The Joint Forces  Command is DOD’s lead in providing joint warfighting capability through  joint training. According to the 2004 Training Transformation Implementation Plan,  these three capabilities, or initiatives, are designed to prepare individuals,  units, and staffs for the new strategic environment, and to provide  enabling tools and processes to carry out missions. DOD’s Efforts Have Focused on Establishing Plans and Program Accountability, but Much Remains to be Done to Achieve Full Operational Capability

Currently in its early implementation stages, DOD expects its Training  Transformation Program to be fully operational by 2009, when it has  established a robust network of training capabilities that are integrated  throughout the department to provide enhanced joint individual and  collective training focused on the combatant commanders’ needs and  linked to readiness assessments. Through its 2003 Training  Transformation Implementation Plan, the department established  program accountability and authority by assigning senior leadership  management and oversight roles and responsibilities. According to a DOD official, DOD’s approach to  developing and implementing the training transformation initiatives  follows a “build a little, test a little” philosophy that is unlike a more  traditional development approach, where initiatives within a program are  developed sequentially with planning, development, implementation, and  assessment phases. DOD’s Training Transformation Program Faces Two Significant Management Challenges at This Time

DOD’s Training Transformation Program will likely face some significant  management challenges throughout its implementation. Two significant  challenges that have emerged early and will require continued focus are  (1) establishing effective partnerships with program stakeholders, such as  the services and combatant commands, through comprehensive  communication and coordination; and (2) developing joint training  requirements that meet combatant commands’ mission needs. Both these  challenges, if left unaddressed, have the potential for eroding support  among program stakeholders, which in turn places the goals of the  Training Transformation Program at risk. These include DOD’s combatant  commanders, services, and training commands, as well as representatives  from the federal departments, agencies, and organizations that comprise  the national security interagency community. DOD Is Communicating and Coordinating with External Stakeholders, but Efforts to Engage Senior Non-DOD Leaders Have Been Limited to Date

While DOD has been proactive in engaging interagency,  intergovernmental, and multinational partners in identifying common  areas for potential joint training opportunities, their outreach has not yet  been elevated to senior-level leadership to ensure their full cooperation. Developing Joint Training Requirements That Meet Combatant Commands’ Needs Is a Significant Challenge

Joint Forces Command’s new process for developing tactical-level joint  training requirements—and the specific training tasks that support the  requirements—does not ensure that these tasks necessarily reflect  combatant command needs nor does it ensure buy-in from internal  stakeholders—combatant commanders, services, and training commands. Recommendations for 	 To promote effective partnerships and mitigate the risk of implementing  Executive Action Training Transformation Program components that are not fully supported  by the combatant commands, services, and other federal agencies, we are  recommending that the Secretary of Defense take the following three  actions: direct the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and  Readiness to assess the effectiveness of their communication and  coordination efforts of the training transformation initiatives and take  additional steps to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the program’s  goals and initiatives; direct the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and  Readiness to elevate outreach efforts to senior leadership within non-DOD  agencies and organizations to ensure these stakeholders’ full  understanding, buy-in, and commitment; and direct the Joint Forces Command to use the Joint Training System to  establish all training requirements at the joint tactical level in order to  promote widespread participation and better opportunities for  stakeholders’ acceptance of the requirements.
Why GAO Did This Study

U.S. forces are conducting more complex operations, requiring increased interoperability between the military commands, services, and other organizations. Department of Defense (DOD) planning guidance calls for transforming military training by increasing the jointness in training. The overall intent of DOD's Training Transformation Program is to assure commanders that forces deployed to their theater are not experiencing joint operations for the first time. Therefore, the program's strategic goals focus on providing joint training that meets commanders' needs and links to readiness assessments. Given the significant investment planned in the program and the impact it will have on the military, this report provides a program overview, including (1) DOD's overall management approach and status of key initiatives, and (2) some significant management challenges that have emerged early in the program's implementation.

What GAO Found

Currently in its early implementation stages, DOD expects its Training Transformation Program to be fully operational by 2009, when it has established a robust network of training capabilities that are integrated throughout the department to provide enhanced joint individual and unit training focused on combatant commanders' needs and linked to readiness assessments. Thus far, the department has established program accountability and authority by assigning senior leadership management and oversight roles and responsibilities. DOD has also established three training transformation initiatives designed to prepare individuals, units, and staffs for joint operations and to provide enabling tools and processes to carry out missions. The initiatives are being developed incrementally, wherein each initiative matures through the "build a little, test a little" philosophy. DOD plans to complete its first program assessment later this year. One significant challenge that has emerged early and will require continued focus is establishing effective partnerships with program stakeholders via comprehensive communication and coordination to gain their full participation and buy-in to achieve training transformation goals. DOD has taken positive steps to communicate and coordinate with these stakeholders, which include DOD's combatant commanders, services, and training commands, as well as representatives from the Federal departments, agencies, and organizations that comprise the national security interagency community. However, GAO found an inconsistent understanding among some DOD stakeholders of the strategic vision and rationale behind the implementation and development pace of the initiatives. DOD has not assessed its communication and coordination efforts to determine why some stakeholders may not fully understand the overall vision. Similarly, DOD officials have been proactive in engaging external stakeholders in identifying potential joint training opportunities. However, DOD's outreach to the senior-level leadership of external organizations has been limited to date, thus risking their full commitment to future planning and implementation of joint training. Anothersignificant challenge that has emerged early and will require continued focus is developing joint training requirements--and the specific training tasks that support the requirements--that meet combatant command mission needs. Rather than identifying joint training tasks through DOD's established process called the "Joint Training System" that is used to translate combatant command needs into training requirements, the department is developing some joint tasks through a working group process that does not ensure widespread participation by the combatant commands' and services' representatives. As a result, the department risks developing joint training requirements that combatant commands and services may not fully support. Both these challenges, if left unaddressed, have the potential for eroding support among program stakeholders, which in turn places the goals of the Training Transformation Program at risk.