Operation Desert Shield/Storm:

Update on Costs and Funding Requirements

NSIAD-92-194: Published: May 8, 1992. Publicly Released: May 28, 1992.

Additional Materials:

Contact:

Paul F. Math
(202) 512-4587
contact@gao.gov

 

Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the costs and financing of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, focusing on the: (1) status of the Defense Cooperation Account through fiscal year (FY) 1992; (2) extent of future funding requirements; (3) impact of Operation-related and financed revolving fund surpluses on the Department of Defense's (DOD) budget; and (4) status of the Persian Gulf Regional Defense Fund.

GAO found that: (1) contributions to the account will not fully cover estimated incremental costs or funding requirements for the operations; (2) not all operations costs were funded by the account and almost $2.3 billion in contributions and interest should remain in the account by the end of FY 1992; (3) DOD requested additional spending authority to finance Operation-related maintenance requirements for FY 1993, but the amount of funding required has not been fully determined; (4) using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data, DOD identified $3.9 billion in future benefits costs for veterans and their spouses; (5) Operation-related and financed surpluses in DOD revolving funds total at least $2.6 billion; and (6) DOD reduced its FY 1993 operation and maintenance budget request to offset an estimated $2-billion surplus in Operation-financed supplies and equipment.

Matters for Congressional Consideration

  1. Status: Closed - Implemented

    Comments: Legislation was passed in September 1992 giving DOD access to remaining defense cooperation accounts funds.

    Matter: Congress should consider using the remaining funds in the Defense Cooperation Account after FY 1992 to reimburse the general fund of the Treasury for operation-related costs already incurred.

  2. Status: Closed - Implemented

    Comments: Legislation was passed in September 1992 terminating the Regional Defense Fund.

    Matter: After Congress has made a decision regarding the remaining Defense Cooperation Account funds, Congress should consider terminating the Persian Gulf Regional Defense Fund as soon as practicable.

 

Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »

Nov 15, 2018

Nov 14, 2018

Nov 13, 2018

Nov 8, 2018

Nov 5, 2018

Nov 2, 2018

Nov 1, 2018

Oct 23, 2018

Looking for more? Browse all our products here