Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Defense

What GAO Found

In May 2025, GAO identified 79 priority recommendations for the Department of Defense. Since then, the Department has implemented 17 of those recommendations. In June 2026, GAO identified an additional seven priority recommendations and removed the priority designation from 16 recommendations, bringing the total to 53 priority recommendations.

GAO is highlighting the following three areas that warrant timely and focused attention:

•  Sustaining U.S. military readiness,
•  Ensuring weapon system acquisition and modernization, and
•  Improving financial and fraud risk management.

Addressing GAO's recommendations in these areas would support combat readiness by maintaining the Department's current weapon capabilities; address challenges with its high-risk weapon systems acquisition; and contribute to the Department's goal of an unmodified financial audit. Taking action to implement all of GAO's open priority recommendations would help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of operations across the Department.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or make progress toward addressing a high risk or duplication issue, among other benefits.

Since 2015, GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact Cathleen A. Berrick at berrickc@gao.gov