[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 102 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28810-28811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11359]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DOD-2021-OS-0021]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness, Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Information collection notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) 
(OUSD (P&R)) announces a proposed public information collection and 
seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited 
on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information 
collection on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by July 27, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: The DoD cannot receive written comments at this time due to 
the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments should be sent electronically to the 
docket listed above.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instruments, please write to the Ms. Angela 
Duncan at the Department of Defense,

[[Page 28811]]

Washington Headquarters Services, ATTN: Executive Services Directorate, 
Directives Division, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 03F09-09, 
Alexandria, VA 22350-3100 or call 571-372-7574.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: 2021 Active Duty Spouse 
Survey, OMB Control Number 0704-0604.
    Needs and Uses: The DoD Survey of Active Duty Spouse Survey (ADSS) 
is the primary source for reliable and generalizable data on the 
effects of military life on military spouses and their families and the 
effectiveness of current programs and policies related to military 
families. The survey is designed to enhance understanding of how spouse 
and family resilience impact force readiness and retention and is also 
an indicator informing the effectiveness of programs and policies under 
the purview of DoD's Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) 
Department. Without this biennial survey, DoD would not have current 
data to guide limited resources to the appropriate programs, policies, 
and services related to military spouses, their families and ultimately 
Service members.
    This survey provides an opportunity for military spouses to 
directly expand policy maker's knowledge by sharing opinions on issues 
that directly affect them. Success of current efforts and shortfalls in 
programs and policies are identified through this biennial survey. 
These survey results ensure decisions based on current and 
statistically reliable data.
    The legislation authorizing the USD(P&R) to conduct these surveys 
is provided under 10 United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 136, 1782 
and 2358, and 37 U.S.C., Section 1008(b).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Annual Burden Hours: 18,175.
    Number of Respondents: 72,700.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Annual Responses: 72,700.
    Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
    Frequency: One time.
    The Office of People Analytics (OPA) will administer the 2021 
Active Duty Spouse Survey (ADSS) to active duty spouses of Army, Navy, 
Marine Corps, and Air Force members who are below flag rank. Active 
duty spouses will receive one of two versions of the ADSS, either a 
four-question supplemental ADSS or a full ADSS with 74 questions. Only 
spouses selected as part of the random sample will be asked to complete 
the full ADSS. The full ADSS quantitative results are generalizable to 
the entire active duty spouse population, while the supplemental ADSS 
results will be analyzed for qualitative patterns and themes.
    OPA uses a sampling tool developed by the Research Triangle 
Institute (RTI) to determine the sample size needed to achieve 95% 
confidence and an associated precision of 5% or less on each reporting 
category domain. We select a single-stage, non-proportional stratified 
random sample to ensure statistically adequate expected number of 
responses for the reporting domains. OPA uses Service, paygrade, 
gender, and family status to define the initial strata. We collapse 
these strata when there are fewer than 200 individuals in the stratum. 
OPA weights the eligible respondents in order to make inferences about 
the entire population of active duty spouses. The weighting methodology 
utilizes standard weighting processes.
    The full ADSS and supplemental ADSS contain two matching questions 
which will be used to gauge potential differences between the 
scientifically sampled and weighted ADSS responses and the convenience 
sample responding to the supplemental survey. At the end of the 
supplemental short survey, spouses will be asked if they would like to 
voluntarily provide their personal email address to be contacted for 
future spouse surveys.
    The supplemental ADSS and full ADSS are administered via the web. 
The full ADSS also includes a paper survey option and QR code link to 
the survey to maximize response rates. Respondents may access the 
survey via the web on a device they select. The web survey will be 
administered on proprietary software developed by OPA's operations 
contractor, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). Digitally signed 
emails, electronic files, and web-based technology will be used for 
respondent communications and for data collection.

    Dated: May 25, 2021.
Kayyonne T. Marston,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2021-11359 Filed 5-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P