FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

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DOD - 31929 - Reserve Forces Policy Board - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Reserve Forces Policy Board	Agency Name	Department of Defense
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	31929
Original Establishment Date	7/9/1952	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	http://rfpb.defense.gov/
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	20
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Mr.
Current Charter Date	5/7/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Eric
Date Of Renewal Charter	5/7/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	Paul
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Flowers
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(703)692-2382
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	703-681-0002
Specific Establishment Authority*	10 USC 175 and 10301	Designated Federal Officer Email*	eric.p.flowers2.civ@mail.mil
Effective Date Of Authority*	7/9/1952
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 175 and § 10301, the Reserve Forces Policy Board shall serve as an independent adviser to the Secretary of Defense to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary on strategies, policies, and practices designed to improve and enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Reserve Components. In addition, the Reserve Forces Policy Board may act on those matters referred to it by the Chair and on any matter raised by a member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board or the Secretary of Defense.
How is membership balanced?*	The Reserve Forces Policy Board's membership is directed by 10 U.S.C. § 10301(c). The membership is balanced across the spectrum between Uniformed Military Members from among the Seven Reserve Components and ten Special Government Employees with knowledge of and/or experience with the Reserve Components that assist in crafting relevant recommendations to the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the governing statute and charter.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The estimated number of meetings per year, for the full committee, is four (4).
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The advice the RFPB gives cannot be obtained elsewhere because neither the US Code nor DoD policy levies any expectation for any other entity, except the RFPB, to provide RC-related recommendations from a joint perspective.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Meetings are not closed to the public unless the DoD determines that items on the planned agenda meet the closed meeting provisions as codified in 5 U.S.C. § 552b(c). Pursuant to DoD policy, DODI 5105.04, 6 Aug 2007, closed meetings can only be authorized by the DoD sponsor, Honorable Anthony Tata, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, after direct consultation with the Department of Defense's Office of General Counsel. In FY 2025, the RFPB held one partially closed meeting. It occurred on December 4, 2024.
Recommendation Remarks	Due to the Secretary of Defense's pause of all advisory committee operations effective March 7, 2025 and the conclusion of all committee member appointments effective April 25, 2025, the Board met once in FY 2025. The RFPB adds value to the Department through its ability to objectively assess and analyze complex issues and offer pertinent and actionable recommendations related to the most effective uses of the Reserve Component in achieving National Defense Strategy objectives.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	Yes
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	Yes
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NA	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	1,173	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	In FY 2025, the Board offered no recommendations to the Department. The lack of recommendations was a result of the Secretary of Defense's March 25, 2025, directive that all Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees cease activities and release all Board members from their respective terms of service while the Department conducted a 45-day review. Further guidance would be provided at the conclusion of the review period. As of the date of this submission, the RFPB had not received Departmental guidance on the way forward. During the unexpected pause, the RFPB staff collaborated with pertinent Departmental stakeholders to facilitate actions that advanced previous RFPB recommendations that the staff knew had either been partially implemented or yet to be acted upon. Two notable efforts where the staff served as technical advisers to the Department's efforts on previous RFPB recommendations were Total Force Optimization and Duty Status Reform. Until the Board receives Secretary approval to reconstitute the members, the staff will continue its enduring responsibility to help guide the Department in implementing RFPB recommendations that have been either partially accepted or have not been acted upon. The most pressing recommendations that have yet to be acted upon are the Board's sixteen (16) recommendations to strengthen DoD's ability to use the Reserve component as conveyed in its 2024 document entitled, "Reserve Component Support for Homeland Defense Report." The recommendations were conveyed in an unclassified report from its subcommittee on the Reserve Component's Role in Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	62.32%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Due to a myriad of reasons, the Board has yet to fully capture relevant details about recommendations that have been fully implemented during the Board's seventy-three-year existence. As part of its statutory responsibility, the staff is consistently researching historical documents and current policy edicts to determine the nature of those recommendations and whether their respective implementation achieved their objectives.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	34.61%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Consistent with the Board's statutory mandate to provide advice and recommendations, Board members and staff provide consultant-like support to various Departmental efforts to fully implement the Board's recommendations. Many recommendations characterized as "partially implemented" require multi-year activities to reach desired end states. Noteworthy examples include, but are not limited to, implementation of Total Force Optimization, Duty Status Reform and defense critical electric infrastructure resiliency efforts.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment
Agency Feedback Comment*	Pursuant to DoD policy, written feedback on all advisory committee recommendations and advice shall be provided within a reasonable time. Agency feedback is available by request. Send email request to the Reserve Forces Policy Board: eric.p.flowers2.civ@mail.mil or osd.pentagon.ousd-p-r.mbx.rfpb@mail.mil.	Narrative Description*	The Reserve Forces Policy Board is a principal policy advisor to the Secretary of Defense providing advice and recommendations to the Secretary on strategies, policies, and practices designed to improve and enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and effectiveness of, and access to, the US armed forces' reserve components and, reports annually (transmitted by the Secretary of Defense) to the President and Congress.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$25,325.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$95,780.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$2,633,171.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$2,963,644.45
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$7,800.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$8,500.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$1,150.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$6,300.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$6,846.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$9,100.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$1,044.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$3,400.00
11. Total Costs	$2,675,336.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$3,086,724.45
Date Cost Last Modified	9/17/2025 3:51 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	11.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	11.00	Est Cost Remarks	Costs estimates reflect a projection of 100% federal staffing for the entire FY and is inclusive of a projected 3.8% pay increase for the uniformed staff members. Captured costs also include total contract costs for one (1) contracted support staff, and publishing up to four (4) Federal Register notices throughout the year.
Cost Remarks	Payments to Federal Staff encompass individuals' fully burdened costs. Costs for the uniformed Service members fulfilling statutory positions are borne by the parent Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and Department of Homeland Security (Coast Guard). Costs for publishing Federal notices are included in the "Other Costs" field.

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