Operation Desert Storm
War Highlights Need to Address Problem of Nondeployable Personnel Gao ID: NSIAD-92-208 August 31, 1992Many active and reserve personnel were unable to deploy for Operations Desert Shield and Storm, but a lack of data makes it impossible to gauge accurately the total number. The causes of nondeployability ranged from incomplete training to varying medical conditions or personal problems. Although the Pentagon claims that nondeployables were not a serious problem because the services were able to call up other personnel, available data do suggest that the number of nondeployables was sizable. The data also indicate that nondeployability problems were aggravated by systemic weaknesses in the peacetime screening of active and reserve personnel and inadequate reporting of nondeployables as part of normal readiness reporting. Steps must be taken to minimize future recurrences, particularly when there will be few active and reserve forces from which to tailor and substitute personnel to meet force requirements.
GAO found that: (1) it could not determine the extent of nondeployable personnel because of insufficient data; (2) available data indicated such causes of nondeployability as incomplete training, varying medical conditions, and personal problems; (3) the Department of Defense (DOD) stated that nondeployable personnel were not a serious problem because the services were able to replace them with other personnel; and (4) available data suggest that systemic weaknesses exacerbated nondeployability problems in the peacetime screening of active and reserve personnel.
RecommendationsOur 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: Team: Phone:
