For the fiscal year 2007 estimates, the reserve  components submitted the same maximum levels as fiscal year 2006  because there were no substantial increases or decreases in their  numbers, according to DOD officials. DOD Based Its Initial Request on Data That Did Not Accurately Reflect the Number of Volunteer Reservists on Active Duty for Operational Support

One key factor that contributed to the increase in authorization levels  requested for fiscal year 2006 was that DOD’s initial request for fiscal year  2005 was not developed using data that accurately reflected the maximum  number of reservists on voluntary active duty for operational support. DOD Lacked a Definition of Operational Support Prior to its Fiscal Year 2005 Estimate

Another key factor that contributed to the increase in DOD’s fiscal year  2006 estimate for the maximum number of reservists authorized was that  DOD did not have a definition of operational support prior to its initial  estimate for fiscal year 2005. Reserve Components Are Not Identifying Numbers of Active Duty Reservists for Operational Support Consistently across Components

The reserve components have not been consistently identifying the  number of reservists serving in an operational support capacity since this  requirement was adopted in fiscal year 2005. For example, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard  do not include voluntary active duty performed by recalled retired  reservists in their accounting amounts, even though this is one of the five  categories listed under DOD’s definition of operational support. In addition, the  reserve components are inconsistent on whether they include volunteer  reservists serving on extended active duty in their reported operational  support numbers. We found that in each month from January through June 2006, the Navy  Reserve erroneously reported to DOD cumulative totals instead of the  highest number of reservists in each month. The DMDC official stated that the  effectiveness of the proposed change to automate reporting on volunteer  operational support reservists still depends on the components, which are  responsible for aligning their policies and systems to provide the  appropriate information according to changes in data reporting  requirements. DOD is in  the process of developing an instruction on accounting and reporting  procedures in the new DOD Instruction 1215.6, which it plans to officially  release in late October 2006. Until DOD and all of the reserve  components update and uniformly align their implementing guidance,  inconsistencies and errors in the reporting of the number of operational  support reservists may continue. Recommendation for Executive Action

To ensure that the components can report accurate and consistent  information about the number of reservists serving in an operational  support capacity, we recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct the  Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the reserve  components to develop guidance to clarify and consistently define the  categories of operational support that should be included in the reported  numbers. The department concurred with the  recommendation. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To determine the factors leading to the increase in the maximum number  of reserve personnel authorized to be on active duty for operational  support from fiscal year 2005 to fiscal year 2006, we reviewed and  analyzed the authorization levels for fiscal years 2005 and 2006, and the  requested authorization levels for fiscal year 2007. To determine the extent to which the reserve components have  consistently reported the number of reservists serving in an operational  support capacity, we obtained DOD’s memorandums, implementing  guidance, and regulations.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Department of Defense (DOD) and Congress have expressed concern with the frequency and length of time that volunteer reservists serve on active duty. In fiscal year 2006, DOD nearly doubled its fiscal year 2005 estimate for the total maximum levels of reservists volunteering to be on active duty for operational support. Congress required GAO to review the reasons behind the increases and expressed an interest in understanding which reservists were being included or excluded from these numbers. In this report, GAO (1) identified the factors that led to the increase in DOD's requests for the maximum number of volunteer reserve personnel authorized to be on active duty for operational support since DOD's initial request in fiscal year 2005 and (2) assessed the extent to which the reserve components have consistently reported the number of reservists serving in an operational support capacity since 2005. In conducting this review, GAO analyzed agency documents and interviewed DOD officials.

What GAO Found

DOD's requested authorization levels for reserve personnel voluntarily on active duty for operational support grew substantially between fiscal years 2005 and 2006 for two reasons. First, when developing its fiscal year 2005 estimate, DOD used data reported annually that excluded some reservists serving in operational support capacities. Second, the definition of operational support was not included with the legislation and DOD did not distribute an official definition until 6 months after the fiscal year 2005 authorized levels were in place. Based on the published definition and greater outreach to personnel responsible for monitoring the number of volunteers for this type of active duty, most reserve components submitted higher estimates for maximum levels for fiscal year 2006. DOD submitted the same estimates in fiscal year 2007 as fiscal year 2006 because the number of volunteers did not change greatly. The reserve components have not been consistently identifying the number of reservists serving in an operational support capacity since this monthly reporting requirement was adopted in fiscal year 2005. The reserve components are inconsistently including certain categories of personnel in their reported numbers. For example, two of the six reserve components do not include personnel serving as voluntarily recalled retired reservists in their reported totals, even though this category is listed in DOD's definition of operational support. In addition, only three of the six components include reservists serving on extended active duty missions in their reported numbers. GAO also found that the Navy Reserve erroneously submitted cumulative amounts instead of the highest amount of volunteer reservists each month for 6 months, so that it appeared to exceed its maximum authorized level three times. DOD is implementing a change to its Defense Manpower and Data Center to systematically generate the highest count of reservists each month, but the effectiveness of this change depends on whether the components update and align their policies and systems to provide these data. DOD is in the process of developing an instruction and only four of the reserve components have updated or have plans to update their guidance to clarify and consistently define what categories to include when accounting for these operational support reservists. Without updating and aligning their guidance, inconsistencies and errors in the reported numbers of operational support reservists may continue.