DOD Management of Physical Security System at U.S. Military Bases

GAO discussed Department of Defense (DOD) actions which responded to congressional and GAO recommendations to upgrade and enhance the DOD system of managing physical security at U.S. military bases. DOD has ongoing or planned actions intended to address several of the congressional recommendations, including: (1) coordinating joint-service security and law enforcement matters, and promoting consistency in the services' approaches to similar problems; (2) drafting a joint service directive which provides for uniform security procedures; and (3) requesting the services to include staffing and physical security costs in their budget requests for fiscal years 1983 and 1984. GAO is encouraged by these actions, but notes that much remains to be done if physical security is to be accomplished effectively and economically. The DOD response to GAO recommendations has adequately reduced or eliminated excessive personnel at several installations, although the reductions were not as substantial as hoped. GAO believes that, because of the importance and cost involved in providing proper security, more management guidance and attention is needed. Certain actions which DOD has proposed are not yet fully developed or implemented and therefore, GAO stated that it would be premature to pass final judgment on them.