Defense on track to rebuild acquisition workforce, report says

The Defense Department is taking the right steps to rebuild its acquisition workforce after years of arbitrary, and often misguided, downsizing, according to a new report from the General Accounting Office.

"We did not assess the effectiveness of [the Defense Department's] initiatives, but they do target some of the root problems hampering the acquisition workforce, and they recognize the substantial challenges involved in a strategic approach to reshaping the workforce," states the report, "Acquisition Workforce: Department of Defense's Plans to Address Workforce Size and Structure Challenges" (GAO-02-630).

The Defense Department has cut its acquisition workforce from about 310,000 workers in 1989 to about 150,000 today. Many of those cuts were budget-driven, with little thought given to their long-term impact. Moreover, the Defense acquisition workforce could be cut in half again by 2005 as baby boomers start to retire.

The Pentagon issued a scathing report in 2000 that found Defense was facing a personnel crisis in its acquisition workforce--and that little was being done to remedy it. The report made numerous recommendations on how to stem the debilitating loss of critical workers. Among other things, it recommended developing a strategic plan for human capital and improving workforce-training programs.

GAO said Defense has made progress in at least beginning to address the problems caused by downsizing and retirements, but said the complexity of the task is such that real reform and a stable workforce are years away.