Recruiting fraud, kickback scandal rocks Army

[n2doc]

WASHINGTON - More than 800 soldiers are under criminal investigation for gaming a National Guard program that paid hundreds of millions in bonuses to soldiers who persuaded friends to sign up during the darkest years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, USA TODAY has learned.

Fraudulent payments total in the "tens of millions," with one soldier allegedly pocketing $275,000 in illegal kickbacks, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY. At least four others made more than $100,000 each.

"This is discouraging and depressing," Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said in an interview. "Clearly, we're talking about one of the largest criminal investigations in the history of the Army."

McCaskill has scheduled a hearing Tuesday on the scandal before a panel she chairs on financial and contractor oversight. She has called top Army officials to testify. The Army declined to comment on the hearing or the investigations, said George Wright, an Army spokesman.

more

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/usatoday/article/5182717

[Cerridwen]

1. A kick to go with the rec. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Not surprised in the bit

[jsr]

3. The military has too much money.

[malaise]

4. Bushco destroyed every institution

Everything was for profit.