Aug. 5, 2014

Project Announcement: Audit of Chemical and Biological Defense Training for U.S. Forces in Korea (Project No. D2014-D000RF-0204.000)

Our objective is to determine whether forward-deployed forces assigned to U.S. Forces Korea are trained to defend against chemical and biological agents. This is the second in a series of audits on chemical and biological defense preparedness. This is report Chemical and Biological Training for Army and Marine Corps Units in the Republic of Korea Needs Improvement DODIG-2016-050.

July 31, 2014

Audit of the Transfer of DoD Service Treatment Records to the Department of Veterans Affairs

DoD did not consistently transfer timely and complete STRs to the VA. Our results, by Military Department, were as follows: Army – of 96,224 STRs transferred to the VA from January to December 2013, 74,470 (77 percent) were not timely (transferred within 45 business days) and 26,901 (28 percent) were not complete. Air Force – of 45,912 STRs transferred to the VA from January to December 2013, 16,187 (35 percent) were not timely and 5,144 (11 percent) were not complete. Navy – the Navy and Marine Corps did not maintain sufficient data to determine results from January to December 2013. However, data provided for July and August 2013 indicated that of the 3,217 STRs transferred to the VA, 1,479 (46 percent) were not timely. In addition, the Navy did not maintain the data necessary to determine whether the STRs were complete. This occurred because DoD did not provide the Military Departments with clear or comprehensive guidance concerning the STR transfer process, to include the DoD-VA agreed upon procedure for certifying STR completeness. In addition, the Army Reserve and National Guard and the Navy had inefficient procedures in place for transferring STRs. DoD’s failure to consistently make timely and complete STRs available to the VA likely contributed to delays in processing veterans’ benefit claims.

July 31, 2014

The Army Did Not Properly Account For and Manage Force Provider Equipment in Afghanistan

We determined whether DoD properly accounted for Force Provider (FP) equipment in Afghanistan. An FP module is a compilation of components that support 600 personnel.

July 30, 2014

Project Announcement: Rights of Conscience Protections for Armed Forces Service Members and TheirChaplains (Project No. D2014-D00SP0-0142.000)

We plan to begin the subject assessment in August 2014. This assessment is being conducted in accordance with Section 533 of Public Law 112-239, "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013" (2013 NDAA), January 2, 2013, as amended, and Section 533 of Public Law 11-66, "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014" (2014 NDAA), December 26, 2013.

July 23, 2014

Inspection of the Armed Forces Retirement Home

Personnel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Defense Health Agency (formerly TRICARE Management Activity), and the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) who are responsible for and engaged in oversight, management, and operations of the AFRH should read this report.

July 17, 2014

Approaches for Establishing Fraud Risk AssessmentPrograms and Conducting Fraud Audit Risk Assessments Within the Department of Defense

The objective of the review was to identify approaches for establishing fraud risk assessment programs and conducting fraud risk assessments within the DoD. The review focused on various DoD activities including procurement, retail, and financial operations.

July 11, 2014

Development and Implementation of Sexual Assault Evidence and Criminal Records Retention Policy

We initiated this review as required by the "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014." Our objective was to review the Military Criminal Investigative Organizations'[1] (MCIO) progress in implementing DoD policy on the retention of and access to evidence and criminal records relating to sexual assault of service members as required by "The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012," and Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 5505.18, "Investigation of Adult Sexual Assault in the Department of Defense," January 25, 2013, Incorporating Change 1, May 1, 2013.

July 11, 2014

Navy and Marine Corps Have Weak Procurement Processes for Cost-Reimbursement Contract Issuance and Management

We are required to perform this audit in accordance with the FY 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, section 864, “Regulations on the Use of Cost Reimbursement Contracts.” Our objective was to determine whether the Navy and Marine Corps complied with interim Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) revisions on the use of cost-reimbursement contracts. This is the fourth in a series of reports on DoD compliance with the interim rule for the use of cost-reimbursement contracts. We reviewed a nonstatistical sample of 170 contracts (77 basic contracts and 93 orders) out of 9,973 Navy and Marine Corps contract actions, valued at over $32 billion from March 17, 2011, through February 29, 2012.

July 7, 2014

Defense Logistics Agency Aviation Potentially Overpaid Bell Helicopter for Sole-Source Commercial Spare Parts (Redacted)

We determined whether the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) was purchasing sole-source commercial parts at fair and reasonable prices from Bell Helicopter Textron (Bell). We selected a nonstatistical sample to perform price analysis, sales analysis, and cost analysis to determine whether the prices were fair and reasonable.

July 7, 2014

Procedures to Ensure Sufficient Rare Earth Elements for the Defense Industrial Base Need Improvement (Redacted)

We determined whether DoD effectively planned for life-cycle sustainment of rare earth elements (REE) for the defense industrial base (DIB). Specifically, we determined whether DoD effectively implemented procedures to maintain a sufficient and available supply of REEs for the DIB.