Army's Request for more Brass Rejected by White House

The AP reports today that Bush's administrative arm, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has rejected a plan to add five generals to oversee monitor and purchasing contractor performance.

A blue-ribbon panel, chaired by former Pentagon acquisition chief Jacques Gansler, criticized the Army for contracting blunders and recommended the generals.

From the article:

The war in Iraq exposed major flaws in the Army's contracting abilities, particularly when the buying was done outside the United States. An overworked, under-experienced, and short-handed Army contracting staff was unable to meet the fast-paced demands for supplies and services. Bad deals were made and procurement fraud cases mounted in an environment prone to abuse.

Defense contractors, frequently criticized for war profiteering, complained of being pushed to accept flat-fee arrangements in high-risk combat zones where expenses could soar and confusion existed over what U.S. laws and regulations applied.

Putting generals in contracting jobs is believed to bring experience, give the profession clout, and build up talent by showing junior troops that contracting is viable career choice.

The Army learned its proposal for the generals was rejected on May 12. A week later, the Army repealed the decision. On Thursday, an Army spokesman said communications between the OMB and the Army are "pre-decisional and not releasable to the public at this time."

-Dippold

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