Enlisted Force Management: Past Practices and Future Challenges
Abstract
Direct costs for enlisted personnel, who comprise over 85 percent of the total U.S. active-duty military force, account for one-sixth of the annual defense budget. The high cost of maintaining a balanced and ready enlisted force underscores the need for efficient and effective management of these resources, particularly as the services transition to smaller forces. The Conference Committee on Department of Defense (DOD) authorizations expressed its concerns regarding this issue during its deliberations on the fiscal year 1990 defense authorization legislation, particularly its concerns related to undermanned units occurring as result of a reduction in forces. In view of budgetary pressures, potential troop reductions resulting from the Conventional Force in Europe negotiations, and recent developments in Eastern Europe, GAO reviewed DOD's enlisted force management. GAO's objectives were to review how the services (1) manage the size and composition of their enlisted forces,(2) are planning for enlisted force reductions, and (3) comply with DOD requirements for enlisted force management. Because the Navy and Marine Corps did not maintain historical records of key enlisted force management data submitted to DOD, GAO only reviewed the Air Force and the Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 22, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA267342
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office