2017-28136. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

ACTION:

Notice of proposed extension request.

SUMMARY:

NARA proposes to request an extension from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a currently approved information collection used when veterans or other authorized individuals request information from or copies of documents in military service records. We invite you to comment on this proposed information collection.

DATES:

We must receive written comments on or before February 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Paperwork Reduction Act Comments (MP), Room 4100, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001, fax them to 301-837-0319, or email them to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Tamee Fechhelm by telephone at 301-837-1694 or fax at 301-837-0319 with requests for additional information or copies of the proposed information collection and supporting statement.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), NARA invites the public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed information collections. The comments and suggestions should address one or more of the following points: (a) Whether the proposed information collections are necessary for NARA to properly perform its functions; (b) NARA's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collections and its accuracy; (c) ways NARA could enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information it collects; (d) ways NARA could minimize the burden on respondents of collecting the information, including through information technology; and (e) whether these collections affects small businesses. We will summarize any comments you submit and include the summary in our request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. In this notice, NARA solicits comments concerning the following information collection:

Title: Request Pertaining to Military Records.

OMB number: 3095-0029.

Agency form number: SF 180 & NA Form 13176.

Type of review: Regular.

Affected public: Veterans, their authorized representatives, state and local governments, and businesses.

Estimated number of respondents: 1,028,769.

Estimated time per response: 5 minutes.

Frequency of response: On occasion (when respondent wishes to request information from a military personnel record).

Estimated total annual burden hours: 85,731 hours.

Abstract: The authority for this information collection is contained in 36 CFR 1233.18(d). In accordance with rules issued by the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS, US Coast Guard), NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) administers military service records of veterans after discharge, retirement, and death. When veterans and other authorized individuals request information from or copies of documents in military service records, they must provide in forms or in letters certain information about the veteran and the nature of the request. Federal agencies, military departments, veterans, veterans' organizations, and the general public use Standard Form (SF) 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, in order to obtain information from military service records stored at NPRC. Veterans and next-of-kin of deceased veterans can also use eVetRecs (http://www.archives.gov/​research_​room/​vetrecs/​) to order copies. A new form, NA Form 13176, Status Update to Request for Military Service Records, was added to allow the veteran or other authorized individuals to follow-up on their request.

Kimberly Keravuori,

NARA Regulatory Officer.