General and Flag Officers: Number Required is Unclear Based on DOD's Draft Report
NSIAD-97-160
Published: Jun 16, 1997. Publicly Released: Jun 16, 1997.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) progress in determining its general and flag officer requirements, focusing on: (1) DOD's draft recommendations; (2) the estimated cost to implement DOD's draft recommendations; (3) the criteria the services used in doing their studies; (4) troop strength compared to general and flag officer requirements; and (5) whether certain general or flag officer positions may be candidates for conversion to civilian status. GAO noted that this is an interim report, since DOD has delayed completion of its mandated report.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The Congress may wish to require DOD to revalidate its general and flag officer requirements as part of the periodic Quadrennial Defense Reviews. |
Closed – Not Implemented
|
DOD is assessing the impact of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) upon its needs for general and flag officers. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should modify the draft report to include: (1) an explanation of the criteria used by the service secretaries to modify the results of the services' studies and a statement about whether the numbers represent the actual requirements for general and flag officers; (2) an adjustment to the consolidated draft recommendations to eliminate double-counting; (3) an evaluation of the potential to convert nonmilitary essential general and flag officer positions to civilian status; and (4) a mechanism to reduce the number of colonel's/Navy captain's positions by the number of general and flag officers added. |
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD is awaiting analysis of the impact of the QDR on the need for generals and flag officers before finalizing its report.
|
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Topics
Civilian employeesStaff utilizationMilitary cost controlMilitary downsizingMilitary officersMilitary reserve personnelJob classificationU.S. Air ForceU.S. Marine Corps