The Pentagon's Strategic Seaports
The Government Accountability Office is out with a briefing entitled Defense Logistics: The Department of Defense’s Report on Strategic Seaports Addressed All Congressionally Directed Elements.
Back when Battleland was just a skirmish, chances are such a report would have been called Defense Logistics: The Department of Defense’s Report on Strategic Seaports. But amid a shrinking military and a still-struggling economy, lawmakers have a very strong interest in military infrastructure that happens to fall within their states or districts.
Congress asked the GAO if the Pentagon, as directed by Congress, properly did three things:
— assess the structural integrity and deficiencies of the port facilities and determine what infrastructure improvements are needed to meet national security and readiness requirements.
— assess the potential impact on operational readiness if the infrastructure improvements are not undertaken.
— identify potential funding sources from existing authorities for the infrastructure improvements.
Bottom line: the Pentagon answered the questions, and the Pentagon’s ports are in pretty good shape:
Of the 22 strategic seaports, 15 were rated as having minor deficiencies, with negligible impact; 4 as having some deficiencies, with limited impact; 1 as having significant deficiencies that impair capability to support required missions; and 2 as having major deficiencies presenting significant obstacles to mission accomplishment.
The briefing didn’t specify which ports fell into which category.