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Open Recommendations

Excess Defense Articles: DOD Needs to Better Assess the Program
GAO-26-107627
Dec 16, 2025
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Director of DSCA takes steps to improve information recorded in SCIP-EUM on EDA items, such as by systematically identifying EDA in the database, recording disposition information in routine EUM observation forms, and noting changes in end use in routine EUM item lists. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Director of DSCA, in consultation with the Department of State, develop and implement a process to manage the EDA program's performance that includes establishing performance goals, routinely and systematically collecting performance information, and using that information to regularly assess results. (Recommendation 2)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Service Academies: Clarifying Guidance Would Enhance Effectiveness of Honor and Conduct Systems
GAO-26-107049
Dec 16, 2025
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13 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Superintendent of West Point assesses and updates the conduct system guidance to ensure that the intended range of due process protections available to students accused of conduct offenses are fully and clearly articulated. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Superintendent of the Naval Academy assesses and updates the honor and conduct system guidance to ensure that the intended range of due process protections available to students accused of honor and conduct offenses are fully and clearly articulated. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Superintendent of the Air Force Academy assesses and updates the honor and conduct system guidance to ensure that the intended range of due process protections available to students accused of honor and conduct offenses are fully and clearly articulated. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, should ensure that the Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy assesses and updates the honor and conduct system guidance to ensure that the intended range of due process protections available to students accused of honor and conduct offenses are fully and clearly articulated. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Transportation The Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Administration, should ensure that the Superintendent of the Merchant Marine Academy assesses and updates the honor and conduct system guidance to ensure that the intended range of due process protections available to students accused of honor and conduct offenses are fully and clearly articulated. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Superintendent of West Point identifies a comprehensive set of data collection requirements for all stages of the honor and conduct systems—including reporting, investigation, adjudication, discipline and appeal—and documents these requirements in guidance. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Osprey Aircraft: Additional Oversight and Information Sharing Would Improve Safety Efforts
GAO-26-107285
Dec 12, 2025
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, refine the joint program's process for identifying, analyzing, and responding to all Osprey safety risks—including incorporating and prioritizing system and non-system safety risks. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, determine an oversight structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for resolving known system and non-system safety risks in a timely manner and conducting periodic reviews of efforts to resolve them. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, assess safety information sharing agreements and update them as needed to ensure that a process exists to proactively share relevant safety information from hazard and accident reporting with Osprey units and unit safety personnel across the military services. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, establish a routine method, such as a recurring multi-service conference to share information on Osprey aircraft knowledge and emergency procedures. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, conduct a comprehensive review of maintenance guidance and inspection procedures and update them as needed to ensure that Osprey units are using the system for tracking serialized aircraft components. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Weapon Systems Testing: DOD Needs to Update Policies to Better Support Modernization Efforts
GAO-26-107009
Dec 11, 2025
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13 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to provide input into the development of acquisition strategies, including on testing-related topics such as the use of and access to digital twins and digital threads. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop test strategies and test plans that reflect an iterative, integrated testing approach enabled by digital twins and digital threads to support delivery of minimum viable products. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop and implement test strategies and test plans that incorporate end user agreements that detail a process for obtaining ongoing user input and feedback for the system under test. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to provide input into the development of acquisition strategies, including on testing-related topics such as the use of and access to digital twins and digital threads. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop test strategies and test plans that reflect an iterative, integrated testing approach enabled by digital twins and digital threads to support delivery of minimum viable products. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop and implement test strategies and test plans that incorporate end user agreements that detail a process for obtaining ongoing user input and feedback for the system under test. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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