Defense Spending and Its Relationship to the Federal Budget

GAO presented selected Department of Defense (DOD) data for 1962-1983 pertaining to authorized defense spending and appropriations and identified pertinent questions that should be considered in budgetary decisions. GAO analyzed three areas that require considerable resources to evaluate defense needs and spending policies: (1) investment strategies and reasons for the complicated spending proposals; (2) investment strategies and reasons for investment cost growth; (3) operational and maintenance support for investment and personnel; and (4) military personnel cost impacts on the budget.