[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24781-24782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10956]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Veterans' 
Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Advisory Committee

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking nominations 
of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the 
Veterans' Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Advisory Committee 
(hereinafter in this section referred to as ``the Committee'').

DATES: Nominations for membership on the Committee must be received no 
later than 5:00 p.m. EST on June 15, 2017.

ADDRESSES: All nominations should be mailed to Veterans Experience 
Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW. (30), 
Washington, DC 20420.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Merna, Designated Federal 
Officer, Veterans Experience Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
810 Vermont Avenue NW. (30), Washington, DC 20420, telephone (202) 632-
8692.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Veterans' Family, Caregiver, and 
Survivor Advisory Committee is being established to advise the 
Secretary of VA on issues related to:
    (1) Veterans' families, caregivers, and survivors across all 
generations, relationships, and Veteran status;
    (2) The use of VA care and benefits services by Veteran's families, 
caregivers, and survivors, and possible adjustments to such care and 
benefits services;
    (3) Veterans' family, caregiver, and survivor experiences, and VA 
policies, regulations, and administrative requirements related to the 
transition of Service members from the Department of Defense to 
enrollment in VA that impact Veterans' families, caregivers, and 
survivors; and
    (4) Factors that influence access to, quality of, and 
accountability for services and benefits for Veterans' families, 
caregivers, and survivors.
    The Committee responsibilities include:
    (1) Advising the Secretary on how VA can assist and represent 
Veterans' families, caregivers, and survivors, including 
recommendations regarding expanding services and benefits to Veterans' 
family members, caregivers, and survivors who are not currently served 
by VA, and related policy. Administrative, legislative, and/or 
regulatory actions;
    (2) Advising the Secretary on incorporating lessons learned from 
current, and previous, successful family research and outreach efforts 
that measure the impact of provided care and benefits services on 
Veterans' family, caregivers, and/or survivors;
    (3) Advising the Secretary on collaborating with family support 
programs within VA and engaging with other VA and non-VA advisory 
committees focused on specific demographics of Veterans and their 
families, caregivers, and survivors;
    (4) Advising the Secretary on working with interagency, 
intergovernmental, private/non-profit, community, and faith-based 
organizations to identify and address gaps in services;
    (5) Advising the Secretary on utilizing journey mapping or other 
means to depict the experience life cycle of families, caregivers, and 
survivors of Veterans to create a more holistic understanding of 
important life cycle events, moments that matter, and their impacts, 
and to ensure accountability;
    (6) Advising the Secretary on Veterans' family, caregiver, and 
survivor experiences, and the impact of VA policies, regulations, and 
administrative requirements related to the transition of Service 
members from the Department of Defense to the enrollment of Veterans;
    (7) Advising the Secretary on integrating Veterans' families, 
caregivers, and survivors into key VA initiatives such as access to 
care, suicide prevention, and homelessness; and
    (8) Providing such reports as the Committee deems necessary, but 
not less than one report per year, to the Secretary, through the Chief 
Veterans Experience Officer, Veterans Experience Office to describe the 
Committee's activities, deliberations, and findings, which may include 
but are not limited to: (1) Identification of current challenges and 
recommendations for remediation related to access to care and benefits 
services of Veterans' families, caregivers, and survivors; and (2) 
identification of current best practices in care and benefits delivery 
to Veterans' families, caregivers, and

[[Page 24782]]

survivors, and the impact of such best practices.
    Membership Criteria and Qualifications: VA is requesting 
nominations for Committee membership. The Committee is composed of up 
to 20 members and several ex-officio members.
    The members of the Committee are appointed by the Secretary of 
Veteran Affairs from the general public, from various sectors and 
organizations, including but not limited to:
    (1) Veteran's family members, caregivers, and survivors
    (2) Veteran-focused organizations;
    (3) Military history and academic communities;
    (4) National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs;
    (5) The Federal Executive Branch;
    (6) Research experts and service providers; and
    (7) Leaders of key stakeholder associations and organizations.
    In accordance with the Committee Charter, the Secretary shall 
determine the number (up to 20), terms of service, and pay and 
allowances of Committee members, except that a term of service of any 
such member may not exceed two years. The Secretary may reappoint any 
Committee member for additional terms of service.
    To the extent possible, the Secretary seeks members who have 
diverse professional and personal qualifications including but not 
limited to subject matter experts in the areas described above. We ask 
that nominations include any relevant experience information so that VA 
can ensure diverse Committee membership.
    Requirements for Nomination Submission: Nominations should be typed 
(one nomination per nominator). Nomination package should include:
    (1) A letter of nomination that clearly states the name and 
affiliation of the nominee, the basis for the nomination (i.e., 
specific attributes which qualify the nominee for service in this 
capacity), and a statement from the nominee indicating the willingness 
to serve as a member of the Committee;
    (2) The nominee's contact information, including name, mailing 
address, telephone numbers, and email address;
    (3) The nominee's curriculum vitae; and
    (4) A summary of the nominee's experience and qualifications 
relative to the membership considerations described above.
    Individuals selected for appointment to the Committee shall be 
invited to serve a two-year term. Committee members will receive a 
stipend for attending Committee meetings, including per diem and 
reimbursement for eligible travel expenses incurred.
    The Department makes every effort to ensure that the membership of 
VA Federal advisory committees is diverse in terms of points of view 
represented and the committee's capabilities. Appointments to this 
Committee shall be made without discrimination because of a person's 
race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, 
national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. Nominations 
must state that the nominee is willing to serve as a member of the 
Committee and appears to have no conflict of interest that would 
preclude membership. An ethics review is conducted for each selected 
nominee.

    Authority: The Committee is being established by the directive 
of the Secretary of VA, in accordance with the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. 2.

    Dated: May 23, 2017.
Jelessa M. Burney,
Federal Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-10956 Filed 5-26-17; 8:45 am]
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