Defense Infrastructure: High-Level Leadership Needed to Help Communities Address Challenges Caused by DOD-Related Growth
GAO-08-665
Published: Jun 17, 2008. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2008.
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Highlights
Due to several simultaneous Department of Defense (DOD) force structure and basing initiatives, 20 installations are expecting a combined net growth of over 173,000 military and civilian personnel, not including family members and all contractors, over fiscal years 2006-2012. Although communities surrounding these installations can expect to realize economic benefits in the long term, DOD has identified these 20 to be substantially and seriously impacted in terms of being able to provide infrastructure to accommodate the growth. In response to the House report to the fiscal year 2007 defense appropriations bill, GAO (1) examined the extent to which communities affected by DOD's actions have identified their infrastructure needs, and (2) assessed DOD's efforts and those of other agencies to assist affected communities. GAO reviewed applicable directives and executive orders, surveyed the 20 growth communities, and met with community and agency officials to discuss growth issues.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | In order to assist communities in planning to provide the infrastructure necessary to support defense-related growth and to ensure quality of life for members of the armed forces, their families, and other members of surrounding communities, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretaries of the military services and the Commandant of the Marine Corps to develop and implement guidance, no later than the end of fiscal year 2008, that is consistent with DOD Directive 5410.12 for the timely, complete, and consistent dissemination of DOD planning information such as estimated timelines and numbers of personnel relocating, as well as demographic data such as numbers of school-aged children, and to update this information quarterly. |
According to the DOD/IG, the DoD will continue to work with the cognizant DoD components to ensure consistent compliance with DoD Directive 5410.12. The information derived through this effort should be available to all Federal, state, and local interests who need to work with the same set of facts in responding to mission growth. The DoD is establishing a clearinghouse to provide this information as referenced in Recommendation 2 of this report. Not all data for this clearinghouse is conducive to quarterly updates because they may burden rather than assist a locale. Therefore, a responsive clearinghouse should have flexibility in periodic updating of information. The Military Services and Defense Logistics Agency have issued guidance and are now carrying out DoD Directive 5410.12. As of 2011, the DoD posts information to support local economic statistics and environmental condition reports to www.EAClearinghouse.gov. Local installations provide military personnel migration data directly to the affected communities rather than posting aggregate data online due to operational security concerns.This response meed the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of Defense | In order to better coordinate and leverage federal resources to assist communities affected by DOD activities, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to implement Executive Order 12788 by holding regular meetings of the full executive-level EAC and by serving as a clearinghouse of information for identifying expected community impacts and problems as well as identifying existing resources for providing economic assistance to communities affected by DOD activities. This clearinghouse would provide a centralized source for information from all military services regarding personnel planning information, as well as information regarding any resources available at the federal, state, local, and private-sector levels that can help address potential infrastructure gaps at the affected communities. In addition, this information should be updated at least quarterly and made easily available to all interested stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels. |
Senior Leadership is engaged with the EAC and the EAC has held several meetings. The www.EACClearinghouse.gov web site launched in December 2009 with information pertaining to local and economic and community needs. The DoD posts updates continually, as data becomes available. Although these actions will be ongoing until personnel migration actions are complete in 2013, the DoD demonstrated compliance with the intent of the GAO recommendation through meetings and actions to date.
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Topics
Agency missionsCivilian employeesCommunity developmentCritical infrastructureDefense operationsDepartment of Defense contractorsFacility constructionFederal facilitiesFederal facility relocationGovernment facility constructionGovernment information disseminationMilitary facilitiesMilitary personnelMission essential operationsPersonnel managementPopulation growthPublic assistance programsStrategic planningstate relationsImpacted areasInteragency relationsFacility improvementsFederal facility planningInformation sharingInformation clearinghouses