U.S. GAO - Department of Defense

Recent Reports

Persistent Chemicals: Detecting, Limiting Exposure To, and Treating PFAS Contamination

Published: Sep 27, 2023.

Publicly Released: Sep 27, 2023.

Military Housing: Strengthened Oversight Needed to Make and Sustain Improvements to Living Conditions

Published: Sep 27, 2023

Publicly Released: Sep 27, 2023

F-35 Aircraft: DOD and the Military Services Need to Reassess the Future Sustainment Strategy

Published: Sep 21, 2023.

Publicly Released: Sep 21, 2023.

Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness

Published: Sep 19, 2023.

Publicly Released: Sep 19, 2023.

Cloud Computing: DOD Needs to Improve Tracking of Data User Fees

Published: Sep 12, 2023.

Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2023.

DOD Financial Management: Improving Systems Planning and Oversight Could Improve Auditability

Published: Sep 12, 2023.

Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2023.

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Open Recommendations (762 total)

F-35 Aircraft: DOD and the Military Services Need to Reassess the Future Sustainment Strategy

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6 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's supply support sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Navy and Air Force, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 3)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's information technology systems continuous support sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility; (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities; (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data; and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's training and training support sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Navy and Air Force, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 6)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's support equipment sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Navy and Air Force, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 4)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's technical data sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Navy and Air Force, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) any critical technical data needs for the Navy and Air Force , their associated costs, and milestones to acquire them, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 7)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's sustaining engineering sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Navy and Air Force, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 5)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

F-35 Aircraft: DOD and the Military Services Need to Reassess the Future Sustainment Strategy

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1 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the F-35 Joint Program Office, reassesses the approach for the F-35's maintenance planning and management sustainment element, to determine: (1) whether the government or contractor should assume primary responsibility of the element for the Air Force and Navy, (2) what changes, if any, the Navy and Air Force should make to the leadership, responsibility, and oversight of specific sustainment activities, (3) what intellectual property the Navy and Air Force require to support any changes, including all critical technical data needs, their associated costs, and milestones to acquire the data, and (4) any Navy and Air Force resources needed to implement any changes. (Recommendation 2)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness

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1 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Defense	The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment updates guidance on surveys of service members living in barracks to require the military services to include questions on effects of barracks conditions on reenlistment decisions. (Recommendation 14)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness

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2 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Defense	The Secretary of the Air Force should develop and implement a method to ensure that the Air Force has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements identified at the installation level, regardless of whether they are submitted for funding. (Recommendation 19)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense	The Secretary of the Air Force should conduct a systematic, objective analysis, that includes input from unit leaders, on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Air Force unaccompanied service members required to live in military barracks, and adjust policies in accordance with that analysis. (Recommendation 24)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

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