This report addresses the major performance and management challenges confronting the Department of Defense (DOD). Taken together, these challenges, if not addressed, can adversely affect the Department's operational effectiveness. The report also addresses corrective actions that DOD has taken or initiated on these issues- including DOD'S blueprint for a strategy-based, balanced, and affordable defense program as outlined in the May 1997 Report of the Quadrennial Defense Review and the reforms described in its November 1997 Defense Reform Initiative Report-and further actions that are needed. For many years, we have reported significant management problems at DOD. These problems can be categorized into two areas: (1) systemic management challenges dealing with financial management, information management, weapon systems acquisition, and contract management; and (2) program management challenges dealing with infrastructure, inventory management, and personnel. These problems cut across DOD'S program areas.

In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Defense (DOD), GAO identified systemic and specific problems with management processes related to strategic planning, human capital, support infrastructure, financial and information management, acquisition reform, contracting processes, and logistics reengineering. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help to sustain congressional attention; facilitate a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges' and others that have arisen since 2001; and ultimately overcome them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues.