Census Military Panel Non-Sub Change Request

OMB Non-Substantive Change Request

Department: Commerce

Agency: U.S. Census Bureau

Title: Census Military Panel (CHP)

OMB Control Number: 0607-1027

The U.S. Census Bureau requests a non-substantive change to the currently approved CHP Information Collection Request. The Census Bureau received clearance on August 31, 2023. We request approval for this change in time for the recruitment operation, which begins December 14, 2023 and ends January 12, 2024.

Background and Justification

The Census Military Panel is a national survey panel by the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) consisting of active-duty service members and spouses of active-duty service members that have agreed to be contacted and invited to participate. The ultimate goal for the Military Panel project is to recruit at least 2,000 panel members (1,000 service members and 1,000 spouses) including panelists recruited in the pilot and randomly selected directly from military administrative data.

While programming the baseline instrument, we noticed some cosmetic fill and flow issues that needed to be fixed. We also realized we needed to include a question on the relationship between household members and the survey respondent and an address confirmation question.

Data Collection

The following non-substantive changes will be made to the Screener/Baseline Questionnaire.

1. Updated programmer instructions.

2. CONFIRM/NAME_CORR: Added questions to confirm name or correct name.

3. LINK1: Moved to later in the instrument.

4. DR5a: Removed /community from response options to make consistent with other items.

5. R4: Changed universe to not be asked to military members who report living aboard a ship or those in government-owned barracks since they are not living in a housing unit.

6. DROSTER2: Changed universe so definition of legal dependents consistent for military members and spouses.

7. R8: Revised question text to say, “Please tell us the names of the people currently living in your household, including yourself. Please list yourself first.”

8. ROSTER6: Revised question text to say, “What is [fill your/First_Name Last_Name]’s month and year of birth?”

9. AGE: Revised question text to say, “if MONTH OR YEAR is blank] What is [fill your/First_Name Last_Name]’s age in years”

10. DROSTER7a: Simplified response options

11. DROSTER9: Changed universe so definition of legal dependents consistent for military members and spouses.

12. DROSTER7c: Simplified response options

13. CON1a: Removed item

14. CON1b – CON5: Moved to later in the instrument.

15. DIG1: Changed universe to include those who do not use internet in the home.

16. DIG2a – DIG2e: Editorial changes

17. ATTNCHK – New attention check item

18. NEWS1: Editorial changes

19. VOL1: Revised question text to say, “In the last 12 months , have you done any volunteer activities through or for an organization?”

20. VOL2: Revised question text to say, “In the last 12 months, have you done any of these types of volunteer activities?”

21. TRUST1a, TRUST1b: Removed “a great deal, quite a lot, some or very little” from question text.

22. DEM1, DEM1a – Items removed since already asked in the household roster section

23. DDEM13: Changed universe to be asked of all.

24. DSPOUSE1, DSPOUSE2: Removed since information is captured in the household roster

25. DEM8: Revised question text to read, “LAST WEEK, did you do any work for pay?”

26. DEM9: Revised question text to read, “What was your main reason for not working LAST WEEK?”

27. DEM11: Replaced “answer yes” with “select ‘Yes.’”

28. DFOOD2: Removed specific reference period. Revised question text to read, “In the past 12 months,… [I/we] didn't have money to buy more.”

29. PRIV3: Added “Select “Yes” or “No” to each statement” to question text.

30. PRIV4: Removed question since we will ask them to link their data later.

31. CON6: New future contact item – “[If both CON2 and CON4 are blank]: We need to be able to contact you for future surveys, please provide a cellphone number, email or landline phone number where we can reach you?”

32. INCENT1: Combined with INCENT2 and variable name changed to INCENT2. Question text shortened to read, “Thank you for answering our questions. You will receive $20 for completing this survey.”

33. INCENT3: Added second Address line

34. INCENT4, INCENT5: Removed items

35. OUTRO: Added text that reads, “Please use the "Submit" button below to record your response. If you have any questions about the Census Military Panel, please contact us at addp.military.panel@census.gov or call 1-888-329-5895.”

36. SCREENOUT: Added text that reads, “If you believe you got to this screen in error, please email us at addp.military.panel@census.gov. [If CONFIRM=3] Thank you for your responses, but unfortunately you are not eligible to participate. If you believe you got to this screen in error, please email us at addp.military.panel@census.gov.”

Burden

There is no change in respondent burden hours associated with this request.