Information System

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on: (1) the background of the Continental Army Management Information System (CAMIS) and the Developmental Army Readiness and Mobilization System (DARMS); and (2) the management and funding issues facing the Reserve Component Automation (RCA) program, which replaced CAMIS and DARMS.

The Army began CAMIS in 1979 and intended it to automate the mobilization management functions of the Army reserve component. The Army developed DARMS in 1982 to provide limited basic automation capabilities to support mobilization and to validate CAMIS requirements. In 1985, the Army: (1) suspended the acquisition of CAMIS and directed that the program be restructured; and (2) changed the DARMS status from developmental to operational to permit use of its limited automation capabilities until development of a new system. In 1986, the Army restructured CAMIS and renamed it RCA. GAO found that the Army needs to resolve some RCA management and funding issues, including: (1) the review and approval of the Mobilization Command and Control Standard Army Multi-Command Management Information System's (MOB C2) need, concept, funding, definition, and design; (2) the implementation of the MOB C2 extension, and the Standard Army Network interfaces; (3) the necessity for approval of MOB C2 by December 1986 to ensure that funding is available to develop the software; (4) the lack of fiscal year (FY) 1987 funding for the MOB C2 extension and the unit administration; (5) the unbudgeted amount of $4.6 million for RCA for FY 1987; and (6) the need for the reprogramming of other Army funds to ensure the progress of RCA in FY 1987.