2024-29590. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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Department of Defense

Office of the Secretary

1. [Docket ID: DoD-2024-OS-0105]

AGENCY:

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD(P&R)), Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION:

30-Day information collection notice.

SUMMARY:

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

DATES:

Consideration will be given to all comments received by January 15, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Reginald Lucas, [phone], or [e-mail].

( print page 101579)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Service Academy Gender Relations Survey; OMB Control Number 0704-0623.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 12,000.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 12,000.

Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 6,000.

Needs and Uses: The legal requirements for the Service Academy Gender Relations (SAGR) surveys can be found in the following:

• 10 United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 4361, as amended by John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, Section 532
• 10 U.S.C., Section 481
• DoD Instruction (DoDI) 6495.02

These legal requirements mandate that the SAGR solicit information relating to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination in the Military Service Academies (MSAs), as well as the climate at the MSAs and social perspectives. MSAs include the U.S. Military Service Academy (USMA), the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), and U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). The requirements state that the assessment cycle consists of surveys and focus groups during alternate years. They also give the Department authority to conduct such surveys under the guidance of the USD(P&R). The U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), the only Federal Military Academy within the Department of Homeland Security, is not required to participate in the assessments codified by U.S.C. 10. However, USCGA officials requested the Coast Guard be included, beginning in 2008, to evaluate and improve their programs addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment. Similarly, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), under the Department of Transportation, requested their inclusion beginning in 2012. USCGA and USMMA will continue to participate in the assessments. Surveys of USCGA and USMMA are not covered under this DoD licensure and will not be mentioned further.

The Office of People Analytics (OPA) administers both web-based and paper-and-pen surveys to support the personnel information needs of the USD(P&R). The SAGR survey expands a series of surveys that began in 2004 with the DoD Inspector General's first survey, subsequently transferred to OPA. OPA conducted the SAGR survey at the MSAs in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024. The 2020 administration of the survey was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first focus group assessment was conducted in 2007, with subsequent focus groups in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Information from the SAGR surveys will be used by DoD policy offices, the Military Departments, the MSAs, and Congress for program evaluation and, specifically, to assess and improve policies, programs, practices, and training related to gender relations at the MSAs. OPA will provide reports to DoD policy offices, each Military Department, the MSAs, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Congress.

The target population of the SAGR consists of all students at the MSAs: USMA, USNA, and USAFA, including the Preparatory Schools. Excluded are Service Academy Students who are (1) non-citizens and (2) are visiting from another MSA. Students under 18 years of age are also excluded. Working with the MSAs, we estimate the approximate numbers of cadets and midshipmen to be 14,200. The survey will be administered to all cadets/midshipmen ( i.e., a census). Based on the 2022 SAGR survey that had an 81% response rate, we estimate a 75% response rate. To achieve sufficient statistical analytical power, we will include a census of the population of interest in the study to achieve sufficient coverage.

Each Academy notifies students about the survey with an electronic message explaining the overall survey process and providing them instructions on how to select a session for administration of the survey. OPA staff is on location during the survey week to brief students and administer the survey in person using a paper survey. Sessions are typically scheduled from 0700 through 1500 and follow the Academy's class periods. Attendance is checked when a student arrives for their session (attendance is only for purposes of following up and not for identifying survey responses by individuals). Academy officials follow up with students who do not appear at their designation session and reschedule accordingly. OPA staff provides an overview briefing on the purpose for the survey. Students are advised they may leave at any time after the briefing if they choose not to complete the survey.

Data will be weighted, using an industry standard process, to reflect each Academy's population as of the time of the survey. Weighting produces survey estimates of population totals, proportions, and means (as well as other statistics) that are representative of their respective populations. OPA creates variance strata so precision measures can be associated with each estimate. We produce precision measures for reporting categories using 95% confidence intervals with the goal of achieving a precision of 5% or less ( e.g, 80% (+/−5%)) of cadets/midshipmen are satisfied with their training).

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Frequency: Biennial.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Dated: December 11, 2024.

Aaron T. Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.