Defense Infrastructure: Challenges Increase Risks for Providing Timely Infrastructure Support for Army Installations Expecting Substantial Personnel Growth

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. The GAO watches over Congress, and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayers dollars. The Comptroller General of the United States is the leader of the GAO, and is appointed to a 15-year term by the U.S. President. The GAO wants to support Congress, while at the same time doing right by the citizens of the United States. They audit, investigate, perform analyses, issue legal decisions and report anything that the government is doing. This is one of their reports.

Due to several simultaneous DoD force structure and basing initiatives, 20 installations are expecting a combined net growth of over 173,000 military and civilian personnel, not including family members and all contractors, over FY 2006-2012. Although communities surrounding these installations can expect to realize economic benefits in the long term, DoD has identified these 20 to be substantially and seriously impacted in terms of being able to provide infrastructure to accommodate the growth. This report: (1) examined the extent to which communities affected by DoD¿s actions have identified their infrastructure needs; and (2) assessed DoD¿s efforts and those of other agencies to assist affected communities. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.

The fed. gov¿t. is the world's largest and most complex entity, with about $3 trillion in outlays in FY 2008. Reports on high-risk areas bring focus to areas needing attention due to their greater vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. These reports also identify areas needing transformation to address major economy, efficiency, or effectiveness challenges. This 2009 update presents the status of high-risk areas listed in 2007 and identifies new high-risk areas. Solutions to high-risk problems offer the potential to save billions of dollars, dramatically improve service to the public, strengthen confidence and trust in the performance and accountability of the U.S. gov¿t., and ensure the ability of gov¿t. to deliver on its promises. Illus.