Accession Number:

AD1166455

Title:

Military Bands: Military Services Should Enhance Efforts to Measure Performance

Descriptive Note:

[Technical Report, Congressional Report]

Corporate Author:

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE WASHINGTON DC

Personal Author(s):

• Von Ah, Andrew
• Best, Margaret A.
• ,
• Cordrey, William J.
• Lopez, Felicia M.
• Porter, Vikki L.
• ,
• Powelson, Richard S.
• Silver, Michael D.
• ,
• Sippel, Jared A.
• ,
• Turowski, Wayne J.
• Wohlgemuth, Melissa A.

Report Date:

2017-08-01

Pagination or Media Count:

49

Abstract:

The Department of Defense DOD uses military bands to enhance the morale of the troops, provide music for ceremonies, and promote public awareness. Bands across the military services support a range of activities, including funerals for military servicemembers, events attended by high level officials, and community-relations activities such as parades. In fiscal year 2013, DOD restricted its community-relations activities, including placing travel restrictions on bands, as a result of the sequestration ordered in March 2013. DOD reinstated community-relations activities at a reduced capacity in fiscal year 2014. House Report 114-537 included a provision for GAO to review DODs requirement for military bands. This report 1 describes the trends in personnel and costs for bands from fiscal year 2012 through 2016, and 2 assesses the extent to which the military services have evaluated how the bands are addressing their missions, among other objectives. GAO analyzed data from the military services on military band personnel and reported operating costs of bands. GAO also reviewed the military services guidance and approaches to evaluating their bands and interviewed band program officials at the military services.

Descriptors:

• social media
• national security
• congress
• military personnel
• united states government
• air force
• warfare
• geographic regions
• united states
• community relations
• department of defense
• governments
• international relations
• money
• national governments
• personnel management
• word processors

Subject Categories:

• Humanities and History
• Military Forces and Organizations

Distribution Statement:

[A, Approved For Public Release]