Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and veterans service organizations have all raised concerns about the accuracy of claims processing in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). In 1998, VBA launched its systematic technical accuracy review (STAR) system to better measure the accuracy of claims processing. The system determines accuracy rates for (1) the nation as a whole, (2) each VBA service delivery network, and (3) each VBA regional office. GAO reported in 1999 that the accuracy rates for claims processing at regional offices was being determined by regional staff who themselves were involved in processing claims and who reported to managers responsible for claims processing. This arrangement did not meet either the government's internal control standard calling for the segregation of key duties or the performance audit standard calling for organizational independence for those who review and evaluate program performance. Congress subsequently required VBA to institute a quality assurance program that met government standards. VBA plans to modify the STAR system by October 1, 2001, to bring it into compliance with the standards on the segregation of duties and organizational independence. All STAR reviews will be done by …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DOD's rationale for waiving WSARA's competitive prototyping requirement for CAPS covered both bases provided in the statute; however, DOD did not provide complete information about the potential benefits of competitive prototyping or support for its conclusion that prototyping would result in schedule delays. In the waiver, DOD found reasonable the Air Force's conclusion that the additional $49 million cost of producing competing prototypes exceeded the negligible expected life-cycle benefits because minimal opportunities exist to increase CAPS technological and design maturity through competitive prototyping. The Air Force's conclusions about CAPS technical and design risk are supported by its market research, but its cost-benefit analysis was incomplete because neither the waiver nor the business case analysis supporting it provided an estimated dollar value for the expected benefits. Further, the Air Force's cost estimate of competitively prototyping CAPS was based on a program office estimate, which has not been independently reviewed by DOD's Office of Cost Assessment and Performance Evaluation. DOD also did not provide support in the waiver for its conclusion that implementing competitive prototyping will delay EPS's initial operational capability and result in DOD being unable to meet critical …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The challenges posed by homeland security exceed the capacity and authority of any one level of government. Protecting the nation against these threats calls for a truly integrated approach, bringing together the resources of all levels of government. The proposed Department of Homeland Security will clearly have a central role in efforts to enhance homeland security. The proposed consolidation of homeland security programs has the potential to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination, and clarify roles and responsibilities. Realistically, the challenges that the new department faces will clearly require substantial time and effort, and it will take additional resources to make it effective. Moreover, formation of a department should not be considered a replacement for the timely issuance of a national homeland security strategy to guide implementation of the complex mission of the department. Appropriate roles and responsibilities within and between the levels of government and with the private sector are evolving and need to be clarified. New threats are prompting a reassessment and shifting of long-standing roles and responsibilities, but these shifts are being considered on a piecemeal basis without benefit of an overarching framework and criteria to guide …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Polls taken in Islamic countries after 9/11 suggested that many or most people had a favorable view of the United States and its fight against terrorism. By 2003, opinion research indicated that foreign publics, especially in countries with large Muslim populations, viewed the United States unfavorably. GAO issued two studies in 2003 that examined (1) changes in U.S. public diplomacy resources and programs since September 11, 2001, within the State Department (State) and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG); (2) the U.S. government's strategies for its public diplomacy programs and measures of effectiveness; and (3) the challenges that remain in executing U.S. public diplomacy efforts. GAO made several recommendations to State and the BBG to address planning and performance issues. Both agencies agreed with these recommendations and have made some progress in implementing them. On July 22, 2004, the 9/11 Commission released its report and recommendations. Two of the Commission's recommendations relate to the management of U.S. public diplomacy. For this testimony, GAO was asked to discuss its prior work as it relates to these recommendations."

Disregard Header and Footer Restrictions - Candidate recommendation #USAF-0102/S904 USAF Logistics Support Centers. Realign Altus AFB, OK; Hickam AFB, HI; Hurlburt Field, FL; Langley AFB, VA; Little Rock AFB, AR; Luke AFB, AZ and Scott AFB, IL. Establish Air Force Logistics Support Centers (LSCs) at Langley AFB and Scott AFB by combining five major command (MAJCOM) Regional Supply Squadrons (RSS) into two LSCs. Establish a Combat Air Forces (CAF) LSC at Langley AFB by realigning RSS positions from Hickam AFB and Sembach, Germany (non-BRAC programmatic) as well as base-level Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) positions from Luke AFB. Establish a Mobility Air Forces (MAF) LSC at Scott AFB by realigning RSS positions from Hurlburt Field and Sembach (non-BRAC programmatic) and LRS positions from Little Rock AFB and Altus AFB. Disestablish the PACAF RSS, USAFE RSS and AFSOC RSS.

Disregard Header and Footer Restrictions - Candidate Recommendation #USAF-0099/S901c1 Lackland AFB. Relocate the Standard Air Munitions Package (STAMP)/Standard Tank, Rack, Adaptor, and Pylon Packages (STRAPP) function from Lackland AFB,Medina Annex to McConnell AFB, Kansas and transfer the mission to the Air National Guard.

Disregard Header and Footer Restriction - Candidate Recommendation #USAF-0056 Realign Eilson AFB The 354th Wing is inactivated and its assigned A-10 aircraft distributed to the 917th Wing (AFRC), Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (3PAA); 347th Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia (12 PAA); and to BAI (3 PAA). Its F-16 Block 40 aircraft are distributed to the 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, NV (18 PAA). The ANG tanker unit and rescue alert detachment remain.

Disregard Header and Footer Restrictions - BRAC 2005 TABS Proposal Information Management System PIMS. This proposal closes Natick and realigns PEO Soldier at Fort Belvoir. It consolidates Army RDT&E organizations at APG capitalizing technical synergy across Department of Defense, academia and industry (Transformational Option #54). This proposal creates required synergy between technology and life cycle support organizations for the Soldier Systems. This move also supports the Army transformational Option: #33 -- Consolidate within each Service within a DTAP Technical Capability Area across multiple functions. This scenario supports TECH 0032 (Chemical Biological Center of Excellence at APG), Med 0056 (USARIEM moves to APG), and E&T 0064 (CSS Center [Fort Lee]).

Disregard Header and Footer restrictions - Candidate Recommendation TECH-0040R Co-locate Extramural Research Program Manager. Close ONR Arlington, VA; AFOSR Arlington, VA; ARO Durham, NC, and Arlington, VA; and the DARPA Arlington, VA. Relocate all functions to Anacostia Annex, DC. Realign Fort Belvoir, VA, by relocating the ARO to Anacostia Annex, DC. Realign the DTRA Alexandria, VA, by relocating the Extramural Research Program Management function (except conventional armaments research) to Anacostia Annex, DC.

Public Document - DISREGARD RESTRICTION HEADER. This recommendation, in conjunction with the Realign Fort Leonard Wood (Drill Sergeant School to Fort Jackson) recommendation, consolidates Drill Sergeant’s Training from three locations Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, & Fort Leonard Wood to one location, Fort Jackson and facilitates the activation of Brigade Combat Team (light) at Fort Benning. Outlines existing facilities and services provided by both bases and compares them to make a case for realignment.

Disregard Header and Footer Restriction - Candidate Recommendation documents for #MED-0024, Create Tri-Service Biomedical Research Centers of Excellence, to consolidate combat casualty care research at the Army Institute of Surgical Research.

Public Document - DISREGARD RESTRICTION HEADER AND FOOTER. Economic Impact Report regarding the realignment of the Drill Sergeant School from Fort Benning to Fort Jackson.

Disregard Header and Footer Restrictions - Candidate Recommendation #MED-0029 AFIP for Walter Reed by relocating the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, DNA Registry, and Accident Investigation to Dover AFB.

Public Document - Chart outlining the sustainable, declining, and improvable facilities at both bases.

DISREGARD HEADERS AND FOOTERS Candidate Recommendation: Realign Fort Eustis, VA, by relocating the Army Service Deployment and Distribution Command to Scott Air Force Base, IL, and consolidating it with the Air Force Air Mobility Command Headquarters and Transportation Command Headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, IL. Realign Hoffman 2, a leased installation in Alexandria, VA, by relocating the US Army Service Deployment and Distribution Command to Scott Air Force Base, IL, and consolidating it with the Air Force Air Mobility Command Headquarters and Transportation Command Headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, IL. Realign US Army Service Deployment and Distribution Command - Transportation Engineering Agency facility in Newport News, VA, by relocating US Army Service Deployment and Distribution Command – Transportation Engineering Agency to Scott Air Force Base, IL, and consolidating it with the Air Force Air Mobility Command Headquarters and Transportation Command Headqu

Public Document - DISEGARD RESTRICTION HEADER, PAGE 1. Report outlining the environmental resources located at Ft. Jackson.

Realign Fort Knox, KY, by relocating the Armor Center and School to Fort Benning, GA. Consolidate the Armor Center and School with the Infantry Center and School to create a Maneuver Center.

Department of Defense Clearinghouse Response: DoD Clearinghouse reply to a letter from the BRAC Commission regarding COBRA data for the Medical Joint Cross Service Group.

Disregard Header and Footer Restrictions - BRAC 2005 Infrastructure Executive Council (IEC) Meeitng Minutes of April 6, 2005, review of candidate recommendations.

Collection of BRAC related news articles and clippings. Produced for Commission staff review.

Realign Fort Eustis, VA by relocating the Aviation Logistics School and consolidating it with the Aviation Center and School at Fort Rucker, AL.

DISREGARD HEADERS AND FOOTERS Co-locates all management activities overseeing biomedical Science and Technology and regulated medical product Development and Acquisition at Fort Detrick, MD.

DISREGARD RESTRICTION HEADERS AND FOOTERS Realign Fort Bliss, TX, by relocating the Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Center & School to Fort Sill, OK. Consolidate the Air Defense Artillery Center & School with the Field Artillery Center & School to establish a Net Fires Center.

Questions for the Record from the 9:30 AM, May 4,2005 Hearing: Force Structure Plan, Global Posture Review, Quadrennial Review (Testimony from the Office Secretary of Defense and Office of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff).