By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© April 6, 2006 | Last updated 10:03 PM Apr. 5
The U.S. Army and private contractors employed convicted criminals as security guards across the country despite repeated warnings in the past three years of the "risky situations" that could present, according to a new federal report.
Fort Eustis and Fort Story were found to have some training documentation deficiencies but have not employed criminals as guards, according to the Army and Alutiiq, the private company that manages the security guards at the two bases.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative arm, said this is the third time in three years that it has warned the Army that the lack of proper background checks could jeopardize security at some of the largest and most important installations, including Fort Bragg and West Point.
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Army began using outside security guards to man the front gates at 57 U.S. installations because of the number of forces sent overseas. Alutiiq received the contract for security guard services at Fort Eustis, Fort Monroe and Fort Story.
The GAO report says that at one facility, which was unidentified other than it was not in Hampton Roads,
61 security guards with criminal records had been hired, including two dozen with felonies and one with an outstanding warrant.>>>snip
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=102600&ran=213026
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