above, the Secretary of Defense has appointed the senior enlisted 
members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The appointments 
of these members pursuant to subparagraphs ``b'' and ``c'', unless 
otherwise amended by the Secretary of Defense, shall remain in effect 
for the life of the Council, and these appointments will be based upon 
the specified DoD ex-officio positions. Thus, Council membership of the 
particular individual serving as the member in a specified position 
shall be terminated at the conclusion of the member's qualifying status 
in that position. The successor in office shall assume the position as 
a Council member.
    If the Secretary of Defense amends his standing appointment 
pursuant to subparagraph ``c'' above for the senior enlisted members of 
the Military Services to serve based upon the specified DoD ex-officio 
positions, and the Secretary appoints a spouse of a senior enlisted 
member in lieu of the senior enlisted member from a particular Military 
Service, the spouse would be appointed as a special government 
employee, unless the

[[Page 22558]]

spouse was a regular government employee in his or her own right. The 
appointment of special government employees shall not be for more than 
one year, but may be renewed. However, if a spouse of a senior listed 
member is appointed pursuant to subparagraph ``c,'' such membership 
shall terminate at the conclusion of the senior enlisted member's tour 
of duty during which the spouse was appointed to the Council.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1781a, as amended by section 562b of Public 
Law 111-84, individuals selected and appointed to positions covered by 
the membership requirements of subparagraphs ``d'' through ``f'' above 
shall serve three year terms on the Council.
    Representation on the Council for subparagraph ``d'' above 
alternate every three years between the Army National Guard and the Air 
National Guard. Representation on the Council for subparagraph ``e'' 
above shall rotate among the Reserve Components listed in subparagraph 
``d'' above and pursuant to a set rotational scheme approved by the 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Council membership pursuant to 
subparagraphs ``d'' and ``f'' above shall terminate at the conclusion 
of the member's qualifying status. The successor in office shall assume 
the position as a Council member for the remainder of the three-year 
term.
    Members of the National Guard and Reserve Components, who are 
assigned to title 10, United States Code positions, when appointed to 
the Council, shall serve as regular government employees.
    Council members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are not 
full-time or permanent part-time employees of the Federal government, 
shall be appointed as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 
U.S.C. 3109, and serve as special government employees, whose 
appointments must be renewed on an annual basis.
    The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Chairman of the 
Joint Chief of Staff and pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(g), may appoint 
the spouse of a senior U.S. military flag officer (military pay grade 
O-9 or O-10) to serve as an advisor to the Council. This senior spouse 
advisor shall be appointed as an expert and consultant under the 
authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and shall serve as a special government 
employee, unless he or she is a regular government employee in his or 
her own right. As an expert and consultant under section 3109, this 
senior spouse advisor shall have no voting rights on the Council or its 
subcommittees; nor shall this senior spouse advisor participate in the 
deliberations of the Council or its subcommittees.
    With the exception of travel and per diem for official travel, 
Council members appointed as special government employees shall serve 
without compensation.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations are reminded that they may submit written 
statements to the committee membership about the committee's mission 
and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in 
response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the Department of 
Defense Military Family Readiness Council.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal 
Officer for the Department of Defense Military Family Readiness 
Council, and this individual will ensure that the written statements 
are provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact 
information for the Department of Defense Military Family Readiness 
Council's Designated Federal Officer, may 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 Department of Defense Military Family 
Readiness Council. 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 23, 2010.
Mitchell S. Bryman,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2010-9897 Filed 4-28-10; 8:45 am]
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