Military Readiness

This updates GAO's March 1996 report on military readiness (GAO/NSIAD-96-111BR) and discusses significant changes. From April 1995 through March 1996, readiness of the 87 military units covered by the earlier report was at levels consistent with service goals in 80 percent of the units. This represents a 12-percent improvement. Readiness reductions were caused mainly by shortages of available personnel, particularly those trained to do highly skilled military jobs. Of the 31 Army and five Air Force units GAO reviewed that participated in the Bosnia operation, five Army units and one Air Force unit reported readiness reductions. The Army units had sent elements or key personnel to Bosnia, thus reducing resources available to the parent units. The Air Force unit has historically suffered from personnel shortages. The Bosnia operation did not affect the readiness of either Navy or Marine Corps units because they were either already in the theater or had planned a forward presence deployment to the area.

GAO found that: (1) from April 1, 1995, to March 31, 1996, readiness of the 87 units GAO reviewed and covered by GAO's prior report was at levels consistent with service goals in 80, or 92 percent, of the units; (2) this represents an improvement of 12 percentage points, compared with the unit status during the prior period; (3) readiness reductions were caused primarily by shortages of available personnel, particularly those trained to perform highly skilled military occupations; (4) of the 31 Army and 5 Air Force units GAO reviewed that participated in the Bosnia operation, 5 Army units, or 14 percent, and 1 Air Force unit, or 20 percent, reported readiness reductions; (5) the Army units had deployed elements or key personnel to Bosnia, thus lowering resources available to the parent (reporting) units; (6) the Air Force unit has historically had personnel shortages; and (7) the Bosnia operation did not affect the readiness of Navy or Marine Corps units since they were either already in the theater or had planned a forward presence deployment to the area.