[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 249 (Friday, December 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78944-78946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31003]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Meeting of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air 
Force

AGENCY: Director of Administration and Management, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Advisory Committee Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) announces that the following 
Federal advisory committee meeting of the National Commission on the 
Structure of the Air Force (``the Commission'') will take place.

DATES: Date of Open Meeting, including Hearing: Thursday, January 9, 
2014, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registration will begin at 11:00 
a.m. Please also see instructions to register for oral public comments 
in advance.

ADDRESSES: 2521 South Clark Street Suite 200, Crystal City, VA 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Marcia Moore, Designated Federal 
Officer, National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, 1950 
Defense Pentagon, Room 3A874, Washington, DC 20301-1950. Email: 
[email protected]. Desk (703) 545-9113. Facsimile (703) 692-5625.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Due to difficulties finalizing the meeting 
agenda for the scheduled meeting of January 9, 2014, of the National 
Commission on the Structure of the Air Force the requirements of 41 CFR 
102-3.150(a) were not met. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, pursuant to 41 CFR 
102-3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day notification requirement.
    This meeting is being held under the provisions of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), 
the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), 
and 41 CFR 102-3.150.
    Purpose of Meeting: The members of the Commission will hear 
testimony from Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force and 
oral comments from the public.
    Agenda: Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force will 
testify from 11:30 a.m.--1:00 p.m. The public is invited to give oral 
comments to the Commission on the following topics that have been 
addressed in the Commission's draft report. The Chairman will introduce 
each topic and subtopic. Individual members of the public will then 
comment on the topic.
1:00 p.m.--The Uncertain Future Strategic Environment
    1. The role of airpower in the post-Afghanistan national security 
situations likely to be encountered by the Air Force capabilities and 
Airmen and the implications for the structure of the Air Force.

[[Page 78945]]

    2. Emerging demands on Air Force capabilities such as, 
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, remotely piloted 
aircraft, space, cyberspace, special operations, and building 
partnership capacity. Further, implications for the structure of the 
Air Force from the growing threat involving simultaneous attacks on the 
Homeland.
    3. Implications of rising demands and expectations for missions 
such as Homeland Defense, Homeland Security, and Defense Support to 
Civil Authorities.
    4. Continuing growth of demand on traditional Air Force core 
functions including: Air Superiority, Air Mobility, Global Precision 
Attack, Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Command and Control, Personnel 
Recovery, Agile Combat Support, Training and Education, and other 
specific mission sets such as security forces, civil engineering and 
science and technology.
1:40 p.m.--The Inexorable Resource Trend
    1. Projections and assumptions about future resource levels that 
will be available to organize, train and equip the Air Force; how the 
Budget Control Act and Sequestration legislation will affect Total 
Obligational Authority and associated planning, programming and 
budgeting flexibility.
    2. Impact of strategic choices on Air Force capabilities and force 
structure options derived from the selection of national priorities 
among modernization, technology, recapitalization, readiness, capacity 
and force structure; various approaches on how to calculate and apply 
cost methods and data to questions of force structure.
2:30 p.m.--Enduring Roles of the Components
    1. Address the root causes of legislative and bureaucratic 
development of the force structure issues that led to the creation of 
the Commission in 2013; how these issues are rooted in the American 
militia heritage and the arc of Air Force history since 1947.
    2. Accounting for the socio-cultural dimensions of force structure 
issues ranging from the fundamental relationship of the American people 
to their military and to sub-cultures within the Air Force.
3:10 p.m.--Shaping and Sizing the Force
    1. How to institutionalize the shift in the fundamental role of the 
reserve components from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve 
with associated expectations.
    2. Force mix options to assess in terms of relative weight of force 
structure in each of the components.
    3. Whether to recommend the Department of Defense invert the force 
sizing planning paradigm from sizing to meet the expected wartime surge 
to an approach that begins with the steady state requirement then 
resource the components to provide the nation with a meaningful surge 
capacity for the strategy.
    4. Considerations for measuring and assessing active, reserve, and 
Air National Guard effectiveness, including both cost-effectiveness and 
mission effectiveness.
3:50 p.m.--Managing the Force
    Weigh alternative approaches to how the nation should direct, 
control and guide the active, reserve, and Air National Guard to 
include:
    1. Whether, and if so how, to simplify Title 10, Title 32 and other 
governing legislative authorities;
    2. How to re-balance the current mix of Active, Reserve and Air 
National Guard components into and across any and all mission function;
    3. Whether, and if so how, to reorganize the Air Force Active, 
Reserve and Air National Guard into less than 3 components;
    4. Can the Air Force move to a periodic readiness schedule without 
creating a ``hollow force'';
    5. Does component ``ownership'' of aircraft matter anymore and how 
can the Associate Unit paradigm be adapted to the future;
    6. Approaching future force integration of new systems capabilities 
by means of a Concurrent Proportional resourcing method across the 
components to replace today's priority of equipping the Active 
Component first;
    7. Accelerating the adoption of a ``Continuum of Service'' model to 
facilitate the ability of Airmen to move from any component into 
another at multiple points in their career path without prejudice:
    a. Enhancing the total force through equalized opportunities across 
the components for professional and technical education and shared 
experiences;
    b. Recognizing in promotion and selection processes differing but 
equivalent ends, ways, and means of professional development.
    8. Fundamental shift in policy goals for ``Deploy-to-Dwell,'' 
``Mobilization-to-Dwell,'' and associated metrics for the post-
Afghanistan period, as well as how deployment credit will be accounted;
    9. Reconsider the nation's needs for Overseas Basing and the 
capacity of CONUS infrastructure afforded by investments in Reserve and 
Guard basing capacities available to the Total Force.
    Meeting Accessibility: The building is fully handicap accessible. 
Visitors must show a picture I.D. and complete a security screening. 
Public parking is available within walking distance. Media and other 
organizations who wish to use video or camera technology during the 
meeting must obtain permission prior to the meeting.
    Written Comments: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140 and 
section 10(a)(3) of the FACA, the public or interested organizations 
may submit written comments to the Commission in response to the stated 
agenda of the open meeting or the Commission's mission. The Designated 
Federal Officer (DFO) will review all submitted written statements. 
Written comments should be submitted to Mrs. Marcia Moore, DFO, via 
facsimile or electronic mail, the preferred modes of submission. Each 
page of the comment must include the author's name, title or 
affiliation, address, and daytime phone number. All contact information 
may be found in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. While 
written comments are forwarded to the Commissioners upon receipt, note 
that all written comments on the Commission's charge, as described in 
the Background section, must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 6, 
2014 to be considered by the Commissioners for the final report. This 
deadline for emailed and faxed comments has been extended from December 
13, 2013. The postmark deadline to mail comments was November 8, 2013.
    Oral Comments: Individuals who wish to make an oral comment during 
the meeting on January 9, 2014, on the specific topics described in 
this notice, are strongly encouraged to pre-register for the meeting by 
5:00 p.m. on January 6, 2014. Walk-in registrations will be accepted by 
11:30 a.m. on January 9, 2014. Oral commenters will be allotted no less 
than 5 minutes each for their presentations. The actual time allotment 
will be given on the day of the meeting. Registration for oral comments 
must include a summary of points to be made and the topic to be 
addressed on at least one of the following, as described in this 
notice:

1. The Uncertain Future Strategic Environment
2. The Inexorable Resource Trend

[[Page 78946]]

3. Enduring Roles of the Components
4. Shaping and Sizing the Force
5. Managing the Force

    Registration: Individuals who wish to attend the public hearing and 
meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2014 are encouraged to register for the 
event in advance with the Designated Federal Officer, using the 
electronic mail and facsimile contact information found in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. The communication should include 
the registrant's full name, title, affiliation or employer, email 
address, and daytime phone number. If applicable, include written 
comments and/or a request to speak on one of the topics and a summary 
of your comments. Registrations and written comments must be typed.
    Background: The National Commission on the Structure of the Air 
Force was established by the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2013 (Pub. L. 112-239). The Department of Defense sponsor 
for the Commission is the Director of Administration and Management, 
Office of the Secretary of Defense. The Commission is tasked to submit 
a report, containing a comprehensive study and recommendations, by 
February 1, 2014 to the President of the United States and the 
Congressional defense committees. The report will contain a detailed 
statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together 
with its recommendations for such legislation and administrative 
actions it may consider appropriate in light of the results of the 
study. The comprehensive study of the structure of the U.S. Air Force 
will determine whether, and how, the structure should be modified to 
best fulfill current and anticipated mission requirements for the U.S. 
Air Force in a manner consistent with available resources.

    Dated: December 23, 2013.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2013-31003 Filed 12-26-13; 8:45 am]
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