01-19292. Agency Information Collection Activities 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 et seq.), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted 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 September 4, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, [phone], FAX [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0442.”

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Request for Armed Forces Separation Records from Veterans, VA Form Letter 21-80e.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0442.

Type of Review: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

Abstract: In order to establish entitlement to VA compensation or pension benefits, a veteran must have had active military service which resulted in separation under other than dishonorable conditions. VA Form Letter 21-80e is completed by the veteran to furnish information relative to his/her military service to aid VA in requesting verification of service. Compensation and pension benefits cannot be paid without verification of service.

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 document with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on April 16, 2001 at pages 19606—19607.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 17,000 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 10 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 102,000.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection 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. 2900-0442” in any correspondence.

Dated: July 10, 2001.

By direction of the Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.