04-25983. Defense Science Board

AGENCY:

Department of Defense.

ACTION:

Notice of Advisory Committee meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Force Protection in Urban and Unconventional Environments will meet in closed session on December 1-2, 2004, at Fort Irwin, CA; 29 Palms, CA; and March Air Reserve Base, CA. This Task Force will review and evaluate force protection capabilities in urban and unconventional environments and provide recommendations to effect change to the future Joint Force.

The mission of the Defense Science Board is to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics on scientific and technical matters as they affect the perceived needs of the Department of Defense. Specifically, the Task Force's foci will be to evaluate force protection in the context of post major combat operations that have been conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the operations, loss of national treasure—military and civilian, U.S. and other nations—has resulted from actions executed by non-state and rogue actors. The threat and capabilities these insurgent, terrorist and criminal actions present post a most serious challenge to our ability to achieve unified action.

In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), it has been determined that these Defense Science Board Task Force meetings concern matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and that, accordingly, these meetings will be closed to the public.

Due to scheduling difficulties, there is insufficient time to provide timely notice required by Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and § 101-6.1015(b) of the GSA Final Rule on Federal Advisory Committee Management, 41 CFR Part 101-6, which further requires publication at least 15 calendar days prior to the meeting.

Dated: November 17, 2004.

Jeannette Owings-Ballard,

OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.