Better Followup Can Reduce Equipment and Facility Problems Affecting Army Guard and Reserve Training

Gao ID: NSIAD-84-29 November 10, 1983

GAO reviewed the Army's Unit Status Reporting (USR) system to determine whether: (1) equipment shortages and constraints on access to training facilities adversely affect National Guard and Army Reserve units' ability to train; and (2) the Army has an effective means to identify and correct reported training problems.

GAO found that: (1) because instructions for preparing reports are not clear, reported information is often inconsistent; (2) some commanders are not listing all of the equipment shortages or facility constraints affecting their training; and (3) follow-up on reported training problems is minimal because Army officials do not analyze USR training data and they lack confidence in the validity of reported training problems. GAO believes that, due to the inadequate follow-up system, valid training problems remain unresolved and that, once action is taken to provide valid and complete information, the Army should use the USR data to assist in making decisions on equipment allocations.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Martin M. Ferber Team: General Accounting Office: National Security and International Affairs Division Phone: (202) 275-5140


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