2024-22315. Proposed Collection; 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:

60-Day information collection notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the OUSD(P&R) announces a proposed ( print page 79576) public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES:

Consideration will be given to all comments received by November 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by docket number and title, by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Transparency, Regulatory Directorate, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24, Suite 05F16, Alexandria, VA 22350-1700.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on this proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and associated collection instruments, please write to Ms. Lisa Davis, Deputy Director, Health & Resilience at the Office of People Analytics, Defense Personnel Analytics Center: 4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 06E22, Alexandria, VA 22350-4000, Elizabeth Davis or call 703-338-8926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

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.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Annual Burden Hours: 5,000.

Number of Respondents: 10,000.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 10,000.

Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.

Frequency: Biennially.

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, ( print page 79577) 80% (+/−5%) of cadets/midshipmen are satisfied with their training).

Dated: September 24, 2024.

Aaron T. Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.