Once again, the troops are unsupported...

From the NYTimes...

"An independent panel has sharply criticized the Army for failing to train enough experienced contracting officers, deploy them quickly to war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan and ensure they manage billions of dollars in contracts to supply American troops in the field, according to officials briefed on the panel’s findings."

"In a wide-ranging report scheduled to be briefed to Congress and made public on Thursday, the panel says these and other shortcomings contributed to an environment in Iraq and Kuwait that allowed waste, fraud and other corruption to take hold and flourish..."

"As of Oct. 24, the Army reported that it had 83 ongoing criminal inquiries related to contract fraud in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, according to the spokesman Christopher Grey. He said 23 military and civilian personnel faced criminal charges, and more than $15 million in bribes had been uncovered."

"One of the largest cases involves Army Maj. John Cockerham, who is accused of bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction. Prosecutors have accused Major Cockerham, along with his wife and sister, of taking at least $9.6 million in bribes in 2004 and 2005, when he was a contracting officer in Kuwait."

"The panel, headed by Jacques S. Gansler, the Pentagon’s top procurement official during the Clinton administration, was made up of civilian and retired military contracting and procurement specialists. The other members were two civilian procurement experts, David Berteau and George T. Singley III; and three retired military officers, Gen. David M. Maddox, Gen. Leon E. Salomon, and Rear Adm. David R. Oliver."

I'd like to know more about the bribery involved in this. Who's making money from this?

The Government Accountability Office has voiced concerns of the mismanagement as well. I was intrigued by the Accountability Office earlier, and I thought romantically if I wanted to get a job in government, that's where I'd want to be. I suspect the reality of the job is far from the idealistic vision I have in my head.

Very new to blogging, will figure out how to make the below a link. In the meantime, copy paste...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/washington/01cnd-army.html?ex=1351569600&en=ca6c5955cf63a658&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss