This collection
is cleared for 6 months based on the revised materials provided by
the Department.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2010
6 Months From Approved
216
0
0
216
0
0
0
0
0
In the January 27, 2010, State of the
Union address, the President announced that he would work with
Congress this year to repeal 10 U.S.C. § 654, the law commonly
known as Dont Ask, Dont Tell. On February 2, 2010, Secretary
Robert Gates, in testimony before the Senate Armed Services
Committee (SASC), announced that he had appointed a high-level
working group within the Department that will immediately begin a
review of the issues associated with properly implementing a repeal
of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. This high-level working
group, the DoD Comprehensive Review Working Group (CRWG), has
contracted with Westat to systematically engage the armed forces,
including spouses to assess and consider any impacts a change in
the law would have on military readiness, unit cohesion, morale and
family readiness. This OMB submission relates to data collection
from armed forces, active duty and reserve, spouses.
This emergency
submission is necessary because the collection analysis of
information related to the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell is
needed prior to the submission of CRWGs report to the Secretary of
Defense on December 1, 2010. To inform the report to the Secretary,
the initial report on the impact of the repeal of the law on
spousal family readiness and perceived unit stability and cohesion
is needed by mid-September 2010. As data collection procedures
needed to ensure high response rates require a 2 month field
period, and analysis and summary of data requires a month time
period, it is necessary to begin data collection procedures no
later than June 10, 2010. If the focus groups are not approved
under an emergency process, it will impede the Departments ability
to collect information from the families of service members and the
CRWGs ability to fulfill its tasking by the Secretary of Defense
to study the impact of repeal on military readiness, military
effectiveness, unit cohesion, recruiting, retention, and family
readiness.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.