Overview
Title
Collection of Information Under Review by Office of Management and Budget; OMB Control Number 1625-0128
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ELI5 AI
The U.S. Coast Guard wants to keep asking people some important questions to learn if they can join as helpers or leaders, and they're checking with other important departments to see if that’s okay; they also want people to tell them if these questions make sense or take too long.
Summary AI
The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking public comments as it requests an extension of approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an information collection involving its recruitment process. This collection includes questionnaires and applications used to screen potential active duty and reserve members for both enlisted and officer positions. The Coast Guard is interested in feedback on the necessity, utility, and clarity of this information collection and aims to ensure it imposes only necessary paperwork burdens. Comments can be submitted online until January 8, 2025.
Abstract
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0128, Prospect Questionnaire, Chat Now Questionnaire, and the Officer Program Application; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.
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AnalysisAI
General Summary
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a notice seeking public comments on extending its current information collection efforts related to recruitment processes. This effort involves the use of questionnaires and applications to screen candidates for active duty and reserve positions. This request for public feedback is part of the regulatory process overseen by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), ensuring that the information collection remains appropriate and imposes only necessary paperwork burdens. Interested parties can submit comments until January 8, 2025.
Significant Issues and Concerns
There are several points of concern regarding this notice:
Lack of Detailed Burden Calculation: One key issue is that the document does not provide a detailed breakdown of the annual estimated 11,625-hour burden associated with this information collection. Without this, stakeholders may find it challenging to evaluate the accuracy or fairness of this estimate.
Impact of Public Comments: The document does not clarify how the Coast Guard will address comments or concerns raised by the public, nor does it highlight how previous feedback influenced their decision to maintain the existing procedures. This could leave stakeholders uncertain about the influence their input has on OIRA's decision-making.
Navigating Submission Portals: For individuals unfamiliar with regulatory submission processes, the instructions for using portals like https://www.regulations.gov and https://www.reginfo.gov might appear daunting or confusing, possibly deterring meaningful public participation.
Legal Clarity: The document references legal authorities, such as 14 U.S.C. 468 and 10 U.S.C. 503, without explaining their significance, making it difficult for those unfamiliar with legal statutes to comprehend the collection's necessity.
Effect of Public Participation: There might be a lack of clarity on how feedback from the public will directly influence the approval or revision of the information collection request, potentially diminishing the perceived value of public engagement.
Impact on the Public
Broadly speaking, this document and its underlying processes affect individuals interested in joining the U.S. Coast Guard, whether as enlisted members or officers. The effort to extend the information collection process ensures that the Coast Guard can efficiently screen applicants and manage recruitment.
For the general public, understanding and participating in such regulatory processes safeguard against overly burdensome data collection and ensure transparency in military recruitment practices. However, the mechanisms by which the public's feedback influences changes in these processes are not explicitly outlined, possibly undermining public engagement.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For potential Coast Guard recruits, the questionnaires and applications described represent the initial steps in their military career path. A transparent and justified collection process could smoothen their entry and ensure fairness in recruitment.
For administrative personnel, including those involved in Coast Guard recruitment and data management, this request underscores the continual need for balancing regulatory compliance with practical recruiting strategies. A well-justified extension of this information collection will help in maintaining an effective recruitment system without unnecessarily complicating or prolonging the process.
Overall, while the Coast Guard's request for comments is a critical component of regulatory accountability, the lack of detail in certain areas may hinder meaningful engagement and raise questions about the transparency and effectiveness of the information collection process.
Issues
• The document does not provide a detailed breakdown of how the estimated 11,625-hour burden per year is calculated, which might make it difficult to assess the accuracy of this estimate.
• There is no information on how the Coast Guard intends to address any public comments received, nor is there clarity on how previous feedback (or lack thereof) influenced the decision to maintain the current approach.
• The process for submitting comments, especially the use of *https://www.regulations.gov* and *https://www.reginfo.gov*, might not be completely clear to individuals unfamiliar with these portals, leading to potential confusion.
• The section detailing the 'Need' for the information collection refers to multiple statutes (14 U.S.C. 468 and 10 U.S.C. 503) without summarizing their relevance, which could make understanding the legal basis challenging for lay readers.
• There could be ambiguity for readers regarding how raising comments could potentially influence the decision made by OIRA on the ICR, including the impact of public participation.