Transformers

In roughly one month the Army plans to issue two separate reports on its modular force transformation; one fulfilling a statutory requirement for 2012 and the other updating its 2011 report released in September, according to a Government Accountability Office report issued yesterday.

The Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act requires the Army to submit annually a report on the progress of its force transformation -- moving from a division-based force to a brigade-based force. The 2011 law, enacted in January 2011, made adjustments to that statute the Army was to include in its report last year. It didn't. According to the GAO:

Army officials responsible for developing the mandated report said that they did not address the amended requirements because they were not aware of the changes in the legislation. Army officials attributed this oversight to internal communications.

Army officials also told the GAO that "responding to the legislative requirements that require the Army to discuss plans for the future will be challenging because decisions about the size and structure of the Army force are under review and may not be finalized prior to the reporting date."