DOD Issued a Space Human Capital Strategy but Has No Implementation Plan

DOD’s space human capital strategy, which we believe is a significant first  step, promotes the development and integration of the military services’  space cadres; however, DOD has not developed a plan to implement  actions to achieve the strategy’s goals and objectives. An implementation  plan for the strategy could include specific actions, responsibilities, time  frames, and evaluation measures. DOD’s Space Human Capital Strategy Established Direction for the Future

In February 2004, DOD issued its space human capital strategy that  established direction for the future and included overall goals for  developing and integrating space personnel. Extent of Services’ Initiatives to Develop Space Cadres Varies

The military services vary in the extent to which they have identified and  implemented initiatives to develop and manage their space cadres. The  Air Force and the Marine Corps have completed space human capital  strategies and established organizational focal points with responsibility  for managing their space cadres, but the Army and the Navy have not  completed these important first steps. The services are executing some  other actions to develop and manage their space cadres, and the actions  have been implemented to varying extents. Even  though the services have completed some of these initiatives, many are not  complete and will require years to fully implement. Air Force Has Taken Actions in Developing Its Space Cadre

The Air Force approved its space cadre strategy in July 2003, and it is  implementing the initiatives it has identified to meet the strategy’s goals. The Marine Corps’ strategy specifies 10 objectives for developing and  maintaining space professionals:    establish an identifiable cadre of space-qualified enlisted and civilian    create and staff additional space personnel positions in the operating    create and staff additional space positions at national security space  organizations;  improve space operations professional military education for all Marine  Corps officers;  focus the graduate education of Marine Corps space operations students  to support Marine Corps needs;  leverage interservice space training to ensure the development and  proficiency of the space cadre;    develop a management process through which interested officers can be  assigned to multiple space-related positions during their careers and still  compete for promotion with their peers;    develop a process and structure for space professionals in the Marine  Corps reserves through which they can support operations, training, and  exercises through augmentation and mobilization;  fully participate in the DOD Executive Agent for Space’s efforts to create a  space cadre; and  incorporate appropriate space professional certification processes into the  management of the Marine Corps’ space cadre. Army Has Taken Some Actions to Develop Its Space Cadre, but It Does Not Have a Strategy or Focal Point

The Army has taken some actions to develop its space cadre, but it does  not have clear goals and objectives for the future because it has not  developed a space cadre strategy or identified a focal point to manage its  space cadre. Without such  an implementation plan, developed jointly by the DOD Executive Agent for  Space and the military services, DOD will not be in a sound position to  effectively monitor and evaluate implementation of the strategy. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To determine whether the Department of Defense’s (DOD) space human  capital strategy and management approach to implementing the strategy  promote the development and integration of the military services’ space  cadres, we reviewed and analyzed the strategy and compared it to other  human capital strategies, the human capital models in our prior reports,  and the management principles contained in the Government Performance  and Results Act of 1993.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Department of Defense (DOD) relies on space for many critical capabilities, and its continued success in space operations depends on having sufficient space-qualified personnel. Space-qualified personnel are needed to develop technology, doctrine, and concepts and operate complex systems. In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004, Congress required DOD to develop a strategy for developing and integrating national security space personnel. DOD completed it in February 2004. Congress also required GAO to assess DOD's space human capital strategy and the military services' efforts to develop their space personnel. In the first of two required reports, GAO assessed (1) whether DOD's space human capital strategy and management approach promote development and integration of the services' space personnel and (2) the extent of the services' initiatives to develop and manage their space personnel.

What GAO Found

DOD's space human capital strategy is a significant first step that promotes the development and integration of DOD's space personnel by providing strategic goals and objectives; however, DOD does not have a complete results-oriented management approach to implement the strategy because it does not include an implementation plan that details specific actions, time frames, and evaluation measures. The space human capital strategy provides general direction for developing and integrating DOD space personnel, and it identified key actions needed for implementation. DOD has not completed any of these actions. Without an implementation plan, DOD will not be in a sound position to effectively monitor and evaluate implementation of the strategy and achieve the strategy's purpose of integrating the services' space personnel into a cohesive DOD total force. The military services vary in the extent to which they have identified and implemented initiatives to develop and manage their space personnel. The Air Force and the Marine Corps have taken significant actions in developing and managing their space personnel, including developing space human capital strategies and designating organizational focal points. The Air Force, which has the largest number of space personnel, approved its space human capital strategy in July 2003, and it is implementing its initiatives. The other services are working on similar initiatives and have completed some, but many will take years to fully implement. The Army's and the Navy's actions in developing their space personnel have been limited because they do not have clear goals and objectives for developing their space personnel or organizational focal points to manage them. Without these tools, the Army and the Navy may not be able to determine their requirements for space personnel and develop sufficient numbers of space personnel with the necessary training, education, and experience to meet service and joint needs.