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                                          FEB141992          2


*    the personnel information systems used to
     identify doctors and nurses for assignment
     to active units contained incomplete and
     outdated information;

*    doctors and nurses in Active, Reserve, and
     National Guard units had not trained during
     peacetime to perform their wartime mission;

*    hospitals did not receive equipment and
     supplies or they received only partial
     shipments;

*    evacuation of casualties was hampered
     because of long distances, poor communications,
     and a lack of navigat-ional equipment; and

*    hospitals had limited mobility because of
     shortages of transportation and material-
     handling equipment.

The GAO further reported that the Army is aware of the
issues and, in some instances, had started initiatives
to deal with the problems.  The GAO concluded that the
Army was able to provide adequate care for those sol-
diers in need; however, had the predicted number of
casualties occurred and had the ground war started
earlier, or lasted longer, the Army would not have
been able to provide adequate care.  The GAO noted
that the issues will be addressed in detail in the
report to be issued later in the year.


The testimony is informational in nature and contains
no recommendations.  Although our review indicates a
csubstantive DoD response does not appear to be
`necessary, we are, nonetheless, requesting that your
staff also review the report to confirm our assess-
ment.  Please advise us within 10 days if it is deter-
mined a response is indicated.  Otherwise, we will
close our case file without further action.   (If it
is decided that DoD comments are needed, at that time
a schedule will be established for submitting the
proposed response for review and coordination--prior
to releasing it to the GAO and the Congress.)

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