In about four weeks, despite all the progress being made, we will likely hear that the Pentagon has again failed its annual financial audit. But the headlines will also likely miss the most important point: the warfighting benefits that are accumulating now as a result of the audit. Far from a mere compliance exercise, the cultural and technological changes required to pass an audit are the same ones necessary to keep U.S. forces dominant.
For the Defense Department to pass its audit, it must account for more than dollars. It must track the vast array of things the military uses: munitions, spare parts, fuel, real estate. Moreover, it must track the condition of these things: In the shop? Ready for use? In the field? And it must do so accurately and in real time. All this requires comprehensive changes. Cyber security must be improved, systems integrated, processes and automation deployed to ensure the accuracy of data, and more.
Read more at Defense One.
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