DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000
NAVY PENTAGON
W
ASHINGTON DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 5314.1A
N17
8 Aug 2017
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5314.1A
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: DECENNIAL CENSUS AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
Encl: (1) Procedures for Coordinating and Conducting the ACS
1. Purpose. To establish procedures and responsibilities for supporting the United States
Census Bureau’s Decennial Census and the monthly American Community Survey (ACS).
Changes to this instruction include updating the office responsible for maintaining the instruction
and adding the requirement for Navy Personnel Command to coordinate administrative records
requests from Census Bureau.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 5314.1.
3. Background
a. Every 10 years, the Federal Government conducts a census of the population and housing
of the United States to collect statistical information which allows government agencies to make
important resource decisions. The Navy is committed to supporting the Census Bureau with the
enumeration of military personnel and ensuring military personnel serving the country are fully
included in the decennial census of population and housing.
b. In past decennial census surveys, the majority received a short census form to collect
basic data while one in six received a long census survey. The Census Bureau has designed the
ACS to replace the census long form for future census surveys. The ACS is conducted monthly,
among a small sample of the population, to produce a timely statistical picture of trends that
affect the Nation. Individuals have a chance of being selected once every 5 years.
c. As directed in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness)
Memo of 22 Sep 2011 (NOTAL) and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and
Reserve Affairs) Memo of 24 May 2005 (NOTAL), the Census Bureau began an annual random
selection of approximately 1,000 military group quarters (GQ) (located within the United States
or Puerto Rico) to participate in the ACS questionnaire.
4. Scope. This instruction establishes Navy policy applicable to all Navy commands on
coordination for collecting information to support the Census Bureau enumeration of personnel
on military installations and ships.
