Military Readiness: GAO Testimony on DOD Challenges Across All Domains
Description
On March 4, 2026, Diana Maurer, Director Defense Capabilities and Management at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, delivered testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support.
In this testimony to Congress, GAO highlights how U.S. military readiness has declined over the past two decades due to ongoing operational demands, aging systems, and challenges in modernizing forces across air, sea, ground, and space domains. Despite nearly 200 recommendations to improve readiness, more than 150 still need action from the Department of Defense-potentially impacting mission capability, equipment availability, and overall national security.
In this testimony to Congress, GAO highlights how U.S. military readiness has declined over the past two decades due to ongoing operational demands, aging systems, and challenges in modernizing forces across air, sea, ground, and space domains. Despite nearly 200 recommendations to improve readiness, more than 150 still need action from the Department of Defense-potentially impacting mission capability, equipment availability, and overall national security.