DOD Regional Centers’ Mission

The five Regional Centers for Security Studies (Regional Centers)  support DOD’s objective to build the defense capacity of partner nations. The Regional Centers’ activities include education, exchanges, research,  and information sharing. DOD Organizations Administer Various Types of Training and Educational Programs and Activities

DOD provides U.S. and foreign participants with a variety of training and  educational programs and activities through its five Regional Centers, its  professional military education and advanced degree-conferring  institutions, and its professional development institutions. Regional Centers’ Programs and Activities Share Similarities and Differences with Those Offered by Other DOD Institutions

Programs and activities administered by the Regional Centers and other  DOD professional military education and advanced degree-conferring  institutions as well as professional development institutions have similar  features in that they all offer curriculum topics intended to help participants enhance  knowledge and skills on security and military matters;  target members of the military; and  feature program formats that include in-residence courses; seminars,  conferences, workshops; distance learning; and in-country instruction. In contrast, professional military education institutions  generally focus on military operations and leadership; and advanced  degree-conferring institutions and professional development  institutions generally focus on professional knowledge, skills, and  experiences. The Regional Centers’ audience is generally civilian and military  officials from other countries. Although the Regional Centers generally offer shorter-duration courses  on a range of security topics, some centers provide participants with  opportunities to obtain credit for their attendance. DOD Has Taken Steps to Enhance Oversight of the Regional Centers Plans and Activities but Its Ability to Assess Their Progress Remains Limited

DOD has taken some steps to enhance its oversight of the Regional  Centers’ plans and activities, but it does not have a sound basis to  evaluate their progress in achieving DOD priorities because it has not  developed an assessment approach that includes measurable goals and  objectives with metrics or established a methodology for using the  performance information it collects. Our prior workhas found that  achieving results in government requires a comprehensive oversight  framework that includes clear goals, measurable objectives, and metrics  for assessing progress, consistent with the framework established in the  Government Performance and Results Act. OUSD Policy has not established a methodology for assessing the  Regional Centers’ progress in achieving DOD priorities, to include  clarifying how it will use performance data provided by the Regional  Centers and clearly identifying the role of its governance board in the  assessment process. For example,  the governance body has not identified how it will consider the  performance information provided by the Regional Centers in making  decisions or demonstrated how the newly established planning process  will integrate the performance information to assess the Regional  Centers’ progress towards OUSD Policy strategic goals and priority  objectives. While DOD  has taken positive steps by establishing a new governance body and  updating DOD guidance applying to the Regional Centers for fiscal year  2013, DOD does not yet have a process to assess the Regional Centers’  progress. Conducting routine assessments using measurable goals and  objectives, with metrics to evaluate progress, and a methodology for  using performance information to include defining the role of the  governance board, would provide DOD a sounder basis for assessing the  Regional Centers’ progress in achieving results and better determining  the allocation of resources. Recommendations for Executive Action

To enhance DOD’s ability to determine whether the Regional Centers are  achieving departmental priorities, we recommend that the Secretary of  Defense direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to develop an approach to assess the Regional Centers’ progress in  achieving DOD priorities, including identifying measurable goals and  objectives, metrics, or other indicators of performance, and develop a methodology for using performance information, to include  defining the role of the governance board in the process. If you or your staff have questions about this report, please contact  Sharon L. Pickup at (202) 512-9619 or pickups@gao.gov, or Charles  Michael Johnson, Jr. at (202) 512-7331. First, we researched U.S.  government programs, activities, and initiatives providing training and  education to foreign civilian and military individuals. 1. To determine the extent to which DOD has developed and implemented  an approach to oversee the Regional Centers and assess their progress  in achieving DOD priorities, we evaluated relevant documentation and  interviewed knowledgeable officials. To provide information about the process used by DOD and State to  approve and monitor Regional Center requests to waive reimbursement  of costs for nongovernmental and international organizations that  participate in the Regional Centers’ activities, we reviewed relevant  legislation and DSCA guidance identifying the procedures for submitting  requests and the criteria applied to consideration of waivers for  nongovernmental and international organizations.
Why GAO Did This Study

DOD has emphasized innovative and low-cost approaches to build the defense capacity of foreign partners, and it uses its five Regional Centers to administer programs to foster partnerships and deepen foreign officials' understanding of U.S. objectives. The conference report accompanying the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 112-705) mandated GAO to conduct a study of the Regional Centers. GAO's report (1) describes how the Regional Centers' activities compare with those of other DOD training and education organizations, and (2) evaluates the extent to which DOD has developed and implemented an approach to oversee and assess the Regional Centers' progress in achieving DOD priorities. This report also provides information on the process used to approve Regional Center requests to waive reimbursement of the costs for nongovernmental and international organizations that participate in the Regional Centers' activities. GAO reviewed public law and departmental directives and conducted an analysis comparing aspects of the Regional Centers with other selected DOD training and education institutions.

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense's (DOD) five Regional Centers for Security Studies (Regional Centers) share similarities and differences with other DOD institutions that provide training and education, including professional military education, advanced degree-conferring, and professional development institutions, in terms of curriculum topics, targeted audience, and program format. GAO found that they all offer training and educational programs and activities to help participants understand security and military matters and to enhance their knowledge, skills, and experiences in these matters. However, there are notable differences in that the Regional Centers generally focus on helping foreign participants understand and respond to regional security issues; generally target a foreign civilian and military personnel audience; and offer shorter and typically less formal courses of study. The Regional Centers support DOD policy objectives with curricula designed to enhance security and foster partnerships through education and exchanges. By contrast, other DOD training and education organizations focus their curricula on military operations and leadership. While the Regional Centers' target audience is foreign civilian and military officials, the other DOD educational organizations typically aim their programs and activities at U.S. servicemembers at all career levels. Regional Center participants generally do not earn credit toward a degree, and the offered courses, conferences, and workshops are of shorter duration ranging from days to weeks. DOD's professional military education and advanced degree-conferring institutions are accredited and generally offer longer, more formal courses that provide participants the opportunity to earn advanced degrees.
DOD has taken some steps to enhance its oversight of the Regional Centers' plans and activities, but its ability to determine whether the Regional Centers are achieving departmental priorities remains limited because it has not developed an approach for assessing progress. DOD has defined roles and responsibilities, issued relevant guidance that reflects departmental objectives, and established a governance body and planning process to facilitate information sharing and to achieve more integrated decision making. However, DOD has not developed an approach that includes measurable goals and objectives, metrics for assessing performance, or a methodology to assess the Regional Centers' progress in achieving DOD priorities, to include clarifying how it will use performance data provided by the Regional Centers. GAO's prior work has found that achieving results in government requires a comprehensive oversight framework that includes clear goals, measurable objectives, and metrics for assessing progress, consistent with the framework established in the Government Performance and Results Act. The Regional Centers report various types of performance data, such as summaries of past activities. While DOD has established a governance body to assist in monitoring the Regional Centers' plans and activities, the body has not identified how it will use performance information to assess the Regional Centers' progress toward achieving department priorities. Conducting routine assessments using measurable goals and objectives, with metrics to evaluate progress, and a methodology for using performance information to include defining the role of the governance body would provide DOD a sounder basis for assessing the Regional Centers' progress in achieving results, and for better determining the allocation of resources.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that DOD develop measurable goals linked to key programming priorities for the Regional Centers, metrics for assessing performance against these goals, and a methodology to assess the Regional Centers' progress in achieving DOD priorities. DOD generally agreed with the recommendations.
or Charles Michael Johnson, Jr. at (202) 512-7331 or johnsoncm@gao.gov .