Military Health Care: Army Needs to Improve Oversight of Warrior Transition Units

Abstract : The Army established its WTU program in 2007 after congressional interest and media coverage about substandard care for soldiers at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The program is to coordinate care for soldiers recovering from serious physical and behavioral health conditions. As the WTU soldier population has declined, the Army has reduced its WTUs--from 45 in 2008 to a planned total of 14 by August 2016.The House Report accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 included a provision for GAO to review the WTU program. GAO evaluated, among other things, the extent to which the Army has (1) assessed the effectiveness of the Triad of Care model; (2) established processes to oversee the selection of WTU personnel, assess their training, and adjust staff levels; and (3) assessed adherence to WTU admittance criteria and the impact of any changes to them. GAO conducted site visits to 5 WTUs, based on a mix of active and reserve component soldiers and other variables.