U S Government Accountability Office

Defense management U S Government Accountability Office

" DOD has stated that it intends to rebalance its defense posture toward the Asia-Pacific region. Japan hosts the largest U. S. forward-operating presence in this region; the majority of the U. S. forces in Japan are located in Okinawa. The United States and Japan planned to reduce the U. S. military presence on Okinawa by relocating approximately 9,000 Marines. DOD had originally planned to move the Marines only to Guam, but revised its plans in 2012 to include other locations in the Pacific. Congressional committees have directed GAO to examine DOD's initiatives in the Pacific, focusing on planning and costs. This report discusses the extent to which DOD has (1) developed a comprehensive cost estimate for the realignment of Marines, (2) planned for and synchronized other movements to coincide with the realignment, and (3) identified plans to sustain the force until all initiatives are implemented. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed relevant policies and procedures, reviewed and analyzed cost documents related to the realignment initiatives, interviewed DOD officials, and conducted site visits at U. S. military installations in the Pacific. "