The Department of Defense's (DOD) traffic management training programs lack uniformity, and differences exist in the selection of personnel for traffic management training.

DOD spends over $3 billion a year for commercial transportation services. Each year it is involved in hundreds of thousands of transportation procurements subject to numerous statutes, policies, regulations, directives, and commercial and industrial fund tariffs. The most important element in the traffic management programs is the caliber of the people who do the work. Although the skills and requirements for traffic management positions throughout DOD are essentially the same, there is a diversity of training philosophies among the services. Wide differences exist among the three services in the selection of traffic management personnel for training.

Status Legend:

Review Pending-GAO has not yet assessed implementation status.

Open-Actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendation have not been taken or are being planned, or actions that partially satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-implemented-Actions that satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-not implemented-While the intent of the recommendation has not been satisfied, time or circumstances have rendered the recommendation invalid.

• Review Pending
• Open
• Closed - implemented
• Closed - not implemented

Recommendation for Executive Action

Recommendation: DOD should: (1) consider making the Navy's Transportation School the primary interservice traffic management facility; (2) include instruction in intermodalism and foreign military sales in school curricula; (3) require in-residence instruction for all installation transportation officers; and (4) reexamine the staffing of installation transportation officer positions and determine the extent to which senior enlisted personnel could replace officers and civilians.

Agency Affected:

Status: Closed

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