[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12255-12257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4730]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Amendment of Federal Advisory Committee.

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[[Page 12256]]

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of section 724 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Pub. L. 111-84), the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government in 
the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a), the 
Department of Defense gives notice that it is amending the charter for 
the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and 
Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed 
Forces (hereafter referred to as ``the Task Force'').
    The Task Force, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.50(a), is a non-
discretionary Federal advisory committee established to (a) access the 
effectiveness of the policies and programs developed and implemented by 
the Department of Defense, and by each of the Military Departments to 
assist and support the care, management, and transition of recovering 
wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces; and (b) make 
recommendations for the continuous improvements of such policies and 
programs.
    The Task Force, pursuant to section 724(c) of Public Law 111-84, no 
later than 12 months after the date on which all Task Force members 
have been appointed, and each year thereafter for the life of the Task 
Force, shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of Defense on the 
activities of the Task Force, and on the activities of the Department 
of Defense, to include the Military Departments, to assist and support 
the care, management, and transition of recovering wounded, ill, and 
injured members of the Armed Forces.
    At a minimum, the Task Force's report shall include the following:
    a. The Task Force's findings and conclusions as a result of its 
assessment of the effectiveness of developed and implemented DoD 
policies and programs, to include those by each of the Military 
Departments, to assist and support the care, management, and transition 
of recovering wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces.
    b. A description of best practices and various ways in which the 
Department of Defense, to include the Military Departments, could more 
effectively address matters relating to the care, management, and 
transition of recovering wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed 
Forces, including members of the Regular and Reserve Components, and 
support for their families.
    c. A plan listing and describing the Task Force's activities for 
the upcoming year covered by its annual report.
    d. Such recommendations for other legislative or administrative 
action that are referred to the Task Force that are deemed by the 
Department of Defense to be appropriate for measures to improve DoD-
wide policies and programs in (a) above, which assist and support the 
care, management, and transition of recovering wounded, ill, and 
injured members of the Armed Forces.
    The Task Force, for the purposes of its reports, shall fully comply 
with sections 724(c)(2) and (3) of Public Law 111-84 in all matters 
dealing with the report's (a) methodology and (b) matters to be 
reviewed and assessed.
    No later than 90 days after receiving the Task Force's annual 
report, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the 
report and the Secretary's evaluation of the report.
    No later than six months after receiving the Task Force's annual 
report, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries 
of the Military Departments, shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a plan to 
implement the recommendations of the Task Force's annual report.
    The Task Force, pursuant to section 724(b) of Public Law 111-84, 
shall be comprised of not more than 14 members appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense.
    Pursuant to 724(b)(2) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary of 
Defense shall appoint the following, and appointments must be renewed 
by the Secretary of Defense on an annual basis:
    a. At least one member of each of the Regular Components of the 
Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps;
    b. One member of the National Guard;
    c. One member of a Reserve Component of the Armed Forces other than 
the National Guard; and
    d. A number of person from outside the Department of Defense equal 
to the total number of personnel from within the Department of Defense 
(whether members of the Armed Forces or civilian personnel) who are 
appointed to the Task Force.
    Pursuant to sections 724(b)(2) through (4) of Public Law 111-84, 
the Secretary of Defense shall appoint persons meeting the following 
requirements:
    a. At least one individual appointed to the Task Force from within 
the Department of Defense shall be The Surgeon General of an Armed 
Force.
    b. At least one family member of a wounded, ill, or injured member 
of the Armed Forces or veteran who has experience working with wounded, 
ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces or their families.
    c. The individuals appointed to the Task Force from outside the 
Department of Defense--
    i. With the concurrence of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall 
include an officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
and
    ii. May include individuals from other departments or agencies of 
the Federal Government, from State and local agencies, or from the 
private sector.
    d. Persons appointed to the Task Force shall have experience in--
    i. Medical care and coordination for wounded, ill, and injured 
members of the Armed Forces;
    ii. Medical case management;
    iii. Non-medical case management;
    iv. The disability evaluation process for members of the Armed 
Forces;
    v. Veterans benefits;
    vi. Treatment of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress 
disorder;
    vii. Family support;
    viii. Medical research;
    ix. Vocational rehabilitation; or
    x. Disability benefits.
    There shall be two co-chairs of the Task Force. One of the co-
chairs shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense at the time of 
appointment from among the individuals appointed to the Task Force from 
within the Department of Defense. The other co-chair shall be selected 
from among the individuals appointed from outside the Department of 
Defense by those individuals.
    Pursuant to sections 724(e)(1) of Public Law 111-84, Task Force 
members who are members of the Armed Forces or a civilian officer or 
employee of the United States shall serve on the Task Force without 
compensation (other than compensation to which entitled as a member of 
the Armed Forces or an officer or employee of the United States, as the 
case may be). Their appointments must be renewed on an annual basis. 
These Task Force members shall receive travel and per diem when 
traveling on official Task Force business.
    Task Force members, who are not full-time or permanent part-time 
federal officers or employees, shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
Defense in accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 
3161 and shall serve as special government employees.
    With DoD approval, the Task Force is authorized to establish 
subcommittees, as necessary and consistent with its

[[Page 12257]]

mission. These subcommittees shall operate under the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Government in the Sunshine 
Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and other governing Federal statutes and 
regulations, and governing DoD policies/procedures.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered 
Task Force, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to 
the Task Force for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees have 
no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Task Force; 
nor can they report directly to the Department of Defense or any 
Federal officers or employees who are not Task Force members.
    Subcommittee members, who are not Task Force members, shall be 
appointed in the same manner as Task Force members. Subcommittee 
members, if not full-time or part-time government employees, shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense according to governing DoD policy 
and procedures. Such individuals shall be appointed to serve as experts 
and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and shall serve 
as special government employees, whose appointments must be renewed on 
an annual basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Acting Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force shall meet at the call of the 
Task Force's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Co-
Chairs. The estimated number of Task Force meetings is five per year.
    In addition, the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in 
attendance at all Task Force and subcommittee meetings for the entire 
duration of each meeting; however, in the absence of the Designated 
Federal Officer, an Alternate Designated Federal Officer shall attend 
the entire duration of the meeting.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to Department of 
Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of 
Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Force's 
membership about the Task Force's mission and functions. Written 
statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated 
agenda of planned meeting of Department of Defense Task Force on the 
Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and 
Injured Members of the Armed Forces.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal 
Officer for the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, 
Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured 
Members of the Armed Forces, and this individual will ensure that the 
written statements are provided to the membership for their 
consideration. Contact information for the Department of Defense Task 
Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, 
Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces Designated Federal Officer 
can 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 Task Force on 
the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and 
Injured Members of the Armed Forces. 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: February 23, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-4730 Filed 2-28-12; 8:45 am]
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