Army Training

The Army's decision to relocate signal corps training from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to Fort Gordon, Georgia, is based largely on an Army cost analysis suggesting that it would be less expensive to conduct the training at Fort Gordon. GAO found, however, that the analysis overstated the cost of conducting signal training at Fort Sill, mainly because the Army combined artillery and final training costs for that locale. Likewise, the Army's analysis indicates a greater increase in base personnel if the training is done at Fort Sill. The Army estimated that Fort Sill would need 63 additional base personnel--almost twice the increase estimated for Fort Gordon. Fort Sill, however, estimated that it would require a maximum of 10 more personnel. Even if Fort Sill's estimate is low, GAO's analysis shows that 47 base personnel could be added before Fort Sill's costs would exceed those of Fort Gordon.

GAO found that: (1) the Army cost analysis overstated training support and base personnel costs at Fort Sill because it combined Fort Sill's artillery and signal training costs; (2) the Army's analysis estimated a $971 per student training support cost for signal students, but Fort Sill estimated that it would cost only $236 per student; (3) Fort Sill's training support cost estimate for artillery students was much higher than the Army's estimate; and (4) although the Army estimated that Fort Sill would require an additional 63 base personnel if the training was located there, Fort Sill estimated that it would require a maximum of only 10 additional personnel. GAO believes that, even if Fort Sill's estimate is understated, 47 base personnel could be added before Fort Sill's costs exceeded Fort Gordon's signal training costs.