Is DOD on the Right Path to Financial Auditability?

Abstract

To make every dollar count, the Department of Defense (DoD) must be able to account for every dollar. The ability to achieve an unqualified audit opinion has eluded the Department since its inception, but now this goal may be within reach. DoD has a responsibility to account for taxpayers' dollars and produce timely, reliable, and accurate financial information that informs financial decisions made by political and military leaders. Several congressional representatives summed up the importance of an unqualified audit opinion by asserting that DoD has an obligation to get its fiscal house in order. In addition, these congressional representatives suggest that an unqualified financial audit opinion assures taxpayers of DoD's commitment to spend their money wisely. As national security debates focus on weapon systems, digital warfare, non-conventional threats, hybrid threats, and the size and shape of our force, leaders are emphasizing the importance of financial management and audit readiness. Over the past 8 years, the Department has worked hard to achieve its auditability goals: it created the appropriate organizational structure for oversight and readiness; it focused on reengineering legacy business processes; and it leveraged the most advanced system technology available -- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Achieving an unqualified audit opinion will not be easy, but the Department is on the right path to accomplishing this goal by 2017. This SRP defines auditability, discusses the importance of achieving an unqualified audit opinion, and examines why achieving an unqualified audit is difficult for DoD. Then it surveys DoD's history of financial management improvement efforts, cites Congressional legislation mandating financial reform, and examines DoD's current efforts to achieve an unqualified audit opinion. It concludes with recommendations for DoD to continue its momentum beyond getting an unqualified audit opinion.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 22, 2012
Accession Number
ADA562134

Entities

People

  • Eric F. Zellars

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Business Administration
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineering
  • Financial Management
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Military Science
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Security
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • United States Transportation Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Business

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Strategic Security Studies