The Navy’s manning shortages are curbing the service’s ability to repair its ships while at sea, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Monday. Sixty-three percent of executive officers reported that insufficient manning made it difficult to complete repairs while underway. As of late last year, the Navy was lacking nearly 14,000 enlisted sailors to keep its aircraft carriers, surface ships, and attack submarines properly manned. The watchdog also found that aircraft carriers, cruisers, and amphibious assault ships did not have enough enlisted sailors assigned to them to meet requirements for safe operations.
Sailors reported concerns about sailor training and readiness for shipboard duties, especially in maintenance-heavy roles. The Navy is working to enhance sailor-led maintenance training through its Ready Relevant Learning initiative. The GAO offered recommendations to improve crew information, tailor personnel numbers and skill levels for maintenance, and ensure accurate guidelines for performing ship maintenance. The Navy agreed with these recommendations and the report was based on surveys of executive officers and interviews with sailors and leaders across the fleet.
