2021-26381. Defense Policy Board; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting

AGENCY:

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Defense Policy Board, Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION:

Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting.

SUMMARY:

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Policy Board (DPB) will take place.

DATES:

Closed to the public, Wednesday, December 15, 2021, from 9:28 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 16, 2021, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

The closed meeting will be held at The Pentagon, 2000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Stacee Bako, [phone] (Voice), 703-697-8606 (Facsimile), [e-mail] (Email). Mailing address is 2000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Announcement: Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Department of Defense and the Designated Federal Officer for the Defense Policy Board, the Defense Policy Board was unable to provide public notification required by 41 CFR 102-3.150(a) concerning its December 15-16, 2021 meeting. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day notification requirement.

This meeting is being held under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C., App.), the Government in the Sunshine Act (“the Sunshine Act”) (5 U.S.C. 552b), and Title 41 Code of Federal Regulations (C.R), Sections 102-3.140 and 102-3.150.

Purpose of the Meeting: To obtain, review, and evaluate classified information related to the DPB's mission to advise on (a) issues central to strategic DoD planning; (b) policy implications of U.S. force structure and modernization on DoD's ability to execute U.S. defense strategy; (c) U.S. regional defense policies; and (d) other defense policy topics of special interest to the DoD, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Agenda: On December 15-16, 2021 the DPB will receive classified briefings and hold classified discussions on the development of the Department of Defense National Defense Strategy (NDS) analysis and methodology. The board will be addressed by the Secretary of Defense and the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. The board will receive classified briefings on (1) a current intelligence baseline briefing on China military modernization; (2) a briefing on the NDS overall approach and security environment assessment; (3) a briefing on the NDS defense priorities, the strategic approach and integrated defense; (4) key considerations for nesting the NDS, the Nuclear Posture Review and Missile Defense Review; and (5) conduct classified member “red team” discussions and deliberation. Following discussions and deliberation, the DPB will provide their advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense for consideration.

Meeting Accessibility: In accordance with section 10(d) of the FACA and Title 41 CFR, Section 102-3.155, the DoD has determined that this meeting shall be closed to the public. The Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), in consultation with the DoD FACA Attorney, has determined in writing that this meeting be closed to the public because the discussions fall under the purview of Section 552b(c)(1) of the Sunshine Act and are so inextricably intertwined with unclassified material that they cannot reasonably be segregated into separate discussions without disclosing classified material. Written Statements: In accordance with Section 10(a)(3) of the FACA and Title 41 CFR, Sections 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140(c), the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to the membership of the DPB at any time regarding its mission or in response to the stated agenda of a planned meeting. Written statements should be submitted to the DPB's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), which is listed in this notice or can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database— http://www.facadatabase.gov/​. Written statements that do not pertain to a scheduled meeting of the DPB may be submitted at any time. However, if individual comments pertain to a specific topic being discussed at a planned meeting, then these statements must be submitted no later than five business days prior to the meeting in question. The DFO will review all submitted written statements and provide copies to all members.

Dated: November 30, 2021.

Aaron T. Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.