Mattis rips Pentagon for overspending
Defense head blasts ‘waste’ on uniforms
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis blasted the Pentagon bureaucracy for “cavalier” spending in light of a recent report that showed as much as $28 million had been wasted in buying uniforms for the Afghan army, according to a memo obtained by USA TODAY.
The report found that U.S. military officials have purchased the forest-camouflage uniforms since 2007 without testing their effectiveness, or accounting for the fact that just 2% of Afghanistan is covered by woods. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction also found that special tailoring boosted the cost of the uniforms, as did using a licensed camouflage pattern when free versions were available. The report will be the focus of a hearing by a panel of House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
“Cavalier or casually acquiescent decisions to spend taxpayer dollars in an ineffective and wasteful manner are not to recur,” Mattis wrote.
Mattis’ letter is unusual in that the military regularly pushes back at reports by the special inspector general’s office, which is led by John Sopko.
It has disputed his finding, for example, that millions were wasted building a gas station in Afghanistan.
This time Mattis took the hit on the uniforms, and made sure those in charge of purchasing decisions and policy knew about it. He addressed his memo to the under secretaries for acquisition, policy and comptroller.
“Buying uniforms for our Afghan partners, and doing so in a way that may have wasted tens of millions of taxpayer dollars over a ten-year period, must not be seen as inconsequential in the grand scheme of the Department’s responsibilities and budget,” he wrote.
Sopko’s office determined that the Pentagon could save as much as $71 million over the next 10 years by switching to a new camouflage scheme. So far, the Pentagon has spent $93 million to buy 1.3 million uniforms in the forest camouflage pattern for the Afghan army.
Mattis, in his memo, returned to a theme that has guided his decision making as Defense secretary, notably the readiness of U.S and allied forces to fight the enemy. If decisions do not enhance what Mattis refers to the “lethality,” he has little time for them.
“The report is an indication of a frame of mind — an attitude that can affect any of us at the Pentagon or across the Department of Defense — showing how those entrusted with supporting and equipping troops on the battlefield, if we let down our guard, can lose focus on ensuring their safety and lethality against the enemy.”
The inspector general’s report drew rebukes from senior senators, including Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Chuck Grassley, RIowa. McCaskill demanded answers from the Pentagon on the uniform.
Mattis concluded his memo by warning his subordinates to cut waste.
“Rather than minimize this report or excuse wasteful decisions, I expect all (Department of Defense) organizations to use this error as a catalyst to bring to light wasteful practices — and take aggressive steps to end waste in our Department,” Mattis wrote. “I’m counting on all hands to take effective action.”
“Casually acquiescent decisions to spend taxpayer dollars in an ineffective and wasteful manner are not to recur.” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis