Military Readiness: Congress Needs Better Tools for Effective Oversight.
Abstract
Over the last few years, DOD has taken action to improve readiness assessment. 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. DOD also has established two forums-the Joint Monthly Readiness Review and the Senior Readiness Oversight Council-for evaluating readiness from ajoint and strategic perspective. We believe these changes represent progress. 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. 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 DOD is required to expand on these reports beginning October 1998 by adding indicators mandated by Congress. We have concerns about DOD's current plans for implementing this expanded reporting requirement. For example, current plans do not present a clear picture of how the additional readiness indicators will be incorporated into the quarterly report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 18, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA340728
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office