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 1998-03-18 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-NSIAD-98-124 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124 P0b002ee1803a1aca f:ns98124t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124 T-NSIAD-98-124 Evaluation methods Combat readiness Defense contingency planning Personnel evaluation systems Management information systems Reporting requirements Defense capabilities Military forces Training utilization Military training DOD Status of Resources and Training System Testimony NSIAD

GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) process for assessing and reporting on military readiness, focusing on: (1) what corrective action DOD has taken to improve its readiness assessment system; (2) whether military readiness reports provided quarterly to Congress effectively support congressional oversight; and (3) whether further improvements are needed to DOD's process.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) over the last few years, DOD has taken action to improve readiness assessment; (2) DOD has made technical enhancements to the Status of Resources and Training System (SORTS)--the automated system it uses to assess readiness at the unit level; (3) DOD also has established two forums--the Joint Monthly Readiness Review and the Senior Readiness Oversight Council--for evaluating readiness from a joint and strategic perspective; (4) however, SORTS remains the basic building block for readiness assessment, and inherent limitations to this system, such as its inability to signal impending changes in readiness and its imprecise ratings for unit resources and training, may be reflected in reviews at the joint and strategic levels; (5) DOD's quarterly reports to Congress, which are based on information provided to the Senior Readiness Oversight Council, provide only a vague description of readiness deficiencies and planned remedial actions; consequently, in their present form they are not as effective as they could be as a congressional oversight tool; (6) DOD is required to expand on these reports beginning in October 1998 by adding indicators mandated by Congress; (7) GAO has concerns about DOD's current plans for implementing this expanded reporting requirement; (8) for example, current plans do not present a clear picture of how the additional readiness will be incorporated into the quarterly report; (9) GAO's work has identified two areas in which DOD can improve its readiness reporting to Congress; (10) DOD should provide more specific descriptions and supporting information for the key readiness deficiencies and planned remedial actions identified in its quarterly report; and (11) DOD can make improvements to its current plans for adding readiness indicators to the quarterly report. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124/html/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124.htm GAO/T-NSIAD-98-124 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-124 Testimony GAO/T-NSIAD-98-124; Military Readiness: Congress Needs Better Tools for Effective Oversight; Evaluation methods Combat readiness Defense contingency planning Personnel evaluation systems Management information systems Reporting requirements Defense capabilities Military forces Training utilization Military training DOD Status of Resources and Training System Title 10 Section 482 10 U.S.C. 482