United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee

on Military Personnel, Committee on

National Security, House of

Representatives

August 1995 MILITARY TRAINING

Potential to Use

Lessons Learned to

Avoid Past Mistakes Is

Largely Untapped

GAO/NSIAD-95-152

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

National Security and

International Affairs Division

B-261022 

August 9, 1995

The Honorable Robert K. Dornan

Chairman, Subcommittee on Military Personnel

Committee on National Security

House of Representatives

Dear Mr. Chairman:

This report discusses lessons learned programs in the military services and the Joint Staff. It

discusses how well the services and the Joint Staff collect, analyze, disseminate, and follow up

on lessons learned information from major training exercises and operations. It contains

recommendations to the Secretary of Defense that are aimed at making better use of lessons

learned information to avoid past mistakes.

We are sending copies of this report to the Chairmen and Ranking Minority Members, Senate

and House Committees on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Armed Services, and House

Committee on National Security; the Secretary of Defense; the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff;

the Director, Office of Management and Budget; and other interested parties.

Please contact me at (202) 512-5140 if you or your staff have any questions concerning this

report. Major contributors to this report are listed in appendix III.

Sincerely yours,

Mark E. Gebicke

Director, Military Operations

and Capabilities
Executive Summary

Purpose Military training exercises and operations provide an unparalleled

opportunity for the military services to assess the performance and

capabilities of their forces under realistic conditions. Moreover, these

experiences often result in lessons learned information, which can identify

and publicize recurring problems and be used to develop corrective

actions so that others can avoid repeating past mistakes. Accordingly, GAO

reviewed the lessons learned programs in the military services and the

Joint Staff to determine their effectiveness in (1) collecting all significant

lessons learned information, (2) analyzing the information to identify

recurring weaknesses, (3) disseminating the information to all potential

users, and (4) implementing corrective actions and validating results.

Background Military forces train at combat training centers and have participated in

operations such as the Persian Gulf War, Hurricane Andrew civil relief in

Florida, and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. The principal training

centers include (1) the Army’s combat training centers at Fort Irwin,

California; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Hohenfels, Germany; (2) the Marine

Corps’ Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty-nine Palms, California; and

(3) the Air Force’s Weapons and Tactics Center at Nellis Air Force Base,

Nevada. The Navy conducts major training exercises at the Naval Strike

Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, and during worldwide fleet exercises.

Joint military exercises are conducted at many worldwide locations,

including Germany, South Korea, Egypt, and Central America.

Major training exercises enable combat units to train in an environment

that closely parallels that of actual warfare. The exercises are monitored

and documented by ground observers and with electronic instrumentation,

which allow the services to objectively document units’ performance.

Information on the units’ strengths and weaknesses is recorded in

after-action reports, which are the primary source of information for the

services’ lessons learned programs.

Results in Brief Despite lessons learned programs in the military services and the Joint

Staff, units repeat many of the same mistakes during major training

exercises and operations. Some of these mistakes could result in serious

consequences, including friendly fire incidents and ineffective delivery of

bombs and missiles on target. As a result, the services and the Joint Staff

cannot be assured that significant problems are being addressed or that

resources are being used to solve the most serious ones.

Page 2 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Executive Summary

The programs have not achieved effective results for different reasons.

• The Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Navy do not include all

significant information from training exercises and operations in their

lessons learned programs.

• The Joint Staff and all of the services, except the Army, do not routinely

analyze lessons learned information to identify trends in performance

weaknesses.

• The Air Force does not ensure that lessons learned information receives

the widest possible distribution.

• The Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps do not ensure that lessons

learned information is being used to its fullest potential.

• The services and the regional commanders in chief have not implemented

adequate remedial action processes to follow up and validate that

problems have been corrected.

Principal Findings

All Significant Lessons Are

Not Collected

The Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Navy have not established

effective procedures to ensure that all significant information from

training exercises and operations is submitted to their lessons learned

programs. As a result, these programs are missing important information

that could be useful to others. For example, Marine Corps lessons learned

officials estimated that they had received less than 50 percent of all

after-action reports that documented the results of major exercises. One of

these lessons pertained to units having difficulty conducting breaching

operations, a critical component of large-scale maneuver operations. In

addition, summaries of performance trends at the Air Ground Combat

Center were not included in the Marine Corps’ lessons learned program.

In another example, lessons learned information developed by a large Air

Force composite wing was not submitted to its major command. One of

these lessons pertained to radar systems that identified friendly aircraft as

hostile. Similarly, reports of performance observations that were recorded

from after-action debriefings aboard ships were not submitted to the

Navy’s lessons learned program.

Page 3 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Executive Summary

Lessons Are Not Routinely

Analyzed to Identify

Recurring Deficiencies

The Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Navy, and the Joint Staff do not

analyze their lessons learned information to identify trends in performance

weaknesses. Accordingly, it is difficult for them to differentiate the

importance of correcting some deficiencies rather than others. On the

other hand, the Army does analyze lessons learned information over time,

which enables it to highlight the most pressing problem areas and focus on

the highest priority areas. Moreover, it has recently made excellent use of

trend analysis to develop a corrective action plan to address friendly fire

incidents that occurred at its principal combat training center from 1990 to

1993. Since implementing the action plan, friendly fire incidents at the

training center have decreased over 50 percent.

Since lessons learned information is not routinely analyzed by the other

services and Joint Staff, they cannot be assured that significant problems

receive top-level management attention. As a result, units continue to

repeat many of the same mistakes during training exercises and

operations. For example, a recent Air Force lessons learned report said

that

“Almost every problem occurring during Operation Restore Hope has already been

documented in JULLS [Joint Universal Lessons Learned System] as a result of previous

exercises and contingencies. There appears to be a continuing trend of failure to fix

problems already know [sic] to exist. We end up paying again to achieve the same

undesirable results.”

Likewise, GAO found that Marine Corps lessons learned data continues to

highlight recurring deficiencies during major combined arms exercises in

such critical areas as maneuver, fire support, engineering, chemical threat,

intelligence, communications, and electronic countermeasures. Joint

exercise data also reveals recurring weaknesses. For example, a 1991 Joint

Staff lessons learned report revealed a lack of training on the Joint Staff’s

transportation planning system, which manages strategic air and sea

movements. Joint Staff officials stated that this problem had occurred in

almost every exercise since the early 1980s.

Although service and Joint Staff officials acknowledged that trend

information was not routinely analyzed to highlight recurring problems,

they said that officials in leadership positions gained an awareness of the

most significant problems through informal means such as conferences,

meetings, and exercise planning discussions. In GAO’s view, the informal

approach has not worked well as recurring problems have not been

resolved.

Page 4 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Executive Summary

Some Lessons Learned

Information Is Not Readily

Available

For the most part, the dissemination of lessons learned information is

adequate. However, the Air Force does not make this information readily

available to all potential users, and Marine Corps and Navy personnel lack

training on how to use the lessons database. The Air Force’s decentralized

lessons learned databases are maintained at each major command’s

headquarters and therefore are not easily accessible to units throughout

the Air Force. Air Force units can request information through the mail,

but some units are not even aware of the databases’ existence. For

example, one major Air Force command maintained over 4,000 lessons in

its database, yet in 1994 it received only about 1 request for information

per week from its subordinate units.

Regardless of the availability and widespread distribution of lessons

learned information, most services have used this information on a limited

basis. The primary reason for not using the information is the lack of

training in how to access the databases. For example, several Marine

Corps representatives knew of no one in their unit who had used the

lessons learned database because of a lack of training in how to use the

database’s technology. In another example, Navy fleet operations

personnel said that they seldom used lessons learned information because

their operating tempo was extremely high and they lacked the skills

needed to quickly access specific information.

Follow-Up and Validation

Are Insufficient

Effective follow-up and validation are important parts of a lessons learned

program, as they are the only means for ensuring that problems have been

corrected and are brought to closure. The Joint Staff and all of the services

have remedial action processes, but not all have been effective in

following up on corrective actions that have been taken to address

significant problems. The Marine Corps, the Joint Staff, and one of the Air

Force commands that GAO visited seemed to have visibility over the status

of corrective actions. The Navy recently implemented its remedial action

process but has not yet used it to follow up on the status of corrective

actions. The Army is strengthening its follow-up process by establishing a

separate remedial action program to address training and doctrine

deficiencies that occur during major training exercises and operations. It

expects this program to start in September 1995.

The Air Force, the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Joint Staff all have

requirements to validate corrective actions (for example, test the

effectiveness of the actions so that deficiencies will not recur), but not all

Page 5 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Executive Summary

of them have fully implemented procedures for this purpose. The Navy

does not have a validation requirement.

Recommendations GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense direct the Secretaries of

the Air Force and the Navy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and

the regional commanders in chief, as appropriate, to (1) establish controls

to ensure that all significant lessons learned information collected from

combat training centers, fleet exercises, and other major training exercises

are recorded in lessons learned databases; (2) analyze lessons learned

information so that trend data can be developed to identify recurring

problems; (3) provide training to key personnel in the use of lessons

learned information; and (4) incorporate effective validation procedures,

such as testing corrective actions in joint training exercises, into lessons

learned programs.

Agency Comments The Department of Defense (DOD) generally agreed with GAO’s findings and

recommendations (see app. I). DOD said that many of GAO’s findings are

attributable to the prioritization of limited resources by the services and

the Joint Staff but that they now have plans to improve the capability of

lessons learned systems. In response to GAO’s recommendations, DOD said

that (1) collecting information that documents performance at the combat

training centers and during major exercises could be useful to lessons

learned system users, (2) the Navy plans to begin a process to analyze and

identify trends in performance weaknesses, (3) the services plan to

increase training for system users to ensure better awareness and

accessibility to their lessons learned databases, and (4) the Navy and the

Air Force were taking actions to ensure validation efforts were effective.

DOD said that there are circumstances under which it is appropriate for

regional commanders in chief to use means other than testing to validate

solutions to deficiencies. Although GAO agrees with this position, it found

that commanders in chief seldom tested solutions to problem areas in

planned exercises. Consequently, the effectiveness of collecting data on

problem areas is reduced, which could be a contributing reason for not

resolving recurring deficiencies. Accordingly, GAO has modified its

recommendation to stress the importance of testing.

DOD’s specific comments and GAO’s evaluation of them are discussed in

chapters 2 through 5.

Page 6 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Page 7 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Contents

Executive Summary 2

Chapter 1 

Introduction

10

Lessons Learned Programs Vary Among the Services 11

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 13

Chapter 2 

All Significant

Lessons Learned Are

Not Collected

15

Marine Corps 15

Air Force 16

Navy 18

Army and Joint Staff 18

Conclusions 19

Recommendations 19

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 19

Chapter 3 

Lessons Learned

Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed,

and Mistakes

Continue to Be

Repeated

21

Mistakes Continue to Be Repeated During Training Exercises and

Operations

21

Most Services Do Not Perform Trend Analyses or Prioritize

Recurring Deficiencies

24

Conclusions 26

Recommendations 26

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 26

Chapter 4 

Many Factors Impede

Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned

Information

28

Dissemination of Lessons Learned Information Is Generally

Adequate

28

Services’ Use of Available Lessons Learned Information Is

Limited

29

Conclusions 31

Recommendations 31

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 31

Page 8 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Contents

Chapter 5 

Lessons Learned

Programs Lack

Sufficient Follow-Up

and Validation

33

Remedial Action Processes Vary 33

Lessons Learned Programs Lack an Effective Validation Element 35

Conclusions 35

Recommendations 36

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 36

Appendixes Appendix I: Comments From the Department of Defense 38

Appendix II: Key Organizations Included in Our Review 47

Appendix III: Major Contributors to This Report 49

Abbreviations

CD-ROM Compact Disk-Read Only

DOD Department of Defense

Page 9 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 1 

Introduction

The military services rely on major training exercises to assess their units’

strengths and weaknesses. These exercises generally take place at combat

training centers that often enable units to train in an environment that

closely parallels that of actual warfare. The primary centers used for

conducting major exercises include (1) the Army’s combat training centers

at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Hohenfels, Germany;

(2) the Marine Corps’ Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty-nine Palms,

California; and (3) the Air Force’s Weapons and Tactics Center at Nellis

Air Force Base, Nevada. The Navy conducts major training exercises at the

Naval Strike Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, and during worldwide fleet

operations. Joint military exercises are conducted at many worldwide

locations, including Germany, South Korea, Egypt, and Central America.

The services use electronic instrumentation, observers, and subject matter

experts to monitor and record the results of the exercises so that they can

objectively document performance. Additional information on the

services’ capabilities is obtained from the results of actual military

operations, such as Operation Desert Storm.

The services document the results of military training exercises and

operations in after-action reports,1

 which include lessons learned

information. The units use such information in preparing for operations

and environments associated with their assigned combat missions and in

tailoring training for anticipated future missions and events.

In addition, lessons learned information can help the services and the

Joint Staff identify recurring weaknesses in key areas. The services and

the Joint Staff can then publicize problem areas and deficiency trends,

allowing others to benefit from their experiences, and institute corrective

actions. According to senior military leaders, weaknesses can be

addressed through changes to such areas as doctrine, training and

education, tactics, leadership, and materiel.

Our prior work has revealed that the Army has not effectively used lessons

learned information to eliminate recurring deficiencies and change

doctrine, revise tactics, or develop improved training strategies. In

September 1993, we reported that, although the Army was doing a good

job of identifying lessons learned, it was not achieving the maximum

1

After-action reports provide an official description of the results of military training exercises and

operations. A complete after-action report includes (1) a summary of exercise objectives, exercise

limitations, and major participants and (2) a description of successes or problems that were observed,

including recommended actions and additional comments. The after-action reports are organized in a

standardized electronic format, known as the Joint Universal Lessons Learned System.

Page 10 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 1 

Introduction

benefit from the lessons in terms of changed doctrine or revised training

practices because it lacked procedures for prioritizing the lessons and for

tracking necessary changes in training and doctrine.2

 In July 1986, we

reported that Army assessments of exercise results identified many

recurring deficiencies, yet the Army had not developed a system to identify

causes of and solutions to problem areas.3

Lessons Learned

Programs Vary Among

the Services

Each service and the Joint Staff has its own program for incorporating

lessons learned information into its operations. The Department of

Defense (DOD) has no regulations that establish policies for or require

uniformity among the services’ lessons learned programs. Since no overall

guidance exists, the services have taken different approaches to

developing and operating their programs. However, even though the

programs differ, the services and the Joint Staff use after-action reports as

the primary source of information for their programs. As an example,

Army lessons learned program guidance states that lessons learned

programs should (1) effectively gather, analyze, disseminate, and use

lessons learned information so that actions can be taken to correct

deficiencies and (2) have a means for testing or validating whether the

corrective action actually resolves the deficiency.

Army The Army’s lessons learned program started in 1986. It is run by the Center

for Army Lessons Learned, which is operated by the Training and Doctrine

Command. The Center has a staff of about 25 civilian and military analysts

that collect observations from exercises and operations, develop trends of

deficiencies, and publish the results of its analyses in bulletins and

newsletters that receive widespread distribution throughout the Army.

Marine Corps The Marine Corps’ lessons learned program started in 1989 to centralize

lessons learned information and address deficiencies identified in

after-action reports. The program is managed by the Marine Corps Combat

Development Command and staffed with four full-time personnel. The

program collects, processes, and disseminates lessons learned information

throughout the Marine Corps through the use of Compact Disc—Read

Only Memory (CD-ROM) technology. The Marine Corps also prepares special

lessons learned reports for users on specific subjects, such as the

2

Army Training: Prioritizing and Following Up on Lessons Learned Should Minimize Recurring

Weaknesses (GAO/NSIAD-93-231, Sept. 16, 1993).

3

Army Training: National Training Center’s Potential Has Not Been Realized (GAO/NSIAD-86-130,

July 23, 1986).

Page 11 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 1 

Introduction

Hurricane Andrew disaster in Florida and Operation Restore Hope in

Somalia.

Navy The Navy’s lessons learned program was established in 1991 at its

headquarters in Washington, D.C., and reorganized in 1993 under the

direction of the newly established Naval Doctrine Command in Norfolk,

Virginia. The program is run by two naval officers at the Doctrine

Command and a civilian who manages the database. In addition, four of

the Navy’s major commands serve as management sites for lessons

learned information. These sites screen lessons learned information

submitted by naval units and decide, within their respective area of

authority, what information is appropriate for the Navy’s lessons learned

database.

The Navy’s program collects, evaluates, and disseminates lessons learned

information on operational and tactical issues. Similar to the Marine

Corps, the Navy distributes its lessons learned information to users

through CD-ROM technology.

Air Force The Air Force’s lessons learned program is the only one of the services’

programs that is decentralized. As a result, each of the Air Force’s six

major operational commands is responsible for developing and managing

its own lessons learned program. Air Force regulations do not require that

the commands’ programs be uniform, so each command can take different

approaches to operating its program. In fact, the four major commands

that we visited or contacted during our review all had different lessons

learned programs. The programs were designed to account for, act on, and

share lessons learned information throughout the command, but not

throughout the Air Force. The staffing levels for the lessons learned

programs varied from one to three individuals.

The Air Force also operates a limited lessons learned program at its

headquarters. This program, which is staffed by two people, addresses

lessons learned information that results only from the Air Force’s

participation in joint exercises or operations or that affects more than one

of the major commands’ missions.

Joint Staff The Joint Staff established the Joint Center for Lessons Learned to

maintain and manage a centralized database on lessons learned

Page 12 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 1 

Introduction

information from joint military operations and exercises. This information,

which includes ways to improve practices or overcome problems, is

disseminated periodically among the services. The Center is staffed with

two military analysts and one contractor representative who are assisted,

when necessary, by representatives of each military service.

Objectives, Scope,

and Methodology

We reviewed the lessons learned programs in the military services and the

Joint Staff to determine their effectiveness in (1) collecting all significant

lessons learned information, (2) analyzing lessons to identify recurring

weaknesses, (3) disseminating lessons to all potential users, and

(4) implementing corrective action and validating results. To do so, we

reviewed the regulations and program guidance related to the lessons

learned programs within each service and the Joint Staff and the policies

and systems that implement the regulations and guidance. We determined

how the services and the Joint Staff obtain, document, and input lessons

learned data from participants in exercises and operations into their

lessons learned programs. We examined the extent to which the services

and the Joint Staff analyzed lessons learned information to develop trends

that could highlight recurring deficiencies. Furthermore, we examined the

methods and mediums the services and the Joint Staff used to provide

lessons learned information to their units and analyze outputs provided

from the systems.

We reviewed individual lessons learned reports contained in service and

Joint Staff databases that showed the results of exercises and operations.

We used this information to identify recurring deficiencies, including those

that could affect the success or outcome of an exercise or operation. We

also examined whether the services and the Joint Staff had remedial

action systems to address deficiencies. We determined whether remedial

action systems had procedures for measuring the effectiveness of

solutions that were developed for deficiencies.

We interviewed service officials who managed the lessons learned

programs to obtain their views on the programs. We also obtained the

views of Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps officials at combat training

centers as they repeatedly observed the performance of large numbers of

units. In addition, we interviewed the leadership of selected units that

participated in large-scale training exercises to determine how they used

lessons learned information to improve their performance and how they

generated lessons learned from their training or operational experiences.

(See app. II for a list of the military organizations we visited or contacted

Page 13 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 1 

Introduction

during our work.) Information about the Army’s lessons learned program,

however, is based primarily on issues developed in our September 1993

report and limited follow-up discussions with officials at the Center for

Army Lessons Learned.

We performed our review from December 1993 to December 1994 in

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

Page 14 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 2 

All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

The effectiveness of the services’ lessons learned programs varies

considerably. The Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy programs provide

only limited assurance that significant lessons documented in combat

training center analyses, fleet exercises, and after-action reports are

included in their databases. This information is extremely important since,

in several instances, it discloses weaknesses displayed by many units

during their most important training exercises—those conducted at the

services’ combat training centers. Some of the weaknesses, if not

corrected, could have serious consequences on a real battlefield. Until the

services take steps to ensure that all lessons learned information is

collected in their databases, units will continue to miss a significant

opportunity to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Marine Corps The cornerstone of Marine Corps’ ground unit training is the combined

arms exercise conducted at the Air Ground Combat Center, which

provides extensive ground training to units about once every 2 years.

From this training, Marine Corps evaluators and senior leaders assigned to

the Center prepare several reports, which include lessons learned

information, that are not included in the Marine Corps lessons learned

database. This information could be extremely valuable to commanders

preparing for a future combat training center rotation, since it documents

tasks that commanders did not perform well and provides examples of

successful practices used by others to avoid similar problems. Moreover,

the reports summarize performance trends over time and include

independent observers’ assessments of the performance of weapon

systems and the effectiveness of doctrine. However, these reports are not

routinely included in the Marine Corps’ lessons learned database.

Some of the weaknesses discussed in these reports, if not corrected, could

have serious consequences on a real battlefield. For example, one report

said that indirect fire was placed on or behind friendly forces. This

happened because of improper coordination and a lack of situational

awareness. Recurring weaknesses in breaching operations—a critical

component of any large-scale maneuver operation—are other examples of

significant lessons learned information that were not captured by the

lessons learned database. For example, a 1993 report prepared by the

Center stated that a breaching operation failed because it was not

rehearsed and coordination between the engineers and maneuver units

was poor. In 1994, the Center again reported that coordination problems

contributed to the breaching force being committed before the support

force was in place and before the enemy defending the obstacle could be

Page 15 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 2 

All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

suppressed. The report also said that several vehicles were destroyed

during the breaching operation because they veered outside prescribed

lanes and into minefields.

In another 1994 lessons learned report, the Center noted a weakness in the

handling of intelligence information that sometimes led to erroneous

conclusions by commanders about enemy intentions and force

composition. This weakness was attributed to intelligence information

that was seldom analyzed and incorporated in commanders’ battle plans.

As a result, commanders were often forced to react to enemy initiatives

rather than be proactive in shaping the battlefield.

After-action reports prepared by participating units upon completion of

their combat training center exercises are another important source of

lessons learned information that was not fully captured. Even though units

are required to submit after-action reports that document their

performance at the Center, officials that manage the lessons learned

program told us that they had received only about half of the reports

required. According to these officials, noncompliance with the

requirement is primarily due to the lack of emphasis throughout the chain

of command.

To address this problem, the Commander of the Marine Corps Combat

Development Command sent a message in October 1994 to all major

combat and support commands that stressed the importance of the

lessons learned program and the need to improve after-action reporting. A

lessons learned official told us that his office also periodically sent

messages to units encouraging them to send in lessons learned

information, but normally they did not follow up to determine compliance.

Air Force The Air Force’s Weapons and Tactics Center is the Air Forces’s premier

training center for tactical fighter units. It provides aircrew and support

training in a simulated combat environment. Active duty tactical fighter

units rotate through the Center about every 18 months and reserve units

are expected to rotate about every 2 years. Training Center observers who

oversee exercises capture lessons learned information about unit

performance and enter the lessons in the Center’s lessons learned

database.

The Center’s database includes lessons in a variety of functional areas

such as command, control, and communications; planning; and friendly

Page 16 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Chapter 2 

All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

fire incidents or fratricide. The following are examples of lessons that

could help other units avoid repeating mistakes:

• Airborne Warning and Control System controllers or escort fighter pilots

identified friendly aircraft as enemy forces because they were not familiar

with the entire group of friendly aircraft on an air strike mission. Also,

because friendly forces did not respond to threat information, the

controllers were unsure which aircraft had been given the threat

information and therefore were not able to focus their attention on other

pressing matters.

• Air strike missions were conducted under compressed time frames

because of inadequate planning. Also, escort aircraft did not provide

unrestricted airspace for aircraft delivering munitions because of a failure

to communicate plans. These deficiencies resulted in the ineffective

delivery of bombs and missiles on targets.

• Recurring incidents of fratricide resulted from multiple causes, including

the aircraft’s fuel tank configuration and color, and pilots’ failure to check

or select the proper modes or codes in their electronic identification

equipment.

Because the Air Force’s lessons learned program is decentralized, each

major operational command manages its own lessons learned program.

Similar to the Marine Corps, Air Force lessons learned managers at one

major command we visited were not successful in obtaining after-action

reports covering units’ participation in various exercises and operations.

For example, the command collected only five lessons learned from the

numerous exercises and operations conducted by its subordinate units

during 1991. Command personnel told us that this happened because units

did not have the proper software for collecting lessons learned

information.

Also, one of the command’s subordinate composite air wings did not know

that the command had a lessons learned program or that it was supposed

to submit lessons learned information to the command. The wing,

however, maintained a lessons learned database that contained significant

information related to the operations of its composite wing. This

information might have been useful to other Air Force composite wings

with similar operations. The database included the following information:

• Mission commanders should use F-15E and F-16 fighter aircraft to protect

B-1 and B-52 bombers after they leave the target area, and the fighters

should have sufficient fuel to cover slow-moving bombers.

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Chapter 2 

All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

• Radar systems identified friendly aircraft as hostile, thus causing other

aircraft to assume that friendly aircraft were threats and disrupting the air

strike mission of a group of friendly aircraft.

• KC-135 tanker aircraft spacing should allow sufficient time for the first

tanker to become airborne before the second tanker releases its brakes for

takeoff. This margin of time would allow the first tanker to abort its

mission, if necessary, without causing the second aircraft to abort.

Conversely, another Air Force major command had established a process

to monitor the submission of after-action reports by subordinate units.

Procedures for the submission of reports were specified in command

regulations and were emphasized in operations orders prepared for each

individual exercise. In addition, a control center within the command

monitored subordinate units’ participation in exercises and operations and

followed up to ensure that required reports were submitted.

Navy The Navy’s lessons learned program does not collect all of the significant

lessons learned information that is recorded during fleet exercises. Units

record observations about their performance during these exercises in

lessons learned reports. Also, ship commanding officers, training

instructors, and key exercise leaders discuss units’ performance in

after-action debriefings. Lessons learned observations are submitted

through the chain of command to the Navy’s lessons learned database.

However, reports of after-action debriefings are not entered into the

lessons learned database.

Reports of after-action debriefings document units’ performance in areas

such as air and surface warfare and weapons usage. Naval fleet personnel

told us that because these are performance debriefings, the results are not

entered into lessons learned database. Debrief participants also can pass

on the performance results to others under their command.

Army and Joint Staff Army lessons learned information is collected from a variety of sources,

including after-action reports and evaluations from independent

observers. The information is widely distributed and is readily available to

Army units. Additionally, information from training center exercises is

published periodically by the Center for Army Lessons Learned to keep

units informed of observations and trends. For example, in March 1994,

the Center reported the following observations on tactical deployments:

Page 18 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

• Units routinely deploy without necessary intelligence field manuals and

adequate quantities of materials needed to secure tactical equipment

during shipping.

• Leaders do not plan for medical treatment and evacuation in all phases of

a deployment.

• Communications capability is not introduced early enough in the

deployment to ensure mission success.

The regional commanders in chief do not use independent observers to

document units’ performance during joint exercises. The units are

required, however, to submit after-action reports to the Joint Staff upon

completion of an exercise. To ensure that it receives after-action reports

for all major exercises, the Joint Staff tracks the reports received against

quarterly schedules of military exercises to identify any missing reports.

Conclusions Until the services take steps to ensure that all significant lessons learned

information is included in their databases, they will not realize the full

potential of these assessments to make necessary changes in doctrine,

tactics, training, or materiel. As a result, units are likely to continue to

miss an opportunity to avoid repeating past mistakes, many of which

could have serious consequences on a real battlefield.

Recommendations We recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct the Secretaries of the

Navy and the Air Force to establish controls to ensure that all significant

lessons learned information collected from combat training centers, fleet

exercises, and other major training exercises are recorded in the services’

lessons learned databases.

Agency Comments

and Our Evaluation

DOD generally agreed with our recommendation. According to DOD, the

Marine Corps plans to collect trend information on unit performance at its

combat training center and will include this information in its lessons

learned database. The Navy has taken steps through such means as fleet

operational orders, awareness messages, and increased training to ensure

that lessons learned from major naval exercises are recorded in its

database. DOD said that the Air Force records most lessons learned from

combat training center exercises in a lessons learned database that is

maintained at the combat training center. Because this database is not

currently available to other Air Force major commands, we believe that

Page 19 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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All Significant Lessons Learned Are Not

Collected

the Air Force is missing an important opportunity to share these lessons

learned with system users throughout the Air Force.

Page 20 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

The services and the regional commanders in chief continue to repeat

mistakes during military operations and major training exercises. For

example, a recent Air Force lessons learned report stated that almost

every problem occurring during Operation Restore Hope had been

documented in a lessons learned report on previous exercises or

contingencies. However, the Army is the only service that analyzes lessons

learned information to identify recurring weaknesses. As a result, the

other services and the Joint Staff cannot be assured that significant

problems are identified and receive top-level management attention.

Two key steps must be completed if the Marine Corps, the Air Force, the

Navy, and the Joint Staff are to identify and correct their most significant

recurring deficiencies. The first step is to perform trend analyses of

lessons learned information, which can highlight recurring weaknesses

over a period of time. The second step is to rank the various problems on

the basis of their significance. Completing these steps would allow the

services and the Joint Staff to focus on correcting the highest priority

problems.

Mistakes Continue to

Be Repeated During

Training Exercises

and Operations

Over a number of years, lessons learned reports in each of the services and

the Joint Staff have shown that many mistakes continue to be repeated in

training exercises and military operations. These mistakes fall into

different categories, including communications, fratricide, battlefield

planning, reconnaissance, maneuver, combat engineering, chemical threat,

fire support, and combat service support.

Marine Corps In 1993, the Marine Corps published lessons learned information that

summarized about 9 years of unit performance during combined arms

exercises. This information disclosed recurring deficiencies, including

(1) indirect fire being placed on or behind friendly forces; (2) inadequacies

in several phases of obstacle breaching operations; (3) ineffective

preparation of engagement areas, which is critical to stopping or slowing

an enemy advance; and (4) units’ inability to integrate supporting arms and

maneuver to destroy the enemy.

A lessons learned report from February 1990 also documented numerous

training deficiencies that had been cited in previous reports. Significant

deficiencies included ones in the areas of surveillance, target acquisition,

and reconnaissance; camouflage/concealment; nuclear, biological, and

chemical defense; electronic countermeasures; and communications.

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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

Many of these deficiencies are still occurring today in combat training

center exercises.

Air Force A major recurring weakness that has been reported over a number of

years is the inadequate communication of air tasking orders. These orders

provide information to aircraft in the same or other military services and

are necessary to coordinate a specific operational mission within an area

of operation. According to lessons learned reports, inadequate

communication of air tasking orders could result in serious consequences,

including friendly fire losses.

Problems relating to air tasking orders were most recently reported during

1994 operations in Haiti, yet these problems were identified 4 years earlier

during the Gulf War. A 1990-91 lessons learned report found that air

tasking orders were inadequately transmitted among the services during

Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Likewise, a 1992 report said

that the Air Force used a different communications system than the other

services and lacked a standardized format for air tasking orders.

Other recurring deficiencies were illustrated in a 1993 report on lessons

learned from Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. For example, the Air

Force deployed an airlift communications system, which was to assist in

air mobility operations, without qualified operators and training guides.

The lack of trained, qualified operators resulted in delays in

communicating mission-essential information and hampered the use of an

important piece of communications equipment in an area where

communications were important but limited. The report stated that this

deficiency had occurred in 1990 and 1991 during Operations Desert Shield

and Desert Storm.

Another 1993 Air Force lessons learned report on Operation Restore Hope

stated that

“Almost every problem occurring during Operation Restore Hope has already been

documented in JULLS [Joint Universal Lessons Learned System] as a result of previous

exercises and contingencies. There appears to be a continuing trend of failure to fix

problems already know [sic] to exist. We end up paying again to achieve the same

undesirable results.”

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Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

Navy The Navy does not enter lessons learned information into its database if

the lessons are similar to those that were previously reported and

recorded. Therefore, Navy officials told us that, although it is difficult to

identify recurring deficiencies through the lessons learned database, such

problems do exist. The database showed that, at least as far back as 1989,

(1) friendly force identification codes were not used properly and

(2) several different air tasking order problems were experienced,

including orders that contained inaccuracies regarding the capabilities of

carriers and airwings, demonstrated improper planning to carry out air

strikes, and went to several organizations that did not have a need for the

orders.

Army Since the establishment of the Army’s combat training centers in the

1980s, the Center for Army Lessons Learned has documented a number of

recurring deficiencies in units’ performance. For example, a 1992 lessons

learned report stated that the following problems continued to be

repeated: (1) direct fire was not synchronized effectively;

(2) reconnaissance and surveillance plans were not well coordinated,

managed, or focused; (3) communications with higher headquarters were

not properly planned and executed; (4) fire support plans did not support

the scheme of maneuver; and (5) operations in a chemical environment

were not satisfactory. Many of these same problems continue today.

Joint Staff Regional commanders in chief have reported recurring deficiencies during

training exercises and operations, including Just Cause in Panama (1989),

Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and Restore Hope. According to a 1991

lessons learned report, one recurring problem was the lack of adequate

training on the joint transportation planning and management system. This

system schedules and manages strategic air and sea movements during

peacetime and wartime. Joint Staff officials said that this problem had

come up during almost every exercise since the early 1980s.

Another recurring problem has been inadequate training of personnel

involved in the formation and operation of a Joint Task Force

headquarters. For example, the task force headquarters for Operation

Restore Hope, which included personnel from all services, was formed on

an ad hoc basis after deployment. According to a lessons learned report

from the operation, this situation resulted in inefficient planning,

confusion, and a less-than-optimal deployment. Similar problems with this

issue have been reported since the late 1980s.

Page 23 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

Most Services Do Not

Perform Trend

Analyses or Prioritize

Recurring

Deficiencies

The Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Navy, and the Joint Staff do not

analyze their lessons learned information to identify trends in performance

weaknesses. Accordingly, it is difficult for them to differentiate the

importance of correcting some deficiencies rather than others. On the

other hand, the Army analyzes lessons learned information over time,

which enables it to highlight the most pressing problem areas and focus on

the highest priority areas.

Marine Corps, Air Force,

Navy, and Joint Staff

Lessons learned program guidance does not require the Marine Corps, the

Air Force, the Navy, or the Joint Staff to perform trend analyses. However,

service and Joint Staff officials told us they believed trend analyses would

be useful to them.

Marine Corps operations personnel in several units told us that trend

analyses could highlight recurring deficiencies and that knowledge of

these deficiencies would be especially useful in preparing for major

training exercises because their units would have a better opportunity to

overcome past mistakes. In 1993, the Marine Corps Combat Development

Command developed a proposal to examine recurring operational and

training deficiencies. Under the proposal, the Command’s Studies and

Analysis Group would develop trends based on Marine Corps units’

performance over a number of exercises. The group could then identify

recurring deficiencies and recommend corrective actions. The proposal

was approved by the Commander of the Combat Development Command

in November 1993 but has not been implemented. As of May 1995, a group

analyst said that the delay in implementing the proposal was due to

resource limitations and the inability to obtain more in-depth training data

from the Air Ground Combat Center.

Air Force regulations do not require the major commands to develop trend

analyses of lessons learned information. Nevertheless, the lessons learned

program director at Air Force headquarters told us that one of the

program’s most noted weaknesses was the lack of assigning priorities to

performance deficiencies. According to this official, since trend analyses

and prioritization are not being accomplished at the Air Force’s major

commands, it is difficult for decisionmakers to differentiate the

significance of problem areas.

The Navy’s lessons learned database does not contain the information

necessary to perform trend analyses because the system screens out

duplicate or similar deficiencies. Navy fleet operations personnel told us

that they seldom used lessons learned information because of the high

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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

volume of unprioritized information in the database and the time

constraints associated with their day-to-day operations.

Even though Joint Staff program guidance does not require trend analyses

of lessons learned information, program officials said that information was

available in their database to perform such analyses. However, they said

that a shortage of resources precluded them from routinely analyzing the

information.

Although Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Joint Staff officials

acknowledged that trend information was not routinely analyzed to

highlight recurring deficiencies, they said that officials in leadership

positions gained an awareness of the most significant problems through

informal means such as conferences, meetings, and exercise planning

discussions. In our view, the informal approach has not worked well, as

recurring deficiencies have not been resolved. Moreover, reliance on an

informal approach to problem solving does not provide for program

continuity as military personnel are subject to periodic reassignment.

Army The Center for Army Lessons Learned is responsible for identifying

systemic training strengths and weaknesses of units that participate in

major operations and exercises. After documenting lessons learned, the

Center consolidates the information and analyzes trends and deficiencies.

Under an ongoing Army proposal, these performance trends are expected

to provide the basis for developing a priority issue list that ranks the

importance of problems affecting war-fighting capabilities. According to

an Army official, the priority issue list would enable Army leaders to

establish clear priorities for those problems it deems most serious, identify

the participants involved and establish accountability, and estimate the

resources required to resolve problems. The Army expects to have this

process in place by September 1995.

The Army has recently made excellent use of trend analyses. For example,

the Army analyzed the extent of friendly fire incidents at its National

Training Center from 1990 to 1993 and developed a corrective action plan

to address this serious deficiency. Recent data shows that friendly

fire-related incidents at the Center have decreased over 50 percent since

1990.

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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

Conclusions Military units continue to experience recurring deficiencies in exercises

and operations, even though the services and the Joint Staff have lessons

learned programs. This situation is unlikely to change markedly until the

services and the Joint Staff begin to make better use of the wealth of

lessons learned information contained in their databases. As it is now, the

lessons are of limited value to military trainers because they provide no

systematic insight to recurring deficiencies.

Recommendations We recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct the Secretaries of the

Navy and the Air Force and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to

(1) analyze lessons learned information so that trend data can be

developed to identify recurring deficiencies and (2) prioritize these

recurring deficiencies so that limited resources can be concentrated on

the most pressing problems.

To facilitate trend analyses in the Navy, we recommend that the Secretary

of Defense direct the Secretary of the Navy to modify the Navy’s lessons

learned program to retain all significant lessons learned from operations

and exercises.

Agency Comments

and Our Evaluation

DOD agreed with our recommendations as they applied to the Navy. It said

that the Navy plans to implement a process, beginning in the first quarter

of fiscal year 1996, to capture and retain all significant lessons learned

from operations and exercises. Moreover, the Navy will analyze and

identify trends in performance weaknesses through its newly established

remedial action program. However, DOD said that trend analyses in the Air

Force was unnecessary because the Air Force acted on deficiencies as

they were identified. While this may be true for deficiencies recorded in

the lessons learned database maintained at Air Force headquarters, DOD

officials acknowledged this was not the case for the lessons learned that

are recorded by the major commands. Until the Air Force undertakes

trend analyses that systematically identifies and highlights recurring

deficiencies in the major commands, there is no assurance that significant

problems will be addressed and corrected.

DOD said the Joint Staff believes that trend analyses would be worthwhile,

but that it is not sufficiently resourced to conduct such analyses at this

time. Given the significance of the potential value that can be gained from

such an analysis, for example, identifying matters that can make a

difference between success or defeat on the battlefield, we believe that

Page 26 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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Lessons Learned Information Is Not

Routinely Analyzed, and Mistakes Continue

to Be Repeated

this is a matter that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff should

carefully review.

DOD did not agree with our conclusion that the Marine Corps does not

analyze lessons learned information. DOD said that the Marine Corps

analyzes lessons learned information through its remedial action and

combat development processes. However, these processes address only

those one-time deficiencies that the Marine Corps selects for remedial

action. In the absence of a systematic process to analyze the lessons

learned database to identify trends, the Marine Corps may be overlooking

deficiencies of a recurring nature that warrant remedial action.

Page 27 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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Many Factors Impede Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned Information

The Air Force does not routinely distribute lessons learned information

throughout the Air Force. As a result, information from the major

commands’ lessons learned databases is not reaching all potential users.

The Joint Staff, the Army, the Navy, and the Marine Corps routinely

distribute lessons learned information, and their users can access the

information as needed. However, most of the services use this information

only on a limited basis. The primary reason for this situation is that users

lack the training necessary to access the high volume of information in the

databases.

Dissemination of

Lessons Learned

Information Is

Generally Adequate

The Air Force does not disseminate lessons learned information to its

units on a routine basis because it does not have a centralized lessons

learned program. Also, Air Force units only have access to lessons learned

information from their own major command. Therefore, the units cannot

benefit from the experiences of other Air Force units. Unit personnel told

us that Air Force-wide lessons learned information would be beneficial in

planning future exercises and operations.

Air Force units must specifically request lessons learned information from

their major commands. If the information is available, it is sent to the units

in the mail. However, units do not frequently request lessons learned

information. For example, one major Air Force command maintained over

4,000 lessons learned reports in its database at command headquarters, yet

in 1994 it received, on average, only 1 request for information per week

from its subordinate units. Command officials told us that in 1993 they had

received only about 30 requests for information. The official who managed

this lessons learned program acknowledged that the dissemination of

information was not very good and needed to be improved. Air Force

personnel in one unit stated that their major command’s database was not

very useful since it was not accessible to them.

Air Force lessons learned officials recognized the limitations of a

decentralized lessons learned program, and they were attempting to

improve access to program information. As of June 1995, the Air Force

was developing a computer network that would provide access to lessons

learned information throughout the Air Force. Once this capability is

achieved, units within major commands throughout the Air Force should

have better access to lessons learned information. One of the major

commands that we visited plans to achieve this capability later in 1995.

Another major command is testing the network. However, until this

network becomes fully operational throughout the Air Force and is proven

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Many Factors Impede Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned Information

effective, units will continue to have limited access to important lessons

learned information.

Navy lessons learned information is available to over 1,000 major and

intermediate-level commands, specialized operational units, and individual

ships. Until recently, Navy organizations had to request that they be

included on the lessons learned distribution list to receive such

information. As a result, all naval units may not have been receiving the

information. In early 1995, the Navy took action to ensure that all

commands, units, and ships were receiving lessons learned information.

The remaining services and the Joint Staff also provide access to their

information. The Marine Corps distributes lessons learned information to

over 500 organizations, principally units down through the battalion level.

The Army periodically publishes this information in bulletins and

newsletters that are sent to each Army specialty school and most other

organizations throughout the Army. The Joint Staff routinely distributes

lessons learned information to its major command organizations and to

the other services such as the Navy, which publishes the Joint Staff

database on CD-ROM along with its own lessons learned information.

Services’ Use of

Available Lessons

Learned Information

Is Limited

Regardless of the availability and widespread distribution of lessons

learned information, most services have used this information only on a

limited basis. The principal reason for not making greater use of the

information is the lack of training in how to easily access the databases.

Marine Corps According to Marine Corps personnel, units do not use lessons learned

information because users possess limited training and knowledge on how

to access information in the system or how to process available

information in a timely manner. For example, a unit representative told us

that he had been in a headquarters organization for over 1 year, but knew

of no one who had used the lessons learned database to obtain

information. An officer from this unit attributed this fact to the users’

unfamiliarity with the information in the database and lack of training on

how to use CD-ROM technology.

Lessons learned officials from the Marine Corps Combat Development

Command recognized that users had problems with the CD-ROM technology

needed to access the database and took steps in 1994 to expand training in

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Chapter 4 

Many Factors Impede Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned Information

this area. Specifically, these lessons learned officials began to regularly

schedule visits to units to provide unit personnel with hands-on training on

the operation of the lessons learned database and information on its

benefits.

Navy The Navy’s lessons learned database contains over 4,000 unprioritized

reports. Accordingly, to use the system effectively, users must possess the

skills needed to access the information and identify the most pressing

problems. Some Navy fleet operations personnel told us that they seldom

used lessons learned information because their operating tempo was

extremely high and they had not been trained to use the system to quickly

access specific lessons learned information. For example, several officers

with submarine backgrounds said that they relied on other mechanisms

for lessons learned to identify submarine-related lessons.

Some Atlantic Fleet staff officers said that they seldom used the Navy’s

lessons learned database and felt no need to do so. They relied instead on

more ad hoc systems to obtain lessons learned information. They

specifically cited Navy message traffic, newsletters, bulletins, and

discussions with their counterparts on other ships as sources of

information. They also said that the lack of knowledge about the system

and how to quickly access information hindered them from using the

lessons learned database.

The manager of the Navy’s lessons learned database acknowledged that

training for fleet personnel in the use of the system could be improved. He

cited personnel turnover as a principal cause for some users’ unfamiliarity

with the system. Further, he said that this situation was likely to continue

until training became widespread.

Air Force One Air Force unit that we visited did not use lessons learned information

from its major command’s database because unit personnel did not know

that a lessons learned database existed at the major command. It was for

this reason that personnel at this unit told us they had never requested any

lessons learned information from their major command. At another Air

Force unit, personnel were aware that lessons learned information was

maintained at their major command; nevertheless, they had used the

database very little because they lacked knowledge of the database’s

detailed information and because they had no quick, ready mechanism to

access or obtain this information. Unit personnel had requested lessons

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Many Factors Impede Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned Information

learned information from their major command on several occasions, and

it was provided to them through the mail. However, unit officials told us

that requesting and obtaining information through the mail was

time-consuming.

Army Primary users of Army lessons learned information are the Training and

Doctrine Command’s 18 schools, which develop training programs for

Army personnel in their military specialties and tactical units. These

schools are ultimately responsible for using lessons learned information to

modify training and doctrine. Even though officials at several schools told

us that they used lessons learned information to develop training plans

and to update doctrine, they said that they did not keep track of how

training and doctrine were modified based on this information. Likewise,

the leadership of several Army units said that they used lessons learned

information to prepare for major training events but did not keep track of

how this information was used during training.

Conclusions It is clear that the services are not maximizing the potential benefits of

lessons learned information. For the most part, the dissemination of

lessons learned information by the Joint Staff, the Army, the Navy, and the

Marine Corps is adequate. The Air Force’s ongoing effort to establish a

computer network that will provide access to lessons learned information

throughout the Air Force could solve its dissemination problem. However,

dissemination of lessons information is only the first step necessary to

facilitate units’ use of the information. To better facilitate the use of

lessons information, Air Force and Navy personnel need to possess skills

necessary to access lessons in their services’ databases. The Marine Corps’

ongoing effort to provide unit personnel with the skills needed to access

their lessons database is a step in the right direction.

Recommendations We recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct the Secretaries of the

Navy and the Air Force to provide training to key personnel in the use of

lessons learned information and the technology for accessing and

reviewing this information.

Agency Comments

and Our Evaluation

DOD agreed with our recommendation. DOD said that the Navy had selected

a more user friendly computer program to make the Navy lessons learned

database more accessible to personnel and was working to incorporate

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Many Factors Impede Units’ Ability to Use

Lessons Learned Information

lessons learned system training into various officer and selected enlisted

schools. Also, DOD said that the Air Force is planning steps to ensure that

its major commands provide training in the use of the lessons learned

system. Moreover, the Air Force expects to improve the distribution of

lessons learned information by implementing a wide area network

throughout its major commands by the end of fiscal year 1996.

Page 32 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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Lessons Learned Programs Lack Sufficient

Follow-Up and Validation

Effective follow-up and validation are important parts of a lessons learned

program since they are the only means for ensuring that problems have

been corrected and are brought to closure. However, the Navy only

recently implemented a follow-up process, and the Army does not expect

to have a process in place to address training and doctrinal deficiencies

until September 1995.1

 The Marine Corps, the Joint Staff, and one of the

Air Force commands that we visited seemed to have visibility over the

status of corrective actions. Even though most of the services and the

Joint Staff have requirements to validate corrective actions, not all of them

have fully implemented procedures for this purpose.

Remedial Action

Processes Vary

An important part of a lessons learned program is a remedial action

process to track and follow up on actions taken to address problems. The

remedial action process generally involves identifying problems, assigning

responsibility for the problems, and monitoring corrective actions taken.

However, one of the services does not have a remedial action process in

place to address training and doctrinal issues, and another service only

recently established one. The other services’ processes vary in

effectiveness.

Marine Corps Although the Marine Corps’ lessons learned program was established in

1989, the remedial action element of the program did not become

operational until 1991. A Marine Corps lessons learned program official

said that corrective actions are monitored primarily through the combat

development process, which is a formal process that identifies battlefield

requirements and develops combat capabilities. On the basis of our review

of a sample of remedial action items, we found that the Marine Corps was

able to successfully track the status of corrective actions through the

combat development process.

Air Force and Joint Staff The Air Force has directed each of its major commands to establish a

remedial action element for its lessons learned program. However, the

quality of remedial action processes in place at the major commands

varies. For example, one of the commands we visited had only recently

begun to systematically track corrective actions taken to address problem

areas. A command official told us that before October 1994 the status of

corrective actions could not be readily determined. According to the

1

The Army has a remedial action program at its headquarters level that addresses primarily policy or

procedural issues or matters that affect several Army commands.

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Lessons Learned Programs Lack Sufficient

Follow-Up and Validation

official, functional offices within the command were tasked to develop

solutions to problems. However, the command had no systematic tracking

system to determine the status of corrective actions. To correct this

situation and improve its ability to track corrective actions, the command

developed a spreadsheet to document the status of corrective actions.

In contrast, another major command we visited had implemented

procedures to assign responsibility for solutions and systematically track

the status of corrective actions. The office responsible for solving a

problem is required to provide periodic status reports to the major

command. On the basis of our review of a sample of lessons learned

reports, we found that the command had visibility over the development

and implementation of corrective actions.

The Joint Staff employs a similar remedial action process to that of the Air

Force major command discussed previously. It assigns responsibility for

developing solutions to problems of a joint nature to its own offices, or

those within the services. These offices periodically report their progress

to the Joint Staff, and the status of corrective actions is recorded as part of

Joint Staff lessons learned reports. On the basis of our review of a sample

of lessons learned reports, we found the Joint Staff had visibility over the

status of corrective actions.

Navy and Army The Navy did not establish a remedial action process for its lessons

learned program until January 1995. Before that time, the lessons learned

program was limited to providing information on operational issues for

use by fleet personnel. As of May 1995, however, the Navy had not

addressed any deficiencies through its remedial action process.

In September 1993, the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command began

developing a remedial action process that would address lessons learned

pertaining to training and doctrine deficiencies that it deemed most

critical. Under this process, the Army plans to establish accountability for

problem resolution and monitoring progress. The Army expects the

process to be in place by September 1995.

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Lessons Learned Programs Lack Sufficient

Follow-Up and Validation

Lessons Learned

Programs Lack an

Effective Validation

Element

Validation of corrective actions (for example, testing the effectiveness of

actions taken to correct deficiencies) can ensure that recurring

deficiencies have been resolved and brought to closure. Validation can be

accomplished by evaluating the effectiveness of potential solutions during

a training exercise. However, the Navy does not require that its lessons

learned program contain a validation element. The Army also does not

formally validate solutions to deficiencies. However, the Army’s proposed

enhancements to its lessons learned program would recognize the benefits

of validation. Specifically, the Army plans to include a validation element

in its remedial action process and test solutions to deficiencies through

training exercises. As stated earlier, the Army expects the remedial action

process to become operational by September 1995.

In contrast, the Marine Corps and the Air Force require validation. The

Marine Corps requires that corrective actions be validated through its

combat development process. Air Force guidance requires major

commands to incorporate a validation element in their lessons learned

program. However, only two of the four major commands we contacted

had done so.

Joint Staff guidance states that validation is necessary to ensure the

effectiveness of corrective actions taken to resolve problems. However,

officials said that it is left to regional commanders in chief to determine

whether corrective actions will be tested in training exercises. The Joint

Staff permits open items to be closed by means other than testing, such as

a determination by senior officials that all corrective actions were

completed and that the actions taken had solved the problem. Joint Staff

officials said that insufficient staffing was the principal reason for not

taking a stronger oversight role in the validation process.

Conclusions Without adequate follow-up and validation in remedial action processes,

lessons learned programs can only be used to identify and distribute

information about problems rather than to track and validate that

solutions work. Until the services and the Joint Staff establish effective

follow-up and validation procedures in their lessons learned programs,

there will be little assurance that problems have been brought to closure

and the possibility for repeating past mistakes will remain.

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Lessons Learned Programs Lack Sufficient

Follow-Up and Validation

Recommendations We recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct

• the Secretary of the Navy to incorporate a validation process into the

Navy’s lessons learned program,

• the Secretary of the Air Force to take actions to ensure that each of the

major commands complies with existing program guidance calling for the

establishment of a validation process for their lessons learned programs,

and

• the regional commanders in chief to ensure that solutions to deficiencies

are tested in joint exercises or, if this is not appropriate, validated through

alternative means.

Agency Comments

and Our Evaluation

DOD agreed with our first two recommendations. DOD said that, as part of

its lessons learned program, the Navy had established a remedial action

program working group that will validate lessons learned. It also said that

the Air Force would take action to ensure that the major commands

establish a validation process for their lessons learned programs.

Specifically, DOD said that Air Force headquarters will increase its

oversight of lessons learned programs by monitoring the minutes of

remedial action plan meetings conducted by the major commands and by

assessing the commands’ compliance with program guidance.

A draft of this report recommended that the regional commanders in chief

establish formal procedures to ensure that solutions to deficiencies are

tested and validated. DOD said that this recommendation was unnecessary

because current program guidance contained formal procedures to test

corrective actions through the Joint Staff’s remedial action program.

Although we agree that formal procedures for testing already exist, we

found that commanders in chief seldom tested whether prior problems

had been corrected in their exercises because (1) they were not required

to do so and (2) they had insufficient time to analyze past problems before

planning future exercises. We believe that testing solutions to problem

areas in exercises is a vital part of assessing the capabilities of the regional

commanders in chief to support national security strategies. Further, the

failure to conduct such testing, when appropriate, reduces the

effectiveness of collecting data on problems and, in our opinion, is a major

reason contributing to recurring problems. Accordingly, we modified our

recommendation to stress the importance of testing remedial actions and

to recognize that, in some instances, it may be appropriate to close

remedial action projects if their effectiveness can be demonstrated

through alternative means.

Page 36 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Page 37 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Page 38 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 3 and 15-19.

Page 39 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 4 and 21-25.

Page 40 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 5 and 28-31.

Page 41 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 5 and 33-35.

Page 42 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 6 and 19.

Page 43 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 6 and 26.

Now on pp. 6 and 26.

Page 44 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 6 and 31.

Now on pp. 6 and 36.

Now on pp. 6 and 36.

Page 45 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix I 

Comments From the Department of Defense

Now on pp. 6 and 36.

Page 46 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix II 

Key Organizations Included in Our Review

Joint Staff • Operational Plans and Interoperability Directorate, Washington, D.C.

• Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate, Washington,

D.C.

• Operations Directorate, Washington, D.C.

Air Force • Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

• Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia

• Headquarters, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

• Weapons and Tactics Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

• 21st Air Force, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

• 438th Airlift Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

• 366th Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho

• Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii

• 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska

• Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Europe, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany

Army • Center for Army Lessons Learned, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

• Headquarters, Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia

• Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Washington,

D.C.

• National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California

• Armor School, Fort Knox, Kentucky

• Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

• Chemical School, Fort McClellan, Alabama

• 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, Kansas

• 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

Navy • Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

• Naval Doctrine Command, Norfolk, Virginia

• Navy Tactical Support Activity, White Oak, Maryland

• Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia

• 2nd Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia

• Naval Warfare Assessment Division, Corona, California

• USS Saipan

• USS Scott

• USS Thomas S. Gates

• USS San Jacinto

Page 47 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix II 

Key Organizations Included in Our Review

Marine Corps • Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia

• Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twenty-nine Palms, California

• Marine Forces Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia

• 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California

Page 48 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
Appendix III 

Major Contributors to This Report

National Security and

International Affairs

Division, Washington,

D.C.

Sharon A. Cekala, Associate Director

Charles J. Bonanno, Assistant Director

Karen S. Blum, Communications Analyst

Kansas City Regional

Office

James S. Moores, Evaluator-in-Charge

Benjamin Douglas, Senior Evaluator

Darryl S. Meador, Evaluator

Norfolk Regional

Office

Jeffrey L. Overton, Jr. Senior Evaluator

Robert C. Mandigo, Jr., Senior Evaluator

(703048) Page 49 GAO/NSIAD-95-152 Military Training
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