The writer spent over 20 years in the United States Air Force. Joining shortly before September 11, he had hoped to become a mix of Jack Ryan and Ethan Hunt, but ended up as a “Combat Comptroller,” managing reports and purchasing items for the “warfighter” in the noble trade of Resource Management. He witnessed a lot of military waste, especially around the end of the Fiscal Year, when agencies rush to spend all their money in fear of losing funding the following year. The author facilitated the purchase of tons of office furniture that was often stored away unused. Moreover, the Department of Defense failed its sixth consecutive audit, with systems meant to track military resources failing in their purpose. The problem is not just old accounting systems, but a culture in the DOD that rewards excessive spending regardless of need or utility. This has been nurtured by Congress and the Pentagon, leading military leaders to prioritize spending over problem-solving. The perpetual “creative” accounting by the DOD ultimately hurts the American people while benefiting defense corporations and enabling price gouging.
Waste at the Pentagon: An Insider’s Perspective on the Need for More Office Furniture
