Pentagon’s management of space personnel inadequate, says GAO

A congressional audit has found that the Defense Department is not doing enough to develop and maintain an educated, motivated and skilled cadre of space program professionals.

In a report (GAO-04-697) issued Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office assesses the Defense Department's space human capital strategy and the efforts to build a U.S. space force with personnel from the four military services.

"It is not clear that DOD can achieve the strategy's purpose of ... an integrated total force of well-qualified military and civilian personnel," auditors write. "Failure to achieve this could jeopardize U.S. primacy in this critical and evolving national security area."

Auditors say this country's increasing reliance on space-based technology for the success of military operations highlights the need. The Pentagon employs satellites and other space assets for a wide range of missions including precise targeting, search and rescue, and close air support.

The Defense strategy given to Congress in February describes long-term goals for integrating and educating space personnel. It also spells out leadership, career development and management objectives. GAO says the strategy provides general direction, but lacks a results-oriented implementation plan. Although the Defense Department has begun taking steps, auditors say, it has not completed any key actions.

GAO examined the extent of each service's initiatives to develop and manage its own key group and looked at how the individual approaches promote the desired integration. It praises the Air Force and the Marine Corps for taking significant steps to develop and manage their space contingents. It faults the Army and the Navy for hampering Pentagon efforts through a lack of clear goals and objectives.

As the primary military space systems operator, the Air Force receives the largest share of Defense space funds. It also has the largest number of space-qualified professionals--about 10,000 officers, enlisted personnel, reserves, National Guard and civilians. Under a strategy approved in July 2003, Air Force Space Command has set aside $9.1 million to manage their professional development this year and plans to increase the funding to about $21 million by 2009.

The Marine Corps uses space to provide war fighters with intelligence, communications and position navigation. It has developed a strategy, designated a management focal point, and identified tasks and milestones for its group of 61, the military's smallest. It has not set aside funding and does not anticipate needing any.

The Army controls a defense satellite communications system and operates ground mobile terminals. It has identified 148 active duty officers with space experience and training and established specialized education for them. But Army officials told GAO they would not develop a strategy until after the service decides next year whether to include enlisted and civilian personnel in its space force. They are awaiting the results of two studies set to conclude in 2005. The report expresses concern that the Army may be training too many or too few space officers, and may not place them in the best positions to support Army interests in space. Three Army organizations are responsible for the contingent.

Two Navy offices oversee the naval space cadre of 711 active duty officers and 300 other officer and enlisted reserve members. The Navy is searching its active-duty enlisted and civilian rosters for qualified professionals to add to the group. It requires placement officials to consult with a designated space cadre adviser before assigning personnel, and it directs promotion boards to consider candidates' space experience. The adviser reports to two offices under the chief of naval operations. Navy officials told GAO they have not created a separate career field for space personnel because they view space as integrated throughout Navy operations. The service plans to develop a strategy for the force by October.

Each service contributes personnel to help the National Reconnaissance Office carry out its mission of designing, procuring and operating space systems dedicated to national security activities.

Because the Army and Navy lack strategic focus, the auditors write, "The Army and the Navy may not have the ability to develop and retain the appropriate number of personnel with the right skills to meet both their needs and the joint requirements of the national security space community." The report observes that even Air Force and Marine Corps strategies will take years to develop fully.

Noting that "strong leadership is needed to reach these ... goals," GAO urges the undersecretary of the Air Force--as the Defense Department's executive agent for space--to develop the action plan that the space human capital strategy calls for. GAO also says the secretaries of the Army and the Navy should develop strategies and establish management focal points for their own contingents.