Defense Budget: Contingency Operations in the Balkans May Need Less Funding in Fiscal Year 2003
Abstract
The military services received a combination of funding provided in the DOD appropriations act for fiscal year 2002 and money remaining in previously funded contingency fund accounts. The services also took steps to reduce costs in order to keep them in line with available funding. The Army in Europe, which had the largest share of the Balkan operations costs, took a number of steps to reduce costs. Its estimated costs for fiscal year 2002 fell by more than $500 million between the time its original estimate was developed and July 2002. This reduction was achieved through decisions to reduce the amount of personnel and equipment in both Bosnia and Kosovo and other cost-cutting measures, including reductions in contract costs under the Army's Balkan Support Contract through improved contract management and oversight. In the Balkans, the Air Force - which had the second largest share of costs in the Balkans - reduced its expected costs by $49 million, bringing costs to within $2 million of the funding provided. In Southwest Asia, the services continue to estimate costs above available funding. The Air Force and the Navy will each have to absorb about $11 million in costs while the Army will have to absorb less than $1 million within their respective overall fiscal year 2002 appropriation for operation and maintenance (which funds these costs).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- AD1172906
Entities
People
- Neal P. Curtin
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office