United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-07-06 monographic deposited born digital 70 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-95-109 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109 P0b002ee180398222 f:ns95109 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109 NSIAD-95-109 Military training Combat readiness Defense contingency planning Military forces Interagency relations Military intervention Armed forces abroad Training utilization Military operations Operations analysis Desert Shield Desert Storm DOD Operation Restore Hope Somalia JCS Exercise Program DOD REFORGER Exercise Chapter Report NSIAD Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the effectiveness of the Department of Defense's (DOD) joint training activities, focusing on the: (1) scope of DOD joint training activities; and (2) actions taken and additional actions needed to improve joint training.<p/>GAO found that: (1) inadequate Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) oversight has perpetuated limited joint training of U.S. forces; (2) most joint training exercises are conducted to maintain U.S. access or presence in a region, promote regional stability, or foster relations with foreign military forces; (3) although these objectives are important, they have taken precedence over joint military training activities; (4) the JCS Operational Plans and Interoperability Directorate (J-7) has failed to critically review planned exercises to ensure that they emphasize joint training and to correct past problems, develop meaningful standards for evaluating exercises, or monitor enough exercises to ensure that training problems are identified and corrected; (5) J-7 needs to take a stronger coordinating role for joint training, since several entities have responsibility for joint training activities, but its staffing level is not sufficient for it to conduct all its oversight tasks; (6) it would not be practical to shift the J-7 coordinating role to either the Joint Warfighting Center or the U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM); and (7) the Secretary of Defense and JCS have taken steps to improve joint training, such as developing uniform policy guidance and strengthening the roles of the Joint Warfighting Center and USACOM, but other units have reservations about new USACOM training strategies. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109.pdf GAO/NSIAD-95-109 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-109 Chapter Report GAO/NSIAD-95-109; Military Capabilities: Stronger Joint Staff Role Needed to Enhance Joint Military Training; Military training Combat readiness Defense contingency planning Military forces Interagency relations Military intervention Armed forces abroad Training utilization Military operations Operations analysis Desert Shield Desert Storm DOD Operation Restore Hope Somalia JCS Exercise Program DOD REFORGER Exercise Public Law 99-433