If the Army chooses a new  camouflage uniform, officials estimate that it may cost up to $4 billion over  5 years to replace its uniform and related protective gear. It also  encourages DOD components to actively seek to reduce costs by  standardizing basic materials and accessories, such as new clothing  items, and provides information on costs to introduce a new uniform into  inventory. Military Services Have Not Used a Consistent Decision-Making Process to Produce Effective Camouflage Uniforms

The military services have a degree of discretion regarding whether and  how to apply acquisition guidance for their uniform development, and  varied in their use of the guidance. The two elements are: clear  policies and procedures that are implemented consistently, and a  knowledge-based approach that includes meaningful data to determine  whether a product will meet customer requirements. However, the Army and Air Force did not follow the two key elements,  and they found that their new uniforms did not meet specific mission  requirements. The Army used a decision process for the development of a new uniform  that did not produce a successful outcome, and it had to replace that  uniform in 2010. Military Services’ Fragmented Approach to Developing Uniforms Has Resulted in Inconsistent Protection for Service Members and No Collaboration to Reduce Costs

The military services’ fragmented approach to developing uniforms,  without any joint criteria for meeting combat requirements, has not  ensured that the resulting uniforms provide equivalent levels of  performance and protection for service members, and the services have  not collaborated to reduce the costs for uniforms in inventory. Without joint  criteria on the performance of uniforms to guide activities, one or more  service may develop uniforms without knowing whether its uniforms  include the newest technology, the newest materials or designs, and  meet an acceptable level of performance. DOD and Its Components Have Not Developed a Policy to Ensure That Service-Specific Uniforms Provide Equivalent Levels of Protection and Have Not Collaborated to Minimize Risk

Each military department has developed its own standards for combat  uniforms, and DOD does not have a policy to ensure that the services’  fragmented uniform programs comply with statutory policy to provide  equivalent levels of performance and protection and minimize the risk to  individual service members operating in the joint battle space, to the  maximum extent practicable. The Army is currently testing camouflage patterns to  support the development of new camouflage uniforms for service-wide  use and has estimated that the service could avoid initial inventory fees of  as much as $82 million by partnering with another service or services. However, during our review none of the services had reached an  agreement to partner with the Army. In the absence of DOD requirements that the services collaborate to  standardize the development and introduction of camouflage uniforms,  the services may continue to miss opportunities to increase efficiencies  and forego tens of millions of dollars in cost savings. Recommendations for Executive Action

We recommend that the Secretary of Defense take the following four  actions:
To better ensure camouflage uniforms being developed by the military  services meet mission requirements, direct the Under Secretary of  Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to ensure that the  services have and consistently use clear policies and procedures and  a knowledge-based approach to produce successful outcomes. To facilitate the department’s ability to meet the statutory requirement  to develop joint criteria for camouflage uniforms, direct the Secretaries  of the military departments to identify and implement actions  necessary to enable the Joint Clothing and Textiles Governance  Board to develop and issue joint criteria for uniforms prior to the  development or acquisition of any new camouflage uniform. As we  discuss in our report, without additional guidance from DOD on the use of  clear policies and procedures for a knowledge-based approach to  developing effective uniforms, some services may continue to lack  assurance that they have a disciplined process that is capable of delivering  uniforms that meet warfighter requirements. We  assessed whether three services—the Marine Corps, Army and Air  Force—followed the two key elements that GAO has determined are key  practices for a decision process that produces successful outcomes, and  to what extent each service developed uniforms that met requirements. To determine the extent to which the services have used a joint approach  to develop criteria, ensure equivalent protection and manage costs, we  reviewed the DOD guidance, the requirement of the National Defense  Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 that the military departments  establish joint criteria for future ground combat uniforms, and policy  established by the act permitting the design and fielding of service- unique, future ground combat uniforms so long as they, to the maximum  extent practicable, provide equivalent levels of performance and  protection to all service members commensurate with their assigned  combat missions and minimize the risk to the individual service members  operating in the joint battle space, among other things.
Why GAO Did This Study

Since 2002, the military services have introduced seven new camouflage uniforms with varying patterns and colors--two desert, two woodland, and three universal. In addition, the Army is developing new uniform options and estimates it may cost up to $4 billion over 5 years to replace its current uniform and associated protective gear. GAO was asked to review the services' development of new camouflage uniforms. This report addresses: 1) the extent to which DOD guidance provides a consistent decision process to ensure new camouflage uniforms meet operational requirements and 2) the extent to which the services have used a joint approach to develop criteria, ensure equivalent protection and manage costs. To do this, GAO reviewed DOD, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and GAO acquisition guidance and key practices, statutory requirements and policies, interviewed defense officials, and collected and analyzed records about uniform development.

What GAO Found

The military services have a degree of discretion regarding whether and how to apply Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition guidance for their uniform development and they varied in their usage of that guidance. As a result, the services had fragmented procedures for managing their uniform development programs, and did not consistently develop effective camouflage uniforms. GAO identified two key elements that are essential for producing successful outcomes in acquisitions: 1) using clear policies and procedures that are implemented consistently, and 2) obtaining effective information to make decisions, such as credible, reliable, and timely data. The Marine Corps followed these two key elements to produce a successful outcome, and developed a uniform that met its requirements. By contrast, two other services, the Army and Air Force, did not follow the two key elements; both services developed uniforms that did not meet mission requirements and had to replace them. Without additional guidance from DOD on the use of clear policies and procedures and a knowledge-based approach, the services may lack assurance that they have a disciplined approach to set requirements and develop new uniforms that meet operational needs.
The military services' fragmented approach for acquiring uniforms has not ensured the development of joint criteria for new uniforms or achieved cost efficiency. DOD has not met a statutory requirement to establish joint criteria for future uniforms or taken steps to ensure that uniforms provide equivalent levels of performance and protection for service members, and the services have not pursued opportunities to seek to reduce clothing costs, such as by collaborating on uniform inventory costs. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 required the military departments to establish joint criteria for future ground combat uniforms. The departments asked the Joint Clothing and Textiles Governance Board to develop the joint criteria, but the task is incomplete. If the services do not use joint criteria to guide their activities, one or more service may develop uniforms without certainty that the uniforms include the newest technology, advanced materials or designs, and meet an acceptable level of performance. Further, DOD does not have a means to ensure that the services meet statutory policy permitting the development of service-unique uniforms as long as the uniforms, to the maximum extent practicable, provide service members the equivalent levels of performance and protection and minimize the risk to individuals operating in the joint battle space. Without a policy to ensure that services develop and field uniforms with equivalent performance and protection, the services could fall short of protecting all service members equally, potentially exposing a number to unnecessary risks. Finally, the services may have opportunities for partnerships to reduce inventory costs for new uniforms. The Army may be able to save about $82 million if it can partner with another service. Under DOD guidance, the services are encouraged to actively seek to reduce costs. The Air Force has shown interest in the Army's current uniform development, but none of the services has agreed to partner with the Army on a new uniform. In the absence of a DOD requirement that the services collaborate to standardize the development and introduction of camouflage uniforms, the services may forego millions of dollars in potential cost savings.


What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that DOD take four actions to improve the development of camouflage uniforms and enhance collaboration among the services: ensure that the services have and use clear policies and procedures and a knowledge-based approach, establish joint criteria, develop policy to ensure equivalent protection levels, and pursue partnerships where applicable to help reduce costs. DOD concurred with GAOs recommendations and identified planned actions.