Military Training: DOD Approach to Managing Encroachment on Training Ranges Still Evolving Page: 3 of 21
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Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:
I am pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the results of our work
involving the constraints that encroachment places on military training. As
you know, senior Department of Defense (DOD) and service officials have
testified that they face growing difficulties in carrying out realistic training
at installations and training ranges' because of so-called "encroachment" 2
issues, which limit their ability to train military forces at the desired levels
and proficiencies. The eight encroachment issues identified by DOD are
urban growth around military installations, competition for radio
frequency spectrum; air pollution; noise pollution; competition for
airspace; unexploded ordnance and munitions components;3 endangered
species habitat; and protected marine resources.
My testimony is largely built on work we reported on last year concerning
the effects of encroachment in the continental United States on military
training and readiness.4 Last year we also reported on the constraints on
training of U.S. forces overseas.5 The findings of the two reviews have
some similarities. Today, I would like to briefly highlight our findings
regarding (1) the growing impact of encroachment on training range
capabilities, (2) DOD's efforts to document the effects of encroachment on
readiness and costs, and (3) DOD's process in addressing encroachment.
1 The term "training ranges" in this testimony refers to air, live-fire, ground maneuver, and
sea ranges.
2 DOD defines encroachment as the cumulative result of any and all outside influences that
inhibit normal military training and testing.
3 Unexploded ordnance are munitions that (1) have been primed, fused, armed, or
otherwise prepared for action; (2) have been fired, dropped, launched, projected, or placed
in such a manner as to constitute a hazard to operations, installations, personnel, or
material; and (3) remain unexploded either by malfunction, design or any other cause.
Munitions components-which DOD calls "constituents"-include things such as
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics, chemical agents, metal parts, and other inert
components that can pollute the soil or ground water.
4 U.S. General Accounting Office, Military Training: DOD Lacks a Comprehensive Plan to
Manage Encroachment on Training Ranges, GAO-02-614 (Washington, D.C.; June 11,
2002). The Chairmen of the Committee on Government Reform and its Subcommittee on
National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, House of Representatives,
requested this review.
5 U.S. General Accounting Office, Military Training: Limitations Exist Overseas but Are
Not Reflected in Readiness Reporting, GAO-02-525 (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 30, 2002). The
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Committee on
Armed Services, U.S. Senate, requested this review.GAO-03-621T Military Training
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United States. General Accounting Office. Military Training: DOD Approach to Managing Encroachment on Training Ranges Still Evolving, text, April 2, 2003; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc290310/m1/3/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.