[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69599-69601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28140]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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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 renewing 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 is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee 
that shall (a)

[[Page 69600]]

assess the effectiveness of the policies and programs developed and 
implemented by the Department of Defense (DoD), 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.
    Pursuant to section 724(c) of Public Law 111-84, the Task Force 
shall, 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, submit an annual report to the Secretary of Defense on 
the activities of the Task Force and on the activities of the DoD, 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 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 
DoD, 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 both the Regular and the 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 as the Task Force considers appropriate for measures to improve 
DoD-wide policies and programs in (a) above.

The Task Force, for the purpose 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 methodology and 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.
    Pursuant to section 724(c) of Public Law 111-84, the Task Force 
reports its independent findings, advice, and recommendations to the 
Secretary of Defense.
    Pursuant to section 724(a)(3) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary 
of Defense shall ensure that the Task Force's work is independent of 
the Senior Oversight Committee, as defined by section 726(c) of the 
Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 
(Pub. L. 110-417).
    The Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) shall 
oversee the Task Force. The Director of Administration and Management, 
through the Washington Headquarters Services, shall provide support as 
deemed necessary for the performance of the Task Force's functions, and 
the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) shall ensure compliance with the 
requirements of FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 
U.S.C. 552b) (hereinafter referred to as ``the Government in the 
Sunshine Act''), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies/procedures.
    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 with annual renewals.
    Pursuant to section 724(b)(2) of Public Law 111-84, the Secretary 
of Defense shall appoint the following:
    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 the Reserve Component of the Armed Forces other 
than the National Guard; and
    d. A number of persons from outside the DoD equal to the total 
number of personnel from within the DoD (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 DoD 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 
DoD--
    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 DoD. The other co-chair shall be selected from among the 
individuals appointed from outside the DoD by those individuals.
    Pursuant to section 724(e)(1) of Public Law 111-84, Task Force 
members who are members of the Armed Forces or civilian officers or 
employees 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).
    Under the provisions of section 724(e)(1) of Public Law 111-84, 
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 and authorized to 
receive compensation.
    All Task Force Members shall be renewed on an annual basis. The 
members shall also receive travel and per diem when traveling on 
official Task Force business.

[[Page 69601]]

    Each Task Force 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 Task Force's 
mission and DoD policies/procedures, may establish subcommittees to 
support the Task Force. 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 Task 
Force's sponsor.
    These Subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered 
Task Force, and shall report all of their recommendations and advice 
solely to the Task Force for full deliberation and discussion. 
Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions and recommendations, 
verbally or in writing, on behalf of the chartered Task Force; nor can 
any Subcommittee or its members update or report directly to the DoD or 
any Federal officers or employees.
    The Secretary of Defense shall appoint Subcommittee members even if 
the member in question is already a Task Force member with annual 
renewals.
    Subcommittee members that are full-time or permanent part-time 
Federal officers or employees shall be appointed to serve as regular 
government employee members. Subcommittee members, if not full-time or 
permanent 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 Task Force-related 
travel, Subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.
    Each Subcommittee 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.
    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: Marcia Moore, Deputy Advisory 
Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-571-
7057.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force shall meet at the call of the 
Task Force's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Task 
Force 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 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 Task Force or 
subcommittee meeting.
    The Designated Federal Officer, or the Alternate Designated Federal 
Officer, shall call all of the Task Force'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 Task Force 
reports.
    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 Forces 
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 Force'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 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: November 15, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-28140 Filed 11-19-12; 8:45 am]
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