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 1997-10-30 monographic deposited born digital 63 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-98-25 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25 P0b002ee1803725ba f:ns98025 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25 NSIAD-98-25 Administrative costs Defense budgets Personnel management Reductions in force Human resources utilization Military downsizing Personnel classification Management information systems Defense cost control DOD Future Years Defense Program Letter Report NSIAD

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) program to account for its management headquarters and headquarters support activities, focusing on: (1) the accuracy and reliability of DOD's reported data on management headquarters and headquarters support personnel and costs; (2) reasons that data on personnel and costs could be inaccurate; and (3) DOD's plans to reduce the size of its management headquarters and headquarters support activities.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) DOD's annual budget exhibits to Congress on management headquarters and headquarters support are unreliable because the number of personnel and costs are significantly higher than reported; (2) neither DOD nor Congress can determine trends in headquarters personnel and costs to help them make informed decisions about the appropriate size of headquarters; (3) during fiscal years (FY) 1985-86, DOD reported steady decreases in its management headquarters and headquarters support personnel, however, these data did not include personnel at most of DOD's noncombat organizations that are subordinate to management headquarters; (4) in a review of selected subordinate organizations, GAO found that almost three-fourths were primarily performing management or headquarters support functions and should have been reported to Congress by DOD; (5) DOD's headquarters costs are also significantly higher than reported to Congress; (6) DOD's data indicate that management headquarters and headquarters support costs decreased from $5.3 billion to $4.3 billion in constant 1997 dollars during FY 1985-86, however, DOD's reported data did not include all costs; (7) DOD's reported headquarters personnel and cost data are understated for several reasons: (a) sustained criticism from Congress about the size of DOD's headquarters has been a disincentive; (b) many DOD officials believe that they are required to report only personnel that make policy, allocate resources, or plan for the future; (c) the criteria for determining whether organizations should be included in management headquarters are complicated; and (d) oversight has been limited; (8) DOD faces challenges in reducing the size of its headquarters; (9) DOD has not determined the scope of future reductions or developed a detailed plan for making the reductions; (10) DOD is examining the effects of a possible 15-percent reduction in management headquarters and support personnel during FY 1998-2003; (11) a Defense Reform Task Force is assessing the missions, functions, and size of the Office of the Secretary of Defense and other headquarters; (12) determining whether and how much to reduce management headquarters is difficult because DOD has no generally accepted staffing standards; and (13) DOD officials have a range of views on whether and how to reduce management headquarters, some advocating reduction while others have no plans for reduction. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25.pdf GAO/NSIAD-98-25 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-98-25 Letter Report GAO/NSIAD-98-25; Defense Headquarters: Total Personnel and Costs Are Significantly Higher Than Reported to Congress; Administrative costs Defense budgets Personnel management Reductions in force Human resources utilization Military downsizing Personnel classification Management information systems Defense cost control DOD Future Years Defense Program Title 10 Section 3014 Title 10 Section 5014 Title 10 Section 8014 10 U.S.C. 3014 10 U.S.C. 5014 10 U.S.C. 8014 Public Law 101-510