2011-32265. Agency Information Collection (Health Surveillance for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans) Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the collection of information through http://www.Regulations.gov or to VA's OMB Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0722” in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, [phone], FAX [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0722.”

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Health Surveillance for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans Survey.

OMB Control Number: OMB Control No. 2900-0722.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The Health Surveillance for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans survey will be used to collect data from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans regarding their current health status and concerns, exposures of concern in the theater, health care preferences, and health behaviors and attitudes, and to gain knowledge on veterans who have not used VA health care since returning from the current conflict. The data collected will help VA to plan and provide better health care to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, as well as understanding the long-term consequences of military deployment.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on October 12, 2011 at pages 63352-63353.

Estimated Annual Burden: 24,858 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 39 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 38,300.

Dated: December 13, 2011.

By direction of the Secretary.

Denise McLamb,

Program Analyst, Enterprise Records Service.