Currently, over 300 such species are  found on military installations. Competition for radio frequency spectrum. Urban growth. Because most encroachment problems are caused by urban  development and population growth, these problems are expected to  increase in the future. Although the effects vary by service and by individual installation,  encroachment has generally limited the extent to which training ranges  are available or the types of training that can be conducted. This limits  units’ ability to train as they would expect to fight and causes  workarounds that may limit the amount or quality of training. At the same time, according to  Defense officials, the increased speed and range of weapon systems are  expected to increase training range requirements. Effects of Encroachment on Training Readiness and Costs Have Not Been Reflected in Most Service Readiness Reports

Despite the loss of some training range capabilities, service readiness data  did not show the impact of encroachment on training readiness. However,  DOD’s January 2003 quarterly report to Congress did tie an Air Force  training issue directly to encroachment. In fact, it rarely cited  training range limitations at all. However, DOD’s most recent quarterly report did indicate a training issue  that is tied directly to encroachment. All this makes it extremely  difficult for the services to leverage assets that may be available in nearby  locations, increasing the risk of inefficiencies, lost time and opportunities,  delays, added costs, and reduced training opportunities. While recent efforts show increased activity on the part of the services to  assess their training requirements, they do not yet represent a  comprehensive assessment of the impacts of encroachments. In addition, while some service officials have reported increasing costs  because of workarounds related to encroachment, the services’ data  systems do not capture these costs in any comprehensive manner. Progress in Addressing Encroachment Issues Still Evolving

DOD has made some progress in addressing individual encroachment  issues, including individual action plans and legislative proposals. But  more will be required to put in place a comprehensive plan that clearly  identifies steps to be taken, goals and milestones to track progress, and  required funding. Some of the short- term actions implemented include the following. Following our reports, DOD issued a range sustainment directive to  establish policy and assign responsibilities for the sustainment of test and  training ranges, and the Special Operations Command developed a  database identifying the training ranges it uses, type of training conducted,  and restrictions on training.
Why GAO Did This Study

DOD faces growing challenges in carrying out realistic training at installations and training ranges--land, air, and sea--because of encroachment by outside factors. These include urban growth, competition for radio frequencies or airspace, air or noise pollution, unexploded ordnance and munition components, endangered species habitat, and protected marine resources. Building on work reported on in 2002, GAO assessed (1) the impact of encroachment on training ranges, (2) DOD's efforts to document the effect on readiness and cost, and (3) DOD's progress in addressing encroachment.

What GAO Found

Encroachment was reported as having affected some training range capabilities, requiring workarounds--or adjustments to training events--and sometimes limiting training, at all stateside installations and major commands GAO visited. GAO has identified similar effects abroad. Encroachment generally limits the time that training ranges are available and the types of training conducted. This in turn limits units' ability to train as they would fight. Most encroachment issues are caused by population growth and urban development. Because both are expected to increase, as are the speed and range of weapon systems used on training ranges, the problems are also expected to increase. Despite DOD--voiced concerns about encroachment's effects on training, service readiness data in 2002 did not show the impact of encroachment on training readiness or costs, although DOD's most recent quarterly report to Congress on readiness did tie a training issue directly to encroachment. While individual services are making some assessment of training requirements and limitations imposed by encroachment, comprehensive assessments remain to be done. Likewise, complete inventories of training ranges are not yet available to foster sharing of ranges on an interservice or joint basis. This increases the risk of inefficiencies, lost time and opportunities, delays, and added cost. Also, although some services have reported higher costs because of encroachment-related workarounds for training, service data systems do not capture the costs comprehensively. DOD has made some progress in addressing individual encroachment issues, such as implementing some short-term actions, proposing legislation to clarify the relationship between training and conservation statutes, and issuing a range sustainment directive. But more is required for a comprehensive plan, as recommended by GAO earlier, that clearly identifies steps to be taken, goals and milestones to track progress, and required funding.