Difficulties in hiring employees in a timely manner and bringing them up to full performance level are having an impact on the missions of DoD depots including delayed maintenance of weapons systems, GAO has said.
DoD employs some 80,000 of its own workers—supplemented by contractors—for depot maintenance. Because of the specialized nature of the work, it can take five or more years for a new employee to become proficient. Meanwhile, DoD must compete with the private sector for those with critical skills at a time it is losing increasing numbers of its employees to retirement.
A report cited effects including delays for nearly two years past the scheduled maintenance dates of two submarines, in part due to shortages in ship fitters and welders, among others. Further, “shortages in avionics technicians delayed the maintenance of the F-16 aircraft, and shortages in low observable coater specialists delayed the maintenance of the F-22 aircraft.”
All the military services have strategic plans that identify and address workforce challenges at the depots, but “some of these strategies are either outdated or have not been implemented.” DoD is updating them but for the meantime, the depots have taken steps such as offering recruiting incentives, implementing training and apprenticeship programs, and partnering with vocational schools.
However, neither the individual depots nor the military services know how effective those steps have been, it said. DoD agreed with GAO’s recommendation that it assess the cost and benefits of those responses to help it better plan to hire, train and retain those employees.
