The United States military has become a cash cow for private companies and contractors, so it is no surprise corruption and crime are oozing in on every level. Army cadre, commissioned and contracted, are enmeshed with costly recruiting scandals. The Air Force is facing massive cheating within nuclear command, and the Navy is faced with cheating in their Nuclear Power School. High-ranking admirals enjoy elaborate vacations for their families on the taxpayer dollar.
The Washington Post is championing the Freedom of Information Act by exposing the mounting malfeasance in the Department of Defense. The majority of sworn armed service members stalwartly uphold the U.S. mission statement. But the private enterprise that has been lobbied into the echelon is putting a black mark on the military as a whole. It is reasonable to believe low- and high-ranking officials who see the wealth and luxury enjoyed by young contractors are often tempted into corruption.
The corporate greed infiltrating the U.S. defense system has opened doors to military scandals. Honor has been taken out of war for wealth, which means those who aim to serve this country are living in the shadow of those intoxicated by money and power. Our enlisted armed forces are stretched too thin and encumbered by stress — and the private contractor is making bank by exploiting wars for weapons sales instead of fighting for freedom.
Since the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions, young American men and women are perhaps more leery about joining the military than they used to be. In 2005, the Army National Guard created the Recruiting Assistance Program, a bonus incentive for National Guard recruiters and private contractors. It was shut down in 2012 after more than 1,200 contractors from Docupak, and sworn army recruiters came under investigation for fraudulently taking bonuses without actual recruitment.
This type of recruitment fraud is widespread. According to The Washington Post, “More than 200 officers are suspected of involvement, including two generals and dozens of colonels.” U.S. taxpayers lost at least $29 million for the fraudulent bonuses, benefiting mostly private contractors. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) was appalled by the scandal and said, “The fraud investigation is one of the largest that the Army has ever conducted, both in terms of the sheer volume of fraud and the number of participants.” It could take until 2016 to complete all of the investigations.
The navy has uncovered two scandals within its ranks. At least 30 sailors at the Nuclear Power School in South Carolina were accused of cheating on nuclear qualification tests, said USA Today. That is one-fifth of the instructor pool. And The Washington Post reported that three admirals, Mark F. Heinrich, David R. Pimpo and Donald L. Singleton have been rebuked for using defense funds to vacation with their families in Britain in April 2012.
On Jan. 30, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) called for an investigation into naval officials and private contractors from Yokosuka Naval Base who have exchanged gifts for classified information. According to Military.com, Issa is demanding answers to the “string of contracting scandals that have engulfed the U.S. Navy.” The corruption is believed to be stemming from private contractors with Glenn Defense Marine Asia. Federal prosecutors claim GDMA overbilled our navy and bribed our naval officers for information exchanges for more than $20 million U.S. tax dollars.
The Air Force has scandals of its own. At least 92 officers stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana were caught cheating on their proficiency tests, and they are no longer certified. Last year at Malmstrom, a unit failed its safety inspection. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said the Air Force is suffering a “systemic” nuclear personnel problem, and “this is not a healthy environment.” James visited other nuclear control centers in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota and said there are problems across the board.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is very concerned about the military scandals. According to Defense News, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said Hagel “definitely sees this as a growing problem.” And it may be worse that he thought.
I say the best way to return the military to its high moral and ethical standard is to dismiss all private contractors and market profiteers immediately. We owe it to those willing to enlist for defense of our country.
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