The Army and Marine Corps Have Taken Steps to Identify and Track Personnel with SFA-Related Training, Education, and Experience, but the Army Does Not Have a Plan or Time Frame for Completion

DOD has established a requirement for the services to identify and track  personnel who have completed SFA-related training, education, or  experience in the Defense Readiness Reporting System with a relevant  skill-designator indicating their SFA qualifications. Further, the  Army has not developed a plan with goals and milestones to identify and  track personnel with SFA-related experience. The Army Is Able to Identify and Track Personnel with Certain SFA-Related Training and Education, but It Lacks a Mechanism to Identify and Track SFA-Related Experience

The Army has taken steps toward identifying and tracking personnel with  certain SFA-related training and education, but efforts to identify and track  SFA-related experience are incomplete. The Army and Marine Corps Have Taken a Number of Actions to Give Consideration to Those Serving in SFA-Related Positions during the Promotion Process

The Army and the Marine Corps have taken a number of steps to ensure  that servicemembers with SFA-related experience receive consideration  for serving in these positions during the promotion process. Both services  have incorporated language into the guidance given to each promotion  board member every time a promotion board is held to ensure that  appropriate consideration is given to individuals who have served on  advisor teams. Opinions Differ Regarding the Effect of Serving in an SFA-Related Position on Career Progression

We found differing opinions regarding the effect that Army and Marine  Corps guidance have on the manner in which individuals with SFA-related  training, education, and experience are considered during the promotion  process. They noted that the promotion process  considers the entirety of an individual’s career and not just the time spent  as an advisor. As a result, officials are not able to conduct  an assessment of personnel to determine whether there are different  promotion rates for people who served on advisor teams versus those  who did not, which could be a potential indicator that servicemembers  with SFA-related experience were negatively affected during the  promotion process. During this review, officials from the SFA brigades we met with stated that  the brigades’ predeployment planning efforts ensured that the brigades  left behind sufficient leadership to manage the rear detachments and  develop training plans to maintain readiness. Leaving Key Leadership Personnel: Officials told us that leaving the  right personnel behind to manage the rear detachment is just as  important as deploying the right personnel. However, it is still up to the rear-detachment  brigade leadership to determine the level of readiness that they can  achieve with the personnel and equipment remaining at the home  station. Conclusions

SFA has been and continues to be an enduring part of the U.S. military  effort in Afghanistan and other locations around the world. Until the Army develops such a plan, it is at risk of not  being able to readily identify the right personnel with the right skills and  experience to serve in an SFA mission. Recommendation for Executive Action

To enable the Army to address the requirement to identify and track  personnel with SFA-related experience, we recommend that the  Secretary of Defense direct the Secretary of the Army to develop and  implement a plan with goals and milestones for how it will develop the  means for systematically identifying and tracking personnel with SFA- related experience. In  written comments on a draft of this report, DOD partially concurred with  the report’s recommendation. However, DOD  stated that sufficient guidance and direction exists for the Army to  continue refining its processes and procedures. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of this engagement were to assess the extent to which (1)  the Army and Marine Corps identify and track personnel with SFA-related  training, education, and experience; and (2) the Army and Marine Corps  consider SFA-related training, education, and experience in the promotion  process; and to describe the process the Army uses to prepare units to  perform their core missions while some unit members are deployed to  support SFA activities.
Why GAO Did This Study

SFA—DOD activities that contribute to supporting the development of foreign security forces and their supporting institutions—is a key component of U.S. efforts to create sustainable security around the world. These activities are carried out by DOD personnel serving as advisors who may have SFA-related training, education, and prior experience to conduct the advising mission.
GAO was mandated to review the Army's and Marine Corps' approaches to the SFA mission. GAO assessed the extent to which the Army and Marine Corps (1) identify and track personnel with SFA-related training, education, and experience and (2) consider SFA-related training, education, and experience in the promotion process. This report also describes the Army's process for preparing units to perform their core mission while some members are deployed to support SFA activities. GAO reviewed DOD policies, directives, and other documents and interviewed cognizant DOD and service officials.

What GAO Found

The Army and Marine Corps have taken steps to identify and track personnel with Security Force Assistance (SFA)-related training, education, and experience, but the Army does not have a plan with goals and milestones to fully capture advising experience. A key element in conducting SFA missions is being able to identify the right personnel with the right training, education, and experience to execute SFA activities. The Department of Defense (DOD) established a requirement for the services to identify and track personnel with SFA-related training, education, and experience. Although the Army is able to identify and track soldiers with certain SFA-related training and education, it does not have a mechanism to identify and track SFA-related experience. Moreover, the Army has not developed a plan with goals and milestones on how it will capture this information. As a result, it is unclear how long it will take the Army to implement DOD's requirement and be able to readily identify the right personnel to serve in the SFA mission. The Marine Corps is implementing a mechanism to identify and track personnel with SFA-related training, education, and experience that is planned to be available in October 2014.
The Army and the Marine Corps have taken steps to ensure the consideration of SFA-related training, education, and experience in the promotion process. Both services have incorporated language into the guidance given to promotion boards to ensure that appropriate consideration is given to individuals who have served on advisor teams. However, opinions differ regarding the effect the guidance has had on the manner in which individuals with SFA-related training, education, and experience are considered during the promotion process. Some officials said that serving in an SFA role could potentially negatively affect career progression. Others noted that the promotion process considers the entirety of an individual's career and not just the time spent as an SFA advisor. However, because the Army and Marine Corps do not yet have comprehensive information on SFA advisors, officials are unable to determine whether promotion rates differ for people who served on SFA advisor teams versus those who did not. Such differences could be a potential indicator that servicemembers with SFA-related experience were negatively affected during the promotion process.
According to Army officials, the Army has taken a number of actions to ensure that units are prepared to perform their core mission when part of the unit is deployed in support of SFA activities. Officials stated that some actions taken to manage units that remain at the home station, also known as the rear detachment, when part of the unit deploys include consolidating units so that they can conduct training, ensuring the right personnel are left behind to lead the rear detachment, developing training plans for what the rear detachment would train to, and reporting on the availability of all personnel and equipment.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the Army develop and implement a plan, with goals and milestones, for how it will develop the means for systematically identifying and tracking personnel with SFA-related experience. DOD partially concurred with the recommendation, stating that sufficient guidance and direction exists for the Army to continue refining its processes and procedures. GAO continues to believe the recommendation is valid, as discussed in the report.