GAO: Marine Corps Lacks Guidance for Responding to Absent Service Members; Gaps Found in Other Services’ Policies

GAO found the Army, Navy, and Air Force have guidance to help commands respond when a service member is absent from their duty location, but the Marine Corps has not issued comparable guidance despite a prior GAO recommendation. GAO also identified gaps in existing service guidance—such as unclear response time frames—that could hinder efforts to locate absent members and reduce associated risks.