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DOD - 441 - U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group	Agency Name	Department of Defense
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	441
Original Establishment Date	5/1/1968	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL
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*	Designated Federal Officer
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Mr.
Current Charter Date	5/31/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Derrick
Date Of Renewal Charter	5/31/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	J
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Besse
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(402) 912-0322
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	Secretary of Defense Determination	Designated Federal Officer Email*	derrick.j.besse.civ@mail.mil
Effective Date Of Authority*	1/5/1968
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	During Fiscal Year 2025, the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) did not meet the objectives stated in its charter by providing scientific, technical, intelligence, and policy-related advice across a wide spectrum of topics affecting the development and maintenance of the national nuclear war plan. The SAG did have a Fall Committee meeting held on October 2 of 2024, however the Spring Committee meeting was cancelled due to the termination of most Department of Defense (DoD) Federal Advisory Committee membership directed by the Secretary of Defense. In response to Presidential taskings, the SAG’s Stockpile Assessment Team completed its annual, in-depth examination of the condition of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. The Commander, USSTRATCOM, sponsored the conference to better assess the safety and reliability of the Nation's stockpile, and to assess the effects of aging and necessary modifications on the development of the national nuclear war plan. Having done this, the Commander, USSTRATCOM, was able to advise the Secretary of Defense on his confidence in the safety and reliability of the stockpile, and its ability to meet deterrence requirements. During the Committee Meeting session, held at Offutt Air Force Base, the group and select USSTRATCOM staff both received and provided input to the SAG in a variety of areas.
How is membership balanced?*	SAG membership consists of nationally-renowned civilian and military analysts and scientists who are actively engaged in scientific or analytical fields associated with nuclear weapons effects; weapons systems vulnerabilities; national command, control and communications; or other important aspects of strategic war-fighting systems. Candidates are carefully selected for SAG membership to ensure they represent those segments of the scientific, technical, or defense community in which they work. This affords the Commander, USSTRATCOM, multiple and divergent points of view on issues affecting strategic war planning.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The SAG convenes for semi-annual Committee Meeting sessions at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska but due to the termination of most DoD Federal Advisory Committee membership, the SAG was only able to complete the 110th Strategic Advisory Group Committee Meeting on October 2, 2024. The 111th Strategic Advisory Group Committee Meeting scheduled for 2-3 April 2025 was canceled per direction of the Secretary of Defense. Deliberations during these sessions focus on the key issues and findings of the SAG and selected staff presentations. The SAG investigates and assesses evolving intelligence collections technologies; strategic weapons technologies; the survivability, offensive/defensive integration, and connectivity of the strategic war planning process; the impact of policy changes on the ability of the Nation's strategic war plans to satisfy national security objectives; and information security. The SAG reports the results of their research to the Commander, USSTRATCOM, during duly convened SAG Committee Meetings. The SAG represents an important link between USSTRATCOM and both the civilian and government scientific and technical communities and provides invaluable advice to the Commander, USSTRATCOM, on technical issues having a direct impact on the development of the national nuclear war plan. As such, the SAG should continue to provide its vital contributions toward enhancing the U.S. strategic war fighting plans.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Secretary of Defense has determined that no other DoD advisory committee can provide the independent advice provided by the SAG on matters concerning the USSTRATCOM mission.
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 of 5 U.S.C. § 552b(c). Pursuant to DoD policy closed meetings can only be authorized by the DoD Sponsor, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and only after consultation with the Chairman's Legal Advisor.
Recommendation Remarks	Advice and recommendations are provided to the Commander, USSTRATCOM, in semi-annual, face-to-face Committee Meeting sessions. The Minutes of the 110th Strategic Advisory Group Committee Meeting, October 2, 2024, are uploaded in the FACA database. A copy is retained and archived in USSTRATCOM/J030. The costs associated with the subcommittees are interwoven with the parent committee and cannot be separated. These meetings were held in closed session due to the classified discussions that occurred. The 111th Strategic Advisory Group Committee Meeting scheduled for 2-3 April 2025 was canceled due to the termination of most DoD Federal Advisory Committee membership directed by the Secretary of Defense.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	Yes
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	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	Hiring private consultants to provide this calibre of expertise would be prohibitively expensive.	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	728	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	Recommendations are provided to the Commander, USSTRATCOM, in semi-annual Committee Meeting sessions. This number reflects recommendations for FY10, FY11, FY12, FY13, FY14, FY15, FY16, F17, FY18, FY19, FY21, FY22, FY23, FY24, and FY25, not the life of the committee. The committee was established in 1968; therefore, it would be difficult to compile the number of recommendations for the life of the committee. The committee made 44 recommendations in FY25.	Access Agency Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	68.00%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	This number reflects percent of recommendations fully implemented for FY10, FY11, FY12, FY13, FY14, FY15, FY16, FY17, FY18, FY19, FY21, FY22, FY23, FY24, and FY25.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	23.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	This number reflects percent of recommendations partially implemented for FY10, FY11, FY 13, FY14, FY16, FY17, FY18, FY19, FY21, FY22, FY23, FY24, and FY25.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Commander, USSTRATCOM provides comments in semi-annual meetings as well a flag officer and liaison officer interaction at the panel meetings. Due to the classified nature of the semi-annual meetings (Committee Meetings) Closed Meeting Notices have been filed. As such, no records beyond those already filed in the FACA Database are available for public access.	Narrative Description*	USSTRATCOM deters strategic attack through a safe, secure, effective, and credible, global combat capability and, when directed, is ready to prevail in conflict. USSTRATCOM is a global warfighting command committed, as part of a global team of allies and partners, to maintaining strategic deterrence across the spectrum of competition and conflict. USSTRATCOM achieves its mission through a focus on people, readiness, and capabilities. The SAG has adapted to support these mission areas with the establishment of working groups to concentrate expertise in Intellingence; Science, Technology and Transformation; Strategy and Policy; Mission Assessment, and Stockpile Assessment.

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*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$307,000.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$319,280.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$45,279.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$60,600.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$4,762.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$9,400.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$150,000.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$150,000.00
11. Total Costs	$507,041.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$539,280.00
Date Cost Last Modified	8/7/2025 10:01 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	3.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	3.00	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Aviation Aviation Computer Technology Technology National Defense National Security and Defense Space Space and Aeronautics

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