Probe Started into Camo Colors Selected for Afghanistan Military by the Pentagon
Military spending by the Department of Defense is sometimes a source of controversy. The subject recently took an unusual turn when a criminal probe was launched regarding the purchase of uniforms for Afghan troops.
“This Is About Reason and Common Sense”
John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, opened the investigation this past July. Sopko made the announcement when he recently appeared before a House Armed Services subcommittee.
According to Sopko, there are two significant problems with the purchase:
• Although Afghanistan is largely covered by desert, the uniforms feature a woodland pattern.
• The expensive and proprietary pattern was purchased from a private contractor when the Defense Department had their own patterns available for use.
In the IG’s 17-page report, it was implied that the pattern was selected based on a whim expressed by the Afghan defense minister rather than a formal assessment to determine an appropriate choice.
The Government Reacts
While the Pentagon and the IG are often at odds, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis criticized the “ineffective and wasteful manner” of spending taxpayer dollars. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), chair of the oversight and investigations panel, stated, “We cannot afford to make avoidable mistakes.”
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