Because of competing priorities, DOD continues to request less for facility sustainment than it needs to maintain its physical infrastructure, a new GAO report said.

“Installation officials stated that deferred maintenance leads to the premature failure of facility systems and often leads to more costly repairs, and that maintenance is most often delayed for lower-priority facilities such as living quarters and childcare facilities,” the report stated.

The researchers noted that DOD is behind on implementing the Sustainment Management System it anticipates will lower the risk of maintenance backlogs.

Army photo by Scott T. Sturkol