Military Personnel: DOD Actions Needed to Improve the Efficiency of Mobilizations for Reserve Forces
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DOD concurred with our recommendation and has updated its plans to account for requirements that have emerged since 9/11/01. The requirements were addressed in January, 2007 when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff updated his mobilization guidance to the services and issued CJCSI 3110.13C, Mobilization Guidance for the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan. In addition, in the time since our report was issued, the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) was created and NORTHCOM has developed operations plans to address requirements that have emerged since 9/11. GAO also has ongoing work reviewing the other updated classified operations plans of the Combatant Commanders.
The Navy is implementing the Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS), which provides enhanced readiness reporting information concerning the ability of units to meet the tailored requirements of the combatant commanders. Currently the Navy is using its own Defense Readiness Reporting System-Navy (DRRS-N) to feed DRRS and provide key mobilization officials within the Navy, the Joint Staff, and DOD the enhanced readiness information necessary to make decisions concerning tailored combatant commander requirements.
The Army is implementing the Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS), which provides enhanced readiness reporting information concerning the ability of units to meet the tailored requirements of the combatant commanders. Currently, the Army is using its own Defense Readiness Reporting System-Army (DRRS-A) to feed DRRS and provide key mobilization officials within the Army, the Joint Staff, and DOD the enhanced readiness information necessary to make decisions concerning tailored combatant commander requirements.
DOD concurred with our recommendation and has a single system under development–the Defense Integrated Military Human Resource System (DIMHRS)–but the system has missed several key milestones and will not be fully implemented in the near term.
DOD concurred with the recommendation and is currently implementing a series of initiatives which allow for more predictable and judicious use of the Reserves. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has formalized and updated his mobilization guidance to the Services by issuing CJCSI 3110.13C, Mobilization Guidance for the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan, in January 2007.
In April 2007, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness updated its mobilization guidance by issuing a directive that addressed Activation, Mobilization, and Demobilization of the Ready Reserves. The directive updates DOD policy regarding the activation of reserve component forces and assigns responsibilities to appropriate secretaries of the military departments to ensure the existence of systematic procedures for alerting, ordering, or calling members of the reserve component to active duty and the necessary resources to support such activations. The directive also enhances the predictable use of the Reserve component forces and directs the services to maintain visibility and personnel accountability regarding those capabilities provided by reserve component members involuntarily activated.
The Air Force issued an updated Mobilization Planning and Personnel Readiness instruction in August 2007. The instruction contains the tenets of mobilization such as, mobilization planning responsibilities, mobilization process, and sourcing from the pre-trained individual manpower pool.
DOD concurred with the recommendation and is currently implementing a series of initiatives which allow for more predictable and judicious use of the Reserves. The Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum on January 19, 2007, on the utilization of the Total Force and how to best support global operational needs while providing predictability to all active and reserve components. First, involuntary mobilization for members of the reserve forces will be for a maximum one year at any one time. Secondly, mobilization of ground combat, combat support and combat services support will be managed on unit basis which will allow greater predictability in how these Reserve units train and deploy. Lastly, the planning objective for involuntary mobilization of Guard/Reserve units will remain a one year mobilized to five years demobilized ratio. Army leadership made a decision in early July 2005 to implement a new decision forum/process called Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN). ARFORGEN entails a sequential approach to readiness that synchronizes unit capabilities and readiness reporting with equipping and resourcing strategies. ARFORGEN processes improve predictability for commanders, soldiers, and their families. It gives improved predictability of available forces and decreases the joint force commander’s uncertainty of unit readiness when called upon. ARFORGEN manages the Army’s limited resources more effectively.
DOD concurred with our recommendation to develop results-oriented performance metrics for the Individual Ready Reserve(IRR). The Air Reserve Personnel Center is now using three methods to screen IRR members. In addition to its annual mail survey, it reinstated its annual one-day musters, which had been suspended 2 years before our report was issued. In FY 2005, it began mustering approximately 4,000-6,000 IRR members annually. In FY 2005 it also conducted a “Push-Pull” mobilization exercise where IRR members were “pushed” to an Air Education and Training Center to confirm basic suitability for service and provided equipment, uniforms, and training, and then “pulled” to active duty CONUS bases to meet shortfall requirements. In June 2007, the Air Force conducted another “Push-Pull” mobilization exercise to maintain improved information on its IRR members.
IRR policies have been updated through a Naval Administrative message issued by the Chief of Naval Personnel on January 22, 2007. The message addresses two performance areas that will help the Navy gain and maintain improved information on its IRR members. First, it established reporting requirements for an annual muster program including the basis for requirement to muster, the benefits of mustering, and the consequences for non-compliance. The message also addressed the required reporting of civilian employment information, which can enhance sourcing decisions affecting the Navy’s IRR members.
In July 2006, the Army provided full access to Army readiness data in support of combatant commanders through the Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS).
On July 16, 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness issued DODI 1235.13, Management of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and Inactive National Guard (ING). This directive instructs the military service- including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard- and other DOD entities to update their policies and assign responsibilities for the management of the IRR. The directive also instructs the services to identify the categories of IRR member who are most likely to be needed at various levels of contingency operations or mobilization, and training and screening should be prioritized for those in need. Finally, the directive instructs the services to develop mobilization procedures for IRR members. On November 22, 2005, the Air Reserve Personnel Center updated its policies regarding the Individual Ready Reserve and issued an instruction (ARPCI 36-3202) concerning the processing of IRR members.
On July 16, 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness issued DODI 1235.13, Management of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and Inactive National Guard (ING). This directive instructs the military service- including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard- and other DOD entities to update their policies and assign responsibilities for the management of the IRR. The directive also instructs the services to identify the categories of IRR member who are most likely to be needed at various levels of contingency operations or mobilization, and training and screening should be prioritized for those in need. Finally, the directive instructs the services to develop mobilization procedures for IRR members. The Navy has updated it IRR policies through a Navy Administrative message that was sent out by the Chief of Naval Personnel on January 22, 2007. The message must be given to all personnel who are leaving active duty to become members of the IRR. It also sets out counseling requirements for commands and emphasizes the use of the Navy’s muster program as a means for encouraging IRR members to volunteer for current mobilization requirements.
On July 16, 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness issued DODI 1235.13, Management of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and Inactive National Guard (ING). This directive instructs the military service- including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard- and other DOD entities to update their policies and assign responsibilities for the management of the IRR. The directive also instructs the services to identify the categories of IRR member who are most likely to be needed at various levels of contingency operations or mobilization, and training and screening should be prioritized for those in need. Finally, the directive instructs the services to develop mobilization procedures for IRR members. The Army has updated its Individual Ready Reserve policies issuing the Individual Ready Reserve Transformation Plan on December 31, 2005. According to an official at Army Human Resources Command St. Louis, the plan is being implemented across the Army reserve components in fiscal year 2007. It outlines an integrated and systematic approach to human capital management that provides the tools necessary to create a reliable source of skilled manpower.
