Overview
Title
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Defense Department wants to check how being in the military affects soldiers and their families over a long time, so they ask people questions every few years to learn about their health and life changes. They hope this information will help make better decisions for soldiers and their families in the future.
Summary AI
The Department of Defense (DoD) has submitted a proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the Millennium Cohort Program, which collects information about U.S. military personnel and their families. This program's aim is to study the long-term health impacts of military service and deployments on service members and their families. It is organized into multiple studies, including the Millennium Cohort Study and the Millennium Cohort Family Study, and involves participants completing surveys every three to five years. The gathered data helps analyze health changes, post-war illness risk factors, and the effects of military service on families, providing insights that could influence future policy and interventions.
Abstract
The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
Commentary on the DoD's Information Collection Proposal
General Summary
The Department of Defense (DoD) has proposed an information collection project titled the Millennium Cohort Program, submitted for review to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This initiative aims to study the long-term health effects of military service on U.S. service members and their families. Such research is achieved through periodic surveys conducted over extended intervals of time. The program is comprised of multiple studies, including the Millennium Cohort Study and the Millennium Cohort Family Study. These studies focus on assessing health changes, identifying risk factors for illnesses post-war, and understanding the broader impacts of military service on familial relationships. By collecting self-reported data and analyzing it over several decades, the program intends to gather insights that can inform policy decisions and shape future interventions.
Significant Issues or Concerns
Several issues stand out in the proposed document. Firstly, there is a notable absence of information regarding budgetary or financial allocations tied to the Millennium Cohort Program. This lack of detail could hinder the ability to audit the program effectively for inefficient use of funds or potential favoritism. Furthermore, descriptions around the extension of the Millennium Cohort Study up to 67 years could benefit from milestones or intermediate reviews, ensuring that the program remains accountable and does not perpetuate indefinite spending without demonstrated progress.
Additionally, the roles that various contributing organizations, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the White House, play in the concept and design of the Family Cohort Study remain unclear. More concrete details about their contributions would enhance transparency and collaboration clarity. Although the document emphasizes that findings will provide "strategic evidence" to guide policy, it lacks specifics on how these findings will translate into tangible policy decisions.
While the inclusion of participant feedback surveys appears positive, the document could benefit from elaborating on how insights gained from this feedback will directly address non-response issues and improve future survey designs. Moreover, clarifying the obligations, rights, and data privacy for participants would ensure participants have a clear understanding of how their data will be used and protected. Finally, while acknowledging non-response bias, a more explicit strategy for addressing this concern would ensure the data collected is comprehensive and representative.
Broader Public Impact
The Millennium Cohort Program's long-term commitment to studying military personnel and their families has the potential to significantly influence public policy, especially concerning veterans' health and family welfare. A clear understanding of the long-term health impacts of military service could lead to more effective health interventions, improved compensation strategies, and enhanced support systems for veterans and military families. Therefore, the program holds great promise for shaping policies that better address the needs of those who serve the nation.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For military personnel and their families, this program is likely to provide immense value through tailored support and resources developed in light of its findings. Veterans Affairs could also utilize data from the program to refine its services and policies regarding veteran care. On the flip side, there is a potential negative impact if participants are not clear about their privacy rights or are wary of how data might be used. Ensuring robust privacy protocols and clear communication can mitigate these concerns. Additionally, as policymakers rely on these findings, it is essential they remain informed of progress and outcomes to avoid policy stagnation due to insufficient data translation.
In conclusion, the Millennium Cohort Program carries significant potential benefits but needs to address the outlined issues to improve accountability, clarity, and trust among stakeholders. Addressing these concerns thoughtfully could lead to a smoother implementation and greater impact of the research, serving military personnel and their families thoroughly and effectively.
Issues
• The document does not specify the budget or financial aspects involved in the Millennium Cohort Program, making it difficult to audit for wasteful spending or favoritism.
• The language describing the long-term extension of the Millennium Cohort Study to 67 years could be clarified with more concrete milestones and intermediate review points to avoid continuous expenditures without accountability.
• The section on the concept and design of the FCS could benefit from further explanation on how the various organizations contribute and what specific roles they play, particularly the APA and the White House.
• Further clarification is needed on how 'strategic evidence' from the study will concretely 'inform policy and guide interventions', as this is somewhat abstract and lacks specific outcome measures.
• The description of the participant feedback survey's goals and methods is reasonably clear, but more detail on how these insights will specifically improve survey response rates could enhance understanding.
• The obligations and rights of respondents, particularly around data privacy and use, could be elaborated to ensure clarity on the use of self-reported data.
• The potential issue of non-response bias is acknowledged, but the mitigation strategy could be more explicitly detailed, especially regarding how it will ensure comprehensive and representative data.