Military Service Academies: Actions Needed to Better Assess Organizational Climate. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-22-105130

The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 included a provision for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on equal opportunity claims, climate surveys, and programs to address climate issues at the military service academies. Specifically, this report addresses: (1) the extent to which the academies collect information to develop a complete picture of the climate; (2) the extent to which the academies have taken actions to improve the climate; and (3) the perceptions of current students concerning the climate. GAO held 34 focus groups with current students across the three service academies, analyzed complaint data from fiscal years 2017 through 2021, reviewed documentation, and interviewed officials. GAO is making seven recommendations, including that the Department of Defense (DOD) capture information on incidents not submitted through the complaint system and develop performance measures for actions aimed at improving climate.