Summary: GAO reviewed the U.S. Army, Europe's Prepositioned Overseas Materiel Configured to Unit Sets (POMCUS) program, focusing on: (1) POMCUS equipment's lack of readiness; (2) factors negatively affecting readiness; and (3) opportunities for improving management. GAO noted that: (1) the Army has allowed the readiness standard for POMCUS equipment to be relaxed during the force draw-down in Europe; (2) as of March 1994, only 83 percent of the non-excess equipment on-hand was fully mission capable; (3) the Army does not maintain readiness data on mission essential subsystems for many POMCUS items; (4) readiness rates are less than 50 percent at some POMCUS sites mainly because the Army does not have all authorized stock on hand; (5) support for contingency missions has reduced POMCUS equipment stocks and diverted resources from periodic maintenance and inspections of POMCUS equipment; (6) receipt of equipment from deactivated units that requires repairs and the lack of funding for spare parts has compounded POMCUS readiness problems; and (7) the lack of compatible management information systems and complete and accurate readiness measures hinders the Army's ability to manage its POMCUS equipment.
