Is it time to just shut down the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?
In my nearly two decades of covering the defense establishment, I never really looked at the Army Corps of Engineers. It is like a separate entity. I regretted that neglect when I read a story in this morning’s Washington Post about a scheme involving two Corps program managers and people at a private company that ...
In my nearly two decades of covering the defense establishment, I never really looked at the Army Corps of Engineers. It is like a separate entity.
In my nearly two decades of covering the defense establishment, I never really looked at the Army Corps of Engineers. It is like a separate entity.
I regretted that neglect when I read a story in this morning’s Washington Post about a scheme involving two Corps program managers and people at a private company that prosecutors are calling “one of the most brazen bribery and corruption schemes in the history of federal contracting.” The Post continues: “they bought millions of dollars worth of BMWs, Rolex and Cartier watches, flat-screen televisions, first-class airline tickets and investment properties across the globe.”
The story ended on this dismaying note: “Press officers of the Corps of Engineers did not return phone calls or e-mails seeking comment.” The Corps needs to make dealing with this scandal priority no. 1 — especially in a budget environment where any entity that is not clearly contributing greatly faces the prospect of being eliminated.
Justice William Douglas once suggested that every federal agency should have a sunset provision — that is, it ceases to exist after, say, 10 years, unless the Congress renewed it. I think it may be time to re-visit that thought.
Meanwhile, in other legal proceedings, a Coast Guard chief warrant officer was convicted of, among other things, malingering. I can’t remember seeing that charged before.
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