Family Housing

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Department of Defense (DOD) family housing survey procedures to determine whether the justifications provided to Congress for a $2.7 million utility extension project accurately portrayed the housing situation and/or established intent of Air Force policy on family housing in Korea.

GAO found that the initial justification submitted to Congress for the utility project showed a housing shortfall of 2,500 units and stated that about 1,700 families were living in inadequate off-base quarters. Congress denied the request to extend the utilities in conjunction with its policy to continue unaccompanied tours of duty. Subsequently, the Air Force provided information that showed that a savings would result because accompanied tours would be longer than the current tours of 1-year duration since the extension of service would require fewer permanent changes of station and less frequent specialized training. Congress approved the project but stated that the utility extension was not to be construed as an endorsement of accompanied tours at that location. However, the Air Force planned to achieve full accompanied tour status in Korea and conducted an analysis to determine the costs. Rather than indicating a cost savings, the Air Force analysis showed that the addition of the housing units would incur costs for: (1) community support facilities, such as schools and hospitals; (2) maintaining the 48-hour workweek; and (3) leasing additional units from the government. GAO noted that in March 1985, a memorandum to the Air Force Council recommended that Korea be an accompanied tour location.