[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 159 (Thursday, August 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49438-49439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20154]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Establishment of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Establishment of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 
1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix) and 41 Code of Federal Regulations Sec.  102-
3.50(d), the Secretary of Defense, on October 11, 2010, established the 
Army National Cemeteries Advisory Commission. This discretionary 
advisory committee was chartered to provide independent advice and 
recommendations on matters relating to the Army National Cemeteries 
Program. On December 31, 2011, Public Law 112-81 Sec.  4723, National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, directed the Department 
of Defense to create an ``advisory committee on Arlington National 
Cemetery,'' to advise the Department ``with respect to the 
administration of Arlington National Cemetery, the erection of 
memorials at the cemetery, and master planning for the cemetery.''
    Based upon this the Department disestablished the Army National 
Cemeteries Advisory Commission and established the Advisory Committee 
on Arlington National Cemetery. Like the former Commission, the new 
Committee's charter authorizes the Secretary of Defense to appoint up 
to nine members who are preeminent authorities in their respective 
fields of interest or expertise.
    The Committee is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee 
that shall provide the Secretary of Defense through the Secretary of 
the Army, independent advice and recommendations, with respect to the 
administration of Arlington National Cemetery, the erection of 
memorials at the cemetery, and master planning for the cemetery.
    The Committee shall report to the Secretary of Defense through the 
Secretary of the Army. The Secretary of the Army may act upon the 
Committee's advice and recommendations. The Committee shall be 
comprised of no more than nine members who are preeminent authorities 
in their respective fields of interest or expertise, including:
    a. One member nominated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
    b. One member nominated by the Secretary of the American Battle 
Monuments Commission; and
    c. No more than 7 members nominated by the Secretary of the Army.

Committee members, who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees, shall be appointed to serve as experts and 
consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. Sec.  3109 and shall serve 
as special government employees. All Committee members shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense and their appointments shall be 
renewed on an annual basis.
    The Secretary of the Army shall designate the Co-Chairs from the 
total Committee membership. With the exception of travel and per diem 
for official Committee related travel, Committee members shall serve 
without compensation.
    The Secretary of Defense may approve the appointment of Committee 
members for one- to four-year terms of service; however, no member, 
unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense, may serve more than two 
consecutive terms of service. This same term of service limitation also 
applies to any DoD authorized subcommittees.
    Each Committee member is appointed to provide advice on behalf of 
the government on the basis of his or her best judgment without 
representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free 
from conflict of interest.
    The Department, when necessary, and consistent with the Committee's 
mission and DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees to 
support the Committee. Establishment of subcommittees will be based 
upon a written determination, to include terms of reference, by the 
Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense or the 
Committee's sponsor. Such subcommittees shall not work independently of 
the chartered Committee, and shall report all their recommendations and 
advice to the Committee for full deliberation and discussion. 
Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the 
chartered Committee; nor can any subcommittee or its members update or 
report directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.
    All subcommittee members shall be appointed in the same manner as 
the Committee members; that is, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint 
subcommittee members even if the member in question is already a 
Committee member. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the 
Secretary of Defense, may serve a term of service on the subcommittee 
of one to four years. Subcommittee members, if not full-time or part-
time government employees, 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 by the 
Secretary of Defense on an annual basis. With the exception of travel 
and per diem for official Committee related travel, subcommittee 
members shall serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Government in the Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and 
regulations, and governing DoD policies/procedures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee

[[Page 49439]]

Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Committee shall meet at the call of the 
Committee's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with 
Committee's Chairpersons. The estimated number of Committee meetings is 
four per year.
    In addition, the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in 
attendance at all Committee and subcommittee meetings for the entire 
duration of each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the 
Designated Federal Officer, a properly approved Alternate Designated 
Federal Officer shall attend the entire duration of the Committee or 
subcommittee meeting.
    The Designated Federal Officer, or the Alternate Designated Federal 
Officer, shall call all of the Committee's and subcommittees' meetings; 
prepare and approve all meeting agendas; adjourn any meeting when the 
Designated Federal Officer, or the Alternate Designated Federal 
Officer, determines adjournment to be in the public interest or 
required by governing regulations or DoD policies/procedures; and chair 
meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the Committee 
reports.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to Advisory 
Committee on Arlington National Cemetery 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 Advisory Committee on Arlington National Cemetery.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal 
Officer for the Advisory Committee on Arlington National Cemetery, and 
this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to 
the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the 
Advisory Committee on Arlington National Cemetery's 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 
Advisory Committee on Arlington National Cemetery. 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: August 10, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-20154 Filed 8-15-12; 8:45 am]
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