Notice2026-08784
Renewal of Department of War Federal Advisory Committee-U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 6, 2026
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to announce that it is renewing the U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group (USSTRATCOM SAG) as a discretionary Federal advisory committee.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24534-24535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08784]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Renewal of Department of War Federal Advisory Committee-U.S.
Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to
announce that it is renewing the U.S. Strategic Command Strategic
Advisory Group (USSTRATCOM SAG) as a discretionary Federal advisory
committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee
Management Officer for the Department of War, 703-692-5952.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USSTRATCOM SAG is being renewed in
accordance with chapter 10 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.)
(commonly known as ``the Federal Advisory Committee Act'' or ``FACA'')
and 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.50(d). The public or
interested organizations may submit written statements about the
USSTRATCOM SAG mission and functions. Written statements may be
submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned
meetings of the USSTRATCOM SAG. All written statements shall be
submitted to the USSTRATCOM SAG's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), and
this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to
the membership for their consideration. The USSTRATCOM SAG'S DFO is Mr.
Derrick Besse, and he may be contacted at (402) 912-0322, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c1a5a4b3b3a8a2aaefabefa3a4b2b2a4efa2a8b781aca0a8adefaca8ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3b7b6a1a1bab0b8fdb9fdb1b6a0a0b6fdb0baa593beb2babffdbebabf">[email protected]</span></a>.
Consistent with 41 CFR 102-3.65(a), the DoW is publishing the
USSTRATCOM SAG's Public Interest Determination.
Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew,
reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory
committee, an agency must first consult with the General Services
Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat)
and, as part of the consultation, provide a written public interest
determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat
with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition,
pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same
consultation process and document in writing the same determination of
need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee
that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee.
Information on the following factors for the committee is provided
to the Secretariat to demonstrate that merging the committee is in the
public interest:
1. Annual Budget: The DoW estimates annual operating costs to
support the USSTRATCOM SAG are $400,000, which includes personnel
travel, meetings, and contract support.
a. Federal Personnel on a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Basis: The
estimated annual personnel costs to the DoW are 3.0 FTE at $330,000,
which includes basic pay with cost-of-living allowance.
b. Other Federal Internal Costs: $0.
c. Proposed Payments to Members: Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 173,
members of the USSTRATCOM SAG are not compensated for their services,
except for travel and per diem reimbursement for official USSTRATCOM
SAG-related business.
d. Proposed Number of Members: As authorized by the Secretary of
War (SecWar), the USSTRATCOM SAG will be composed of not more than 20
members. The USSTRATCOM SAG's permanent subcommittee, the Stockpile
Assessment Team (SAT) will be composed of not more than 15 members.
e. Reimbursable Costs: The estimated reimbursement costs for
USSTRATCOM staff and members are $70,000.
2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants is expected to
be recommended during the fiscal year. N/A.
3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the
necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership: As described in its
proposed charter and membership balance plan, the USSTRATCOM SAG is
composed of members who are eminent authorities in the fields of
strategic policy formulation; nuclear weapon design; national command,
control, and communications; electromagnetic spectrum operations,
intelligence, disruptive technologies (Artificial Intelligence/Machine
Learning, Quantum Computing/Sensing, Cyber, Space), and information
operations; or other important aspects of the Nation's strategic forces
of interest to the DoW.
In selecting members, the DoW seeks to capitalize on recognized
talented, innovative private and public sector leaders to provide the
broadest knowledge and expertise based on a balanced USSTRATCOM SAG
membership composition. The USSTRATCOM SAG membership is not static,
and the SecWar and Deputy Secretary of War (``the DoW Appointing
Authority'') or the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command (CDRUSSTRATCOM)
on behalf of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), as the
USSTRATCOM SAG's DoW Sponsor may change the membership based upon work
assigned to the USSTRATCOM SAG.
4. List of all other DoW Federal Advisory Committees: A complete
listing of DoW Federal advisory committees can be located at: <a href="https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense">https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense</a>.
5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the
Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from
another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government
[[Page 24535]]
source, or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source:
The USSTRATCOM SAG provides an unparalleled contribution to the Nation,
the DoW, and the mission of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and
its operations. Composed of recognized, talented, innovative public and
private sector leaders the USSTRATCOM SAG provides independent
technical advice that cannot be duplicated elsewhere on matters
pertaining to development and implementation of the Nation's strategic
deterrence objectives and other matters related to the Nation's
strategic forces. These matters include, but are not limited to
scientific, technical, intelligence, nuclear command, control, and
communications, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and policy-related
matters of interest to the SecWar, the CJCS, the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the USSTRATCOM, and the
Commander, USSTRATCOM (CDRUSSTRATCOM).
USSTRATCOM SAG also provides independent reviews of DoW and
Department of Energy modernization efforts related to all three legs of
the nuclear triad (intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-
launched ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers) and Nuclear
Command, Control, and Communications systems. These reviews include
assessments of proposed technologies, evaluations of program schedules,
and recommendations for consideration. The USSTRATCOM SAG will be
instrumental to the National Command Authority as the Nation implements
modernization plans over the next 10-20 years, requiring informed
decision-making on complex technical and strategic issues.
6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the
previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to
continue: USSTRATCOM SAG provides insights on emerging technologies,
including Artificial Intelligence/machine learning, quantum
technologies, and other disruptive innovations. This expertise supports
USSTRATCOM's ability to anticipate and address potential threats,
develop advanced capabilities, and maintain effective deterrent and
warfighting capabilities. These insights include evaluating the
potential applications of these technologies to strategic systems and
identifying potential vulnerabilities.
Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 6117, the CDRUSSTRATCOM is required to
provide the SecWar and the Nuclear Weapons Council an assessment of the
U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile's safety, reliability, performance, and
military effectiveness in meeting deterrence requirements. The
USSTRATCOM SAG's subcommittee, the SAT, with independent experts with
specialized knowledge of the nuclear weapons enterprise, national
laboratories, and relevant USSTRATCOM Unified Command Plan mission
sets, provides an independent assessment to support the Command in
fulfilling this requirement. The SAT's specialized knowledge, residing
outside the Command, contributes to the objectivity of this assessment,
ensuring an unbiased evaluation of the stockpile's condition. This
assessment is then reviewed and approved by the SecWar and the
President before it is provided to Congress.
7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to
the conduct of agency business: As described by the SecWar, the DoW
mission is ``warfighting, preparing for war and preparing to win'' the
Nation's wars with ``victory our only acceptable end state.'' A strong,
viable military is essential to the defense of the U.S. homeland and
hemispheric security. The USSTRATCOM SAG and SAT provides the SecWar,
CJCS, CDRUSSTRATCOM key advice and recommendations on strategies,
capabilities, technologies, modernization efforts related to all three
legs of the nuclear triad (intercontinental ballistic missiles,
submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers), Nuclear
Command, Control, and Communications systems, the Nation's nuclear
weapons stockpile and innovations to win the Nation's wars, protect the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the homeland and our access to
key terrain throughout the region, restore American military dominance
in the Western Hemisphere, deny adversaries' ability to position forces
or other threatening capabilities in our hemisphere, support commitment
to allies and international partners, and ensure the lethality and
readiness of America's fighting force to further the goal of peace
through strength. This public interest determination document for the
committee is essential to the conduct of agency business and the
information to be obtained is not already available through another
advisory committee or source within the Federal Government.
Dated: May 1, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2026-08784 Filed 5-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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