Special Operations Forces: Actions Needed to Assess Performance of the Preservation of the Force and Family Program
Fast Facts
Multiple deployments and busy training schedules can stress U.S. special operations forces and their families. To help, DOD established the Preservation of the Force and Family program, which offers services like physical therapy and counseling.
But it's unclear whether this program is achieving its purpose because DOD hasn't fully defined its performance goals and measures. For example, DOD lists "neurocognitive assessments" as a way to measure program performance. However, it doesn't describe what these assessments are or how to conduct them.
We recommended that DOD establish specific performance goals and measures.
Physical Therapy Appointment at Patch Barracks, Germany
Highlights
What GAO Found
U.S. Special Operations Command established the Preservation of the Force and Family program about a decade ago to address strains that special operations forces and their families can face. The program is designed to provide a holistic system of care that focuses on physical, psychological, spiritual, cognitive, and social areas of well-being. The program offers services including physical therapy, injury care, psychological treatment, family counseling, and peer mentoring.
The command established a program evaluation framework for the program in January 2023. However, it has not fully defined specific and measurable performance goals and clear performance measures (see figure). Specifically, performance goals do not clearly state what is to be achieved, time periods for achievement, nor who is responsible for achieving each goal. Performance measures are not clear and not fully linked to strategic goals. For example, one performance measure is listed as “neurocognitive assessments.” However, the framework does not provide any information about which assessment, what specifically is to be measured, or what methodology will be used to collect and analyze the data. Without fully defining performance goals and measures, the command will have difficulty demonstrating that program activities are achieving their desired goals.
Key Elements of Program Performance Assessment Systems
The command has made progress implementing a new data system for the program and establishing minimum data requirements. However, it faces challenges in data collection and analysis, inhibiting its ability to evaluate program effectiveness. For example, the command experienced significant delays in implementing the data system and is in the process of reevaluating its requirements. In addition, some special operations forces' service components are in the initial stages of collecting required program data, but their data-collection practices vary.
The command established an annual reporting requirement, but has not developed a detailed program evaluation plan to help ensure standardized data collection and analysis. A program evaluation plan that identifies relevant data sources, standardized data collection procedures, and detailed data analysis procedures could help the command align data with performance measures to support its evaluative annual program report. Such a plan could also better position the command to demonstrate the effectiveness of program activities, provide external accountability for the use of public resources, and identify any areas to improve program performance.
Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2022, the command made about $79.6 million available for program activities and maintained over 800 service providers across 32 locations worldwide to care for special operations forces and their families. However, since January 2016, the command has not completed a program evaluation demonstrating program performance and effectiveness.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 includes a provision for GAO to review the program. GAO evaluated the extent to which the command has 1) identified program performance goals and measures and 2) collected and analyzed data to determine how well the program is achieving desired outcomes.
GAO reviewed command policies and guidance and compared processes for data collection and analysis against recommended practices. GAO also interviewed officials managing the program.
Recommendations
GAO is making three recommendations, including that the command establish specific and measurable performance goals, establish performance measures that are linked to strategic goals and are clearly stated, and develop a detailed program evaluation plan to support annual program reports. DOD concurred with all three recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commander of SOCOM, in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC, establishes specific and measurable performance goals for the POTFF program that define quantifiable targets, time periods for achievement, and staff responsibilities. (Recommendation 1) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of June 2024, SOCOM plans to modify its existing evaluation plan in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC and integrate the results into periodic reporting. Additionally, SOCOM officials noted that the command plans to update the POTFF guidance to revise the evaluation plan. We believe that revisions to the existing evaluation plan, once published and executed, could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commander of SOCOM, in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC, establishes performance measures for the POTFF program that are linked to strategic goals and are clearly stated. (Recommendation 2) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of June 2024, SOCOM plans to modify its existing evaluation plan in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC and integrate the results into periodic reporting. Additionally, SOCOM officials noted that the command plans to update the POTFF guidance to revise the evaluation plan. We believe that revisions to the existing evaluation plan, once published and executed, could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commander of SOCOM, in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC, develops a detailed program evaluation plan for evaluating the POTFF program to support its annual program reports that includes relevant data sources, standardized data collection procedures, and detailed data analysis procedures. (Recommendation 3) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of June 2024, SOCOM plans to modify its existing evaluation plan in coordination with ASD-SO/LIC and integrate the results into periodic reporting. Additionally, SOCOM officials noted that the command plans to update the POTFF guidance to revise the evaluation plan. We believe that revisions to the existing evaluation plan, once published and executed, could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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