Officer Commissioning Programs: More Oversight and Coordination Needed
NSIAD-93-37
Published: Nov 06, 1992. Publicly Released: Nov 25, 1992.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the Department of Defense (DOD) military service academies, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and the military services' Officer Candidate Schools (OCS), focusing on: (1) the cost of producing officers by service and commissioning programs; (2) the quality of officers produced by these programs; (3) program management and oversight; and (4) cost control.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should extend the development and implementation of a standardized cost reporting system to OCS, including all special programs. |
DOD did not implement the recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | To assess the quality of newly commissioned officers, the Secretary of Defense should direct the services to develop a means to routinely evaluate the effectiveness of the various commissioning programs and the quality of the graduates they produce. |
DOD did not implement the recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | To ensure that officer production sources operate cost-effectively, the Secretary of Defense should develop and implement a single comprehensive oversight strategy that includes all commissioning programs in all the services. |
DOD did not implement the recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | To ensure that officer production sources operate cost-effectively, the Secretary of Defense should direct the service secretaries to develop and implement a single comprehensive plan encompassing all their respective commissioning programs that will be cost-effective and apply resources to meet each service's officer needs. These plans should address the most cost-effective manner for determining: (1) types and quantities of officer skills needed; (2) total production and production by program; (3) total enrollments required by program; (4) officer candidate financial assistance to be provided by program; (5) numbers of units by program needed to provide military training; (6) unit staffing; (7) headquarters overhead staffing; and (8) other program elements deemed appropriate. |
DOD did not implement the recommendation.
|
| Department of the Air Force | To eliminate inefficiencies and duplication, the service secretaries should close more low production ROTC units and reduce ROTC goals and increase OCS goals. |
Over 70 low production units have been closed, consolidated, or identified for closure. DOD anticipates closing about 100 other units and extension centers.
|
| Department of the Navy | To eliminate inefficiencies and duplication, the service secretaries should close more low production ROTC units and reduce ROTC goals and increase OCS goals. |
Over 70 low production units have been closed, consolidated, or identified for closure. DOD anticipates closing about 100 other units and extension centers.
|
| Department of the Army | To eliminate inefficiencies and duplication, the service secretaries should close more low production ROTC units and reduce ROTC goals and increase OCS goals. |
Over 70 low production units have been closed, consolidated, or identified for closure. DOD anticipates closing about 100 other units and extension centers.
|
| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should consolidate the Navy's OCS and Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) in a single entity located at Newport, Rhode Island. |
The Navy has consolidated the basic officer candidate program at a single site (Pensacola, FL).
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretaries of the Air Force and the Army each should combine their OCS and ROTC headquarters at a single location within a major service command. |
In the case of the Air Force, a major organizational review was completed in fiscal year 1992, resulting in the establishment of an Education and Training Command structure that incorporates ROTC under the Commander, Air Force University.
|
| Department of the Army | The Secretaries of the Air Force and the Army each should combine their OCS and ROTC headquarters at a single location within a major service command. |
DOD did not agree with this recommendation and does not intend to act. DOD stated that the command structure within the Army officer commissioning programs is effective and consolidation at a single site would not be effective.
|
| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should consolidate the Navy's ROTC, OCS, AOCS, and special commissioning programs under one manager. |
DOD did not implement the recommendation.
|
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Topics
Armed forces reserve trainingEducation or training costsFederal service academiesMilitary cost controlMilitary officersMilitary reserve personnelMilitary trainingReductions in forceMilitary forcesSchools