This cost differential, when multiplied by the fiscal year 1995 training workload, shows that since fiscal year 1987, training costs have increased about $745 million more than normal inflation even though the training workload has decreased. Officials attributed the smaller reduction in military personnel funding mainly to increases in military pay and allowances for students and military personnel supporting formal training and education activities. Actions to Decrease the Training Infrastructure

Actions already implemented or planned for implementation by the services, DOD, and the BRAC over the next several years are expected to further reduce and streamline the training infrastructure for military personnel by reducing the number of locations at which a service teaches a particular course; increasing interservice training for similar curricula; increasing the number of private sector instructors, courses, and training facilities; and closing or realigning bases at which formal training is now provided. DOD estimated that ITRO’s recommended consolidations and collocations of training courses have resulted in approximately $300 million in savings. DOD estimates that full implementation of the recommendations for the functional areas would result in a one-time savings of about $2.4 million and annual recurring savings of about $680,000. BRAC Impacts on DOD Training Infrastructure

Since 1987, BRAC has recommended base closures and mission realignments that, when fully implemented, will reduce the number of locations where the services provide formal training for military personnel. We also recommend that the Secretary of Defense develop a long-range plan to guide and measure the services’ efforts to reduce the training infrastructure.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to reduce its formal training infrastructure, focusing on: (1) the size of the active forces' formal training infrastructure; and (2) planned, completed, or ongoing plans to reduce this infrastructure.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) the formal military training and education cost per student increased about $4,200 between fiscal years (FY) 1987 and 1995; (2) despite a decrease in the training workload, training costs have increased about $745 million more than normal inflation between FY 1987 and 1995; (3) DOD officials reported that the main reason for the increase is the use of private-sector and civilian instructors; (4) planned or ongoing actions to reduce training infrastructure include reducing the number of locations at which a service teaches a particular course, increasing interservice training for similar curricula, increasing the number of private-sector instructors, courses, and training facilities, and closing or realigning bases that provide formal training; (5) DOD lacks an overall plan to guide and measure training infrastructure reduction (6) the number of locations that provide training decreased from 265 to 172 between FY 1987 and 1995; (7) DOD estimated that increases in interservice training have resulted in about $300 million in savings and that future course consolidations and collocations would result in one-time savings of about $4.4 million and annual recurring savings of about $7.28 million; and (8) despite expected base closures and mission realignments, DOD expects that excess training infrastructure will continue to exist.