Audit: Defense officials misused Stripes for contracts

[unhappycamper]

Audit: Defense officials misused Stripes for contracts
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Stars and Stripes online edition, Friday, December 12, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense officials “inappropriately” used Stars and Stripes to transfer $9.2 million to finance America Supports You, a report by the Defense Department Office of the Inspector General said.

Auditors concluded that Department officials’ decision to use the newspaper as a funding mechanism for America Supports You violated both an Army regulation and a Defense Department instruction. It recommends that officials look into whether to launch a formal investigation into the matter.

The audit looked into how Department officials used Stripes’ contracting office and “nonappropriated funds” — which are not allocated by Congress — to pay for America Supports You expenses.

The findings come after an 18-month investigation into America Supports You, a Defense Department public affairs program that gives publicity to nonprofit groups that support U.S. troops.

Stripes receives funding support from the Department of Defense but is editorially independent. The investigation did not involve any allegations of improprieties or interference with the paper’s independence.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59389