DOD Budget

The Pentagon received at least $10.4 billion during the last four years for civil activities, with 96 percent going to programs expressly requested by Congress, such as counter-narcotics operations, defense conversion, and medical and environmental research. The rest went for unplanned activities, such as responding to natural disasters and civil unrest, and planned activities budgeted by the Defense Department (DOD), such as support for the Boy Scout Jamboree. GAO notes that annual funding for congressionally-directed activities has increased dramatically of late--from 0.5 percent of the overall defense budget in fiscal year 1990 to 1.8 percent in fiscal year 1993. Military officials are concerned that readiness and capability could be harmed if DOD's role in these activities continues to grow significantly. DOD has begun to study the issue and develop military doctrine to govern these activities.

GAO found that: (1) DOD does not have a standard definition of domestic civil activities; (2) for fiscal years 1990 through 1993, DOD allocated at least $10.4 billion to these activities, but it did not keep complete data on the activities; (3) about 96 percent of the funds allocated were for congressionally-directed activities such as counter-narcotics operations, defense conversion, and medical and environmental research; (4) about 4 percent of the funds were for unplanned activities such as supporting other government agencies that responded to natural disasters and civil unrest, and planned budgeted activities such as support for the Boy Scout Jamboree; (5) funding for congressionally-directed activities has increased substantially while funding for non-congressionally-directed activities has been limited; (6) DOD has not collected data on the activities' impact on military readiness; (7) DOD officials believe that domestic civil activities have a positive effect on training benefits, and a negative effect on human and equipment resources that are not readily available to respond to military needs; (8) DOD readiness could be impaired if DOD takes on additional domestic and international noncombat activities; and (9) DOD has begun studying the issue and developing guidance on DOD support of domestic civil activities.