Operation of Defense's Science Advisory Boards Aired in Hearings

Abstract

The House Government Operations Subcommittee on Legislation & National Security held hearings late last month on what chairman Jack Brooks (D.-Tex.) called very serious and disturbing findings of two reports on operations of science advisory boards of Department of Defense. The first report, which was issued in July by DOD Inspector General Joseph H. Sherick, concluded that Defense Science Board's compliance with governing policies, operating procedures, and legal requirements was clearly inadequate and that lack of documentation concerning DSB task force meetings left objectivity of its recommendations open to question (C&EN, Aug. 22, page 15). The second report, released at hearings, was prepared by General Accounting Office and concerned operations of Army Science Board, Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, and Naval Research Advisory Board. GAO found that the services do not always follow appropriate procedures in operations of scientific advisory...