Navy Readiness: Actions Needed to Improve Support for Sailor-Led Maintenance

Fast Facts

Navy sailors maintain the ships that are needed to keep the U.S. safe and the seas open for world commerce.

But the Navy faces a range of challenges that hinder sailors' ability to complete maintenance work:

There aren't always enough sailors available—and the Navy doesn't track and report data that could help it better oversee personnel assignments

Newer sailors might not be fully prepared for maintenance work. Sailors want more hands-on training

The Navy uses old software to manage maintenance logistics, and efforts to replace it are running behind

Our 7 recommendations address these issues.

Senior sailors can give new sailors on-the-job training on ship maintenance.

Service members doing maintenance

Highlights

What GAO Found

The Navy faces several interrelated personnel and training challenges that inhibit sailors' ability to complete required ship maintenance. GAO found that the Navy does not fill all required ship positions, and that sailors assigned to a ship are sometimes unavailable for duty (for example, temporarily assigned to another ship) or may have inadequate training or preparation for their positions.

Interrelated Personnel and Training Challenges Inhibit Sailor-Led Maintenance

Sailor shortages hinder sailors' ability to complete required maintenance, according to survey respondents, sailors from GAO's 25 ship visits, and GAO's review of Navy data. For example, 63 percent of executive officers completing GAO's survey said it was moderately to extremely difficult to complete repairs while underway with the number of sailors assigned to their ships. In addition, the Navy does not track and report data on the number of sailors assigned to a ship, but not available for duty, according to officials. The Navy could improve the quality of information reported to Congress by updating policy to report data on whether sailors assigned to a ship were available and reported for duty.

Navy executive officers and sailors told GAO there were widespread concerns about sailor training. When relying on available formal (classroom) training, 64 percent of executive officers responding to GAO's survey said it is moderately to extremely difficult to conduct sailor-led maintenance, and 75 percent found it moderately to extremely difficult for sailors to complete repairs. In addition, the Navy's guidelines for performing ship maintenance are sometimes inaccurate with respect to the time and personnel needed and are not written appropriately for sailors' maintenance skills and supervisor's experience levels. Ensuring the Navy's guidelines better reflect the actual number and skill level of maintenance personnel will enhance sailors' ability to maintain ships.

The Navy is working to replace old and fragmented logistics information technology (IT) systems it currently uses to manage sailor-led maintenance. But it did not effectively share its vision for logistics IT improvements to meet stakeholder needs. Establishing a process to inform stakeholders—such as shipboard personnel—will improve the Navy's ability to implement a new system that better harmonizes maintenance information and meets user needs.

Why GAO Did This Study

The Navy must have combat-ready ships to keep the U.S. safe and ensure the seas are open to trade. Sailors perform basic maintenance and repairs that are essential for preserving a ship's operational capabilities.

House Report 117-397, accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, includes a provision for GAO to assess the extent to which the Navy supported sailor-led maintenance and repairs aboard ships. This report evaluates, among other things, the extent to which the Navy provides (1) personnel and training, and (2) management processes and systems for sailor-led maintenance.

GAO analyzed guidance, policy, and data; conducted a survey of executive officers aboard 232 ships of the active battle fleet (91 percent response) and interviewed relevant officials; and met with more than 140 leadership personnel and 200 sailors on 25 ships of the active battle fleet.

Recommendations

GAO is making seven recommendations to the Navy to, among other things, improve the quality of information on the number of ship's crew available for duty; ensure that maintenance guidelines reflect personnel numbers and skill levels specific to ships or ship classes; and better communicate with stakeholders on logistics IT improvement efforts. The Navy concurred with each recommendation.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Personnel, Manpower, and Training updates Navy policy to require the Navy to periodically gather and report personnel data specific to sailor-led maintenance, such as comparing assigned personnel to the number of mustering personnel available for duty and tracking the quality of sailors' alignment across departments. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commander, Naval Education and Training Command, evaluates and optimizes the balance between classroom training and on-the-job training on maintenance skills for junior sailors as it implements Ready Relevant Learning. (Recommendation 2)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that policy is updated to include commanding officers as key stakeholders in updating maintenance cards to better reflect actual time expended in accomplishing sailor-led maintenance tasks in light of ship-specific conditions. (Recommendation 3)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy, in collaboration with Naval Sea Systems Command, should ensure that maintenance cards are written at an appropriate level of detail to reflect specific conditions affecting the amount of time, number of personnel needed, and training necessary to conduct sailor-led maintenance. (Recommendation 4)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should direct the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, in collaboration with Naval Supply Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command, to ensure that shipboard allowance lists are updated and accurate. (Recommendation 5)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, in collaboration with Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Supply Systems Command, clarifies guidance to specify how and when program offices must use readiness-based sparing. (Recommendation 6)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy	The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, in conjunction with the Program Executive Office for Manpower, Logistics, and Business Solutions, establishes a mechanism for management to periodically communicate quality information throughout the Navy to ensure stakeholders fully understand the purpose of the N-MRO program and its applicability to their organizations and successfully enlists users in solving remaining challenges. (Recommendation 7)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.