GAO’s workforce is organized largely by subject area, with most employees working in 1 of 14 mission teams. Today we’ll be putting the spotlight on the Defense Capabilities and Management (DCM) team, which supports congressional oversight of the Department of Defense (DOD) as it modernizes to meet a broad array of threats in the 21st century.

Reports

DCM reports cover seven issue areas:

1. Defense Infrastructure

• Our recent work in the area of DOD facilities management initiatives has included reviews looking at the implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process;  facilities sustainment, modernization, and restoration activities, and U.S. force posture in the Pacific.

2. Force Structure

• This area focuses on the development of military forces–people, equipment, and facilities–to meet future military needs. Recent work in this area includes a report on resources devoted to DOD’s combatant commands.  

3. Homeland Defense & Emerging Threats and Warfare

• Reviews in this issue area evaluate DOD’s ability to meet its defense mission, such as anti-terrorism efforts and cyberspace operations. Recent work in this area includes a report on senior government officials’ use of military aircraft.

4. Human Capital Management

• With a focus on improving the quality of DOD’s total workforce, recent reports in this issue area include reviews of DOD’s effort to achieve efficiencies within its health care system, account for missing persons lost during military operations, and respond to servicemember sexual assault incidents.

5. Logistics

• Our logistics work is concentrated in three main areas within DOD: supply management and distribution, weapon systems and equipment maintenance, and strategic approaches to managing logistics. Recent reports include one on Army workforce and workload systems.

6. Operations, Readiness, and Business Transformation

• Reviews in this issue area evaluate DOD’s ability to support ongoing operations and to modernize the department to meet 21st century challenges. One example of a recent report in this area would be oversight and coordination of joint professional military education institutions.

7. Warfighter Support

• This issue area focuses on DOD’s efforts to provide responsive cost effective support to U.S. forces preparing to deploy or actively engaged in military operations. A recent report examined DOD’s plans to participate in a multi-national program to exchange air services with European nations.

Impact

In fiscal year 2013, DCM’s work identified $6.3 billion in financial benefits for the federal government as well as other efficiencies. Directors from DCM testified at three congressional hearings and contributed to seven other hearings. Also, DCM reported on DOD issues such as military housing, education, medical care, cybersecurity, and disaster relief efforts. DCM teams conduct field work across the United States and anywhere else that federal dollars follow the Department of Defense.

A Closer Look at a DCM report: Accounting for Missing Persons from Past Conflicts

Image excerpted from GAO-13-619

DOD reports that more than 83,000 persons are missing from past conflicts in Vietnam, Korea, the Cold War, the Persian Gulf, and World War II. Between 2000 and 2012, DOD accounted for an average of 72 missing persons per year. In 2009, Congress mandated DOD to increase its capability and capacity such that it could account for at least 200 missing persons annually by 2015. We reviewed DOD’s ability to meet the mandate and found that longstanding leadership weaknesses and a fragmented organizational structure undermined its efforts. We made nine recommendations, such as examining options to reorganize; improving planning, guidance, and criteria to prioritize cases; and sustaining communication.

• Questions on the content of this post? Contact the Managing Director of DCM, Cathleen Berrick, at berrickc@gao.gov.
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