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Defense Infrastructure: Factors Affecting U.S. Infrastructure Costs Overseas and the Development of Comprehensive Master Plans

GAO-04-609NI Published: Jul 15, 2004. Publicly Released: Jul 15, 2004.
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Highlights

Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. military overseas presence has changed dramatically. The Department of Defense (DOD) has been reexamining overseas basing requirements, and it expects to make a number of changes to provide greater flexibility for U.S. forces in Western Europe and Northeast Asia. Concerns over the potential use of funds for what may soon be obsolete basing projects prompted congressional action directing DOD to prepare and submit with next year?s budget request comprehensive master plans for changing infrastructure requirements under each overseas command. GAO was also directed to report on the development and implementation of these plans. GAO completed an advance review to identify opportunities to make the plans more informative for Congress and DOD in their oversight responsibilities. This report addresses: (1) the development of overseas regional commands? comprehensive master plans, and (2) the factors affecting U.S. infrastructure costs overseas and the development and implementation of comprehensive master plans.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense To make future comprehensive master plans and periodic reporting to Congress on their implementation more useful in managing U.S. military infrastructure and associated costs and more informative for Congress and OSD in their oversight responsibilities, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics to require that overseas regional commanders address the extent to which implementation of their master plans will be affected by residual property value and environmental remediation issues, as well as multiple U.S. funding sources available to support future infrastructure changes and include this information in their comprehensive master plans.
Closed – Implemented
On October 5, 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics issued additional guidance to the Secretaries of the Military Departments and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for updating overseas master plans for fiscal year 2007. Within this guidance, the Under Secretary directed that the fiscal year 2007 plans address environmental issues to the extent they exist or are known. In addition, the guidance directs that a table within the plans and the preceding narrative address, at a minimum, expected U.S. and host nation funding levels. The guidance also requires that the military service calculate the amount of U.S. facility sustainment funding for inclusion in the plans' narrative.
Department of Defense To make future comprehensive master plans and periodic reporting to Congress on their implementation more useful in managing U.S. military infrastructure and associated costs and more informative for Congress and OSD in their oversight responsibilities, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics to require that overseas regional commanders provide updated information on the applicability of residual property value and environmental remediation issues and multiple U.S. funding sources in their annual status reports to Congress on the master plans.
Closed – Implemented
On October 5, 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics issued additional guidance to the Secretaries of the Military Departments and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for updating overseas master plans for fiscal year 2007. Within this guidance, the Under Secretary directed that the fiscal year 2007 plans address environmental issues to the extent they exist or are known. In addition, the guidance directs that a table within the plans and the preceding narrative address, at a minimum, expected U.S. and host nation funding levels. The guidance also requires that the military service calculate the amount of U.S. facility sustainment funding for inclusion in the plans' narrative.

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Topics

Armed forces abroadBase closuresBase realignmentsDefense agreementsDefense economic analysisForeign governmentsInternational relationsMilitary basesMilitary cost controlMilitary facilitiesMilitary facility constructionMilitary forcesProposed legislationRegional planningStrategic forcesStrategic planning