The Extent of Navy Compliance With Congressional Guidelines on the Training and Administration of the Reserve Program

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Navy's Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) Program to determine the extent to which the Navy has complied with congressional guidelines for Department of Defense appropriations bills for fiscal years 1981 through 1984.

GAO found that the Navy has fully complied with a guideline requiring the transfer of all TAR personnel funding to the Reserve Personnel, Navy appropriation account, but has not complied with a guideline requiring the transfer of authority over the funds to the Director of the Naval Reserve. The Navy contended that the Director participates in the management of the funds and acts in an advisory capacity; however, transferring the authority and control function would isolate naval reserve funding decisions from those affecting the regular Navy forces and would be against a total force concept. In addition, the Navy believed that the transfer would require duplication of facilities and personnel and downgrade the function. GAO also found that the Navy has not yet fully complied with two guidelines requiring the conversion of crew positions on reserve frigates from regular Navy to reservist positions. The Navy stated that the regular Navy personnel will continue to be used on the reserve ships because: (1) TAR officers are in short supply; (2) selected reservists do not serve on duty long enough to obtain the training and experience required for some positions; and (3) TAR career progression opportunities are not available in many occupations. For the same reasons, a committee directive to replace regular Navy personnel with TAR personnel in engineering and other positions on reserve fleet destroyers will not be followed.