[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8826-8827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3514]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID DOD-2008-OS-0043]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: 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 a proposed 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 March 
26, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Federal Docket Management System Office, 4800 Mark Center 
Drive, 2nd Floor, East Tower, Suite 02G09, Alexandria, VA 22350-3100.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

[[Page 8827]]


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 Office of the 
Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) (Military 
Personnel Policy/Accession Policy), 4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, 
DC 20301-4000 or call at (703) 697-9271.
    Title and OMB Control Number: Utility of Test Preparation Guides 
and Education Programs in Enhancing Recruit Candidate Performance on 
the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), OMB Number 
0704-0450.
    Needs and Uses: The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), 
section 546, directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a test of the 
utility of test preparation guides in enhancing recruit candidate 
performance on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). 
The ASVAB is a cognitive ability test used to select and classify 
applicants for enlistment into the U.S. military. This information data 
collection is needed to meet the following objectives, as stated in the 
NDAA, to examine: The degree to which test preparation assistance 
degrades test reliability and accuracy, the degree to which test 
preparation assistance allows more accurate testing of skill aptitudes 
and mental capability, and to recommend a role for test preparation 
assistance in military recruiting.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Annual Burden Hours: 33,350.
    Number of Respondents: 145,000.
    Responses per Respondent: 1 or 2.
    Average Burden per Response: 12 minutes.
    Frequency: On occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

    The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), section 546, 
directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a test of the utility of 
test preparation guides in enhancing recruit candidate performance on 
the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The instrument 
used to collect the information is the ASVAB Preparation Questionnaire, 
which covers: (a) ASVAB test taking history, (b) ASVAB preparation 
behaviors, (c) academic history, and (d) language spoken and education 
level of parents. The potential respondent universe consists of all 
military applicants who complete the ASVAB when taken at Military 
Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) and Military Entrance Testing Sites 
(METS). The questionnaire will be administered immediately after the 
applicant completes the ASVAB. Computer administration will be used in 
the MEPS and paper and pencil in the METS. The information collected 
will be used for program planning, and to compile the congressionally-
mandated report.

    Dated: January 12, 2012.
Patricia L. Toppings,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-3514 Filed 2-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P