Tag Archives: defense

Majoring in the Military with ROTC

Becoming a military officer takes serious preparation and training. Today’s WatchBlog looks at our review of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, the largest source of newly commissioned officers. Origin of an officer Nearly half of new active-duty officers … Continue reading

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Podcast on Soldier Availability in Army Reserve Components

Over half of the Army’s total force is made up of Reserve and National Guard members. As the number of active-duty soldiers declines, the readiness of Reserve and National Guard soldiers will become increasingly important to our national defense.

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Services for Veterans

As we express gratitude to the men and women who have served in our nation’s military this Veterans Day, we also reflect on how our nation helps prepare service members and veterans for a transition from military to civilian life. … Continue reading

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Controlling Costs for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

From acquisition to operations and maintenance, Department of Defense weapons programs are consistently of interest to the federal government and the public. Since 2000, we have been assessing DOD’s most costly weapons program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The defense acquisition … Continue reading

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The Future of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship

Since 2004, the Navy has been working on acquiring a new class of ship intended to provide surface combat capabilities near the shore (the littoral zone). The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was intended to have lower acquisition costs and to … Continue reading

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Podcast on Defense Inventory Management

The U.S. military’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) manages billions of dollars of DOD’s inventory, such as spare parts to keep military equipment operating. GAO has identified DOD supply chain management as a High Risk area. Hear our latest podcast with … Continue reading

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Podcast on Department of Defense “Quick Look”

Each year, we publish an annual report titled, “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs,” more commonly referred to as the “Quick Look.”  In addition to providing brief summaries of numerous U.S. defense programs, the report provides insights on the Department of … Continue reading

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GAO’s Defense Capabilities and Management Team

Update (6/12/15): This post has been updated to incorporate recent examples of work and impact. GAO’s workforce is organized largely by subject area, with most employees working in 1 of 14 mission teams. Today we’ll be putting the spotlight on … Continue reading

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Impediments to an Audit Opinion on the Government’s Financial Statements

The Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, annually consolidates individual agency financial statements to provide a comprehensive overview of the federal government’s finances. GAO is required to audit the consolidated … Continue reading

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