Why It Matters
The Department of Defense manages over 736,000 facilities worldwide valued at $2.6 trillion, while also facing a $285 billion maintenance backlog that threatens military readiness and personnel welfare.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released August 21 found that DOD systematically underfunds facility upkeep, lacks adequate maintenance staff, and fails to track work orders reliably.
The Big Picture
In 2014, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics established a goal to fund 90 percent of maintenance needs. However, DOD currently funds only about 80 percent of maintenance needs, falling short of its own goal and creating a structural shortfall.
The root of the problem stems from the fact that DOD does not request full funding for facility maintenance or improvement projects. The department also does not consistently track work orders, and does not have enough maintenance staff to address the backlog.
DOD also faces employment competition with the private sector for maintenance workers and challenges in hiring maintenance workers in remote and isolated locations. Federal hiring, pay, and work eligibility practices have exacerbated these workforce challenges, according to the GAO analysis.
In addition, DOD has not fully identified the extent of maintenance workforce shortages or developed strategies to address them.
Managing this sprawling infrastructure requires coordination across multiple military departments, consistent standards, and adequate staffing. The report reflects systemic failures in how the department manages its real property, a challenge that has landed DOD on the GAO's High-Risk List since 2003.
GAO analyzed DOD policies, budgets, maintenance data, and other documentation, and interviewed DOD officials, including installation officials and maintenance customers from a non-generalizable sample of eight installations.
The findings prompted GAO to issue 13 recommendations to DOD regarding installation maintenance. The department's response was mixed: DOD concurred with 7 of the recommendations, partially concurred with 5 others, and non-concurred with 1 recommendation.
The Bottom Line
The maintenance backlog poses a direct risk to military readiness and the quality of life of service members. Chronically neglected barracks and facilities undermine both operational capability and personnel morale.
DOD's mixed response to the GAO's 13 recommendations signals internal disagreement about priorities and approaches, and DOD has not yet developed comprehensive strategies to address workforce shortages.
All recommendations remain open, with no confirmed actions yet taken.
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