The Nature of DoD Reprogramming

Abstract

Over the years plenty of attention has been paid to how much the Department of Defense spends annually in the form of reports and studies. However, very little attention has been given to the area of reprogramming. This paper seeks to answer one main question: what is the nature of Defense Department reprogramming? In answering this question, a specific methodology for describing reprogramming information was developed. The benefits of this study are to highlight the use of reprogramming and provide a baseline of knowledge about an area of research where previously there was none. This study found that the amount of reprogramming increased over 60 percent over the eight year period studied. While the total amount reprogrammed increased, reprogramming as a percentage of total budget authority remained relatively constant. The majority of the increase came from an increase in prior approval reprogramming actions. In general, there was very little congressional resistance to the reprogramming requests and there were definite patterns as to when reprogramming was done throughout the year. Finally, this paper provides specific recommendations for areas of future research.