Defense Infrastructure

This report examines the military's management of facilities infrastructure and its use of demolition as a way to reduce excess facilities and avoid unnecessary operating costs. GAO discusses (1) the services' funding obligation for maintenance and repair during the last 10 years, changes in building square footage in space to be maintained, and the impact of the changes in facilities maintenance and repair; (2) the potential for demolition to reduce excess facilities infrastructure and avoid recurring costs; (3) the services' plans for demolition; and (4) their overall infrastructure management strategies.

GAO noted that: (1) over the past 10 years, the reduction in the number of DOD facilities worldwide as measured by square footage of space, was only about 10 percent; (2) however, funding by the services for real property maintenance during the same time period decreased almost 40 percent; (3) as a result, installations have growing backlogs of deferred maintenance and repair projects; (4) DOD and the services do not currently have complete, reliable information on the costs associated with either maintaining their current facilities or with infrastructure reduction options; (5) each of the services is recognizing the importance of demolition as an option for eliminating old, excess buildings that are relatively costly to maintain and a drain on declining operation and maintenance funding; (6) demolition offers a viable option for further infrastructure reductions and millions of dollars in savings, but it requires up-front cost; (7) data related to previous demolition projects suggests that demolition costs can be recouped within a few years, thereafter avoiding millions of dollars in recurring maintenance and repair costs and utility costs; (8) the services differ in the extent to which they have developed formal demolition programs; (9) the Army uses the greatest amount of funding for demolition and is planning the most aggressive demolition program; (10) conversely, the Air Force has the least centralized program and relies on installation commanders to identify and fund demolition efforts; (11) although requiring specific funding for demolition could strengthen program emphasis and management and ensure that demolition occurs, it could also limit the services' flexibility to shift funds within their own operation and maintenance accounts to meet the most pressing operational needs; (12) most service officials do not want to require funding to be used exclusively for demolition but would rather continue to use operation and maintenance funding specifically for demolition as they deem necessary; (13) overall strategic plans for maintenance and repair of facilities infrastructure at the service headquarters and Office of Secretary of Defense levels appeared to be limited; and (14) the plans lacked comprehensive strategies for facilities revitalization, replacement, and maintenance tied to measurable goals, specific time frames, and expected funding.

Recommendations

Our 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.

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