Office of the Secretary of Defense April 15, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.65, the Department of Defense gives notice that it is amending the charter for the Board of Visitors National Defense University (hereafter referred to as the Board). The Board is a discretionary federal advisory committee established by the Secretary of Defense to provide the Department of Defense independent advice and recommendations on organization management, curricula, instructional methods, facilities and other matters of interest to the National Defense University. The Board shall be composed of approximately twenty-one members, who are eminent authorities in the fields of national defense, academia, business, national security affairs, and the defense industry. Three of the twenty-one Board members are Federal ex officio members: (a) The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; (b) the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration; and (c) the Department of State Director General. Board Members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are not federal officers or employees, shall serve as Special Government Employees under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109. With the exception of the federal ex officio members, Board members shall be appointed on an annual basis by the Secretary of Defense, and shall serve no more than fifteen years on the Board. Board members shall, with the exception of travel and per diem for official travel, serve without compensation. The Board Membership shall select the Board's Chairperson and the Co-Chairperson from the total Board Membership, and this individual shall serve at the discretion of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff or designee. In addition, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or designated representative may invite other distinguished Government officers to serve as non-voting observers of the Board, and appoint consultants, with special expertise, to assist the Board on an ad hoc basis. The Board shall be authorized to establish subcommittees, as necessary and consistent with its mission, and these subcommittees or working groups shall operate under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976, and other appropriate Federal regulations. Such subcommittees or workgroups shall not work independently of the chartered Board, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Board for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees or workgroups have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Board nor can they report directly to the Department of Defense or any federal officers or employees who are not Board Members.