Marine Corps Manpower:
Improvements Needed in Processes for Determining Manpower Requirements
NSIAD-87-102: Published: May 26, 1987. Publicly Released: Jul 1, 1987.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
(202) 275-3990
contact@gao.gov
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov
In response to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the adequacy of the processes the Marine Corps used to determine its manpower requirements for non-Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) and administrative and support components of FMF units.
GAO found that the Marine Corps: (1) often based its staffing standards on an official judgment rather than on a measured work load or on methods improvement studies; (2) did not make on-site surveys to establish personnel and supply administration requirements; (3) did not apply staffing standards for positions during one on-site survey, but based its determination mainly on interviews with work center personnel; (4) had inadequate documentation for the development and maintenance of staffing standards; (5) had inadequate oversight of the manpower determination processes; and (6) did not sufficiently coordinate or monitor the units' determination of their needs.
Recommendations for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: A formal handbook has been developed providing guidance and instructions governing the development and application of the manpower program. The new Manpower Requirements Determination Program is expected to be implemented and fully operational by December 31, 1989.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should issue guidance governing the development and application of manpower determination processes, including: (1) when engineered manpower standards, rather than less precise criteria such as staffing guides, should be used; (2) when and how staffing standards should be developed, validated or updated, and documented; (3) how structure studies should be used in determining manpower needs; and (4) when and how judgement should be used in the manpower determination process and how it should be documented.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: Manpower department representatives will conduct periodic visits to all commands to ensure coordination and management oversight.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should require systematic management oversight that will provide adequate coordination and monitoring of the procedures the various organizations use to determine their manpower needs.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: Initial efforts were directed at non-FMF units and selected FMF functions are being examined for methodology applicability. Staffing standards are currently being developed for a large portion of non-FMF and service support FMF.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should require that the staffing standards program: (1) use accepted work-measurement techniques in standards development and validation; (2) use efficiency review results in the development of staffing standards; and (3) expand coverage of staffing standards to include all FMF and non-FMF functions where work-load measurement is feasible and practical.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: New manpower requirement procedures are being developed and will be used at selected FMF units in garrison. A manpower determination course has been developed and is expected to begin shortly.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should require that the on-site survey program use: (1) applicable standards and explain deviations from the standards; (2) a combination of techniques where the operational audit approach is applied; and (3) on-site surveys to help establish requirements for appropriate elements of FMF units.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The new manpower program provides full documentation and audit trail on the development and use of standards.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should ensure that adequate documentation is maintained on the development and application of staffing standards, the conduct of on-site surveys, and the use of manpower requirements information from structure studies.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: This is being done incrementally as the new manpower requirements determination program progresses.
Recommendation: The Commandant of the Marine Corps should identify manpower requirements independent of fiscal and personnel management constraints.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: United States Marine Corps
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations
»
Feb 26, 2021
-
Defense Transportation:
DOD Can Better Leverage Existing Contested Mobility Studies and Improve TrainingGAO-21-125: Published: Feb 26, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 26, 2021.
Feb 25, 2021
-
Military Service Uniforms:
DOD Could Better Identify and Address Out-of-Pocket Cost InequitiesGAO-21-120: Published: Feb 25, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 25, 2021.
Feb 24, 2021
-
Defense Budget:
Opportunities Exist to Improve DOD's Management of Defense SpendingGAO-21-415T: Published: Feb 24, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 24, 2021.
Feb 22, 2021
-
Service Acquisitions:
DOD's Report to Congress Identifies Steps Taken to Improve Management, But Does Not Address Some Key Planning IssuesGAO-21-267R: Published: Feb 22, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 22, 2021.
Jan 21, 2021
-
Close Air Support:
Actions Needed to Enhance Friendly Force Tracking Capabilities and Fully Evaluate TrainingGAO-21-99: Published: Jan 21, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 21, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
-
GPS Modernization:
DOD Continuing to Develop New Jam-Resistant Capability, But Widespread Use Remains Years AwayGAO-21-145: Published: Jan 19, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 14, 2021
-
Columbia Class Submarine:
Delivery Hinges on Timely and Quality Materials from an Atrophied Supplier BaseGAO-21-257: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021. -
Department of Defense:
Actions Needed to Improve Accounting of Intradepartmental TransactionsGAO-21-84: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021.
Jan 12, 2021
-
DOD Critical Technologies:
Plans for Communicating, Assessing, and Overseeing Protection Efforts Should Be CompletedGAO-21-158: Published: Jan 12, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 2021.
Dec 10, 2020
-
Climate Resilience:
DOD Coordinates with Communities, but Needs to Assess the Performance of Related Grant ProgramsGAO-21-46: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here