• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Army steps up fight against corruption in Afghanistan

Jun 28, 2010

By Kris Osborn

U.S. Army and Pentagon leaders told lawmakers that the U.S. military is stepping up efforts to fight corruption and monitor the flow of contracting dollars into Afghanistan through the Host Nation Trucking contract by increasing oversight, adding contracting officers and improving visibility into subcontractor activity.

Speaking June 22 to the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, a panel of government witnesses detailed a host of ongoing initiatives aimed at increasing transparency and oversight of U.S. contracting dollars spent through the Host Nation Trucking Contract in Afghanistan.

Among the steps being taken is a move at the CENTCOM Contracting Command (C3) to add a new clause into Host Nation Trucking contracts which increases transparency regarding subcontractors.

"This clause will give us greater visibility into banking and financial efforts so we might be able to see if there is some kind of activity that is a problem," said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Bill Phillips, principal military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.

The witnesses were asked about findings detailed in a Congressional report which alleges that portions of the dollars spent of the Host Nation Trucking contract are being skimmed off and paid as protection money to warlords - and possibility insurgents - to ensure the safe passage of supplies on the Afghan roadways.

"We must be self-aware of how our massive footprint in Afghanistan can affect such a sensitive environment," said U.S. Rep. John Tierney, D- Ma., Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs.

Phillips - who previously served as the Commander of Joint Contracting Command for Iraq and Afghanistan -- said the Army will act decisively in the event of evidence of wrongdoing.

"We take the allegations very seriously. I don't think anyone would argue that there is corruption that exists inside Afghanistan. I think that is clear if you look at what some of the senior leaders have said," said Phillips. "We look for the hard evidence that we can stand behind to take action to correct behavior or terminate a contract. Our contracts and our clauses prohibit that kind of activity. If there was criminal activity or bribery I assure you that under my command contract officers would have taken quick action," said Phillips.

The Host Nation Trucking contract in Afghanistan, which has run more than 50,000 trucking missions in the last year, accounts for more than 90-percent of food, water, ammunition, construction materials, and other key supplies deliveries to US Forces in Afghanistan.

"The Host Nation Trucking contract is vital to the sustainment of our forces in Afghanistan. Contracting for, obtaining, and overseeing services in an austere environment, in a fragile economy with a poor financial system, limited rule of law and during hostilities is a dangerous and difficult task that is being performed daily throughout Afghanistan," Phillips told the Committee.

The Host Nation Trucking contract is seen by U.S. leaders as a vital element of Afghan reconstruction.

"We intend to more effectively link U.S. contracting dollars to desired operational effects and a winning COIN {counter insurgency} strategy in Afghanistan," Brig. Gen. John Nicholson, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell, the Joint Staff, told the Subcommittee.

Also, Nicholson talked about the recently formed Task Force 2010 - directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- aimed at increasing visibility of U.S. contracting dollars flowing into Afghanistan with a mind to improving transparency regarding how money moves from contractors to subcontractors and ultimately, to the Afghan people.

"This involves an integrated effort at all levels to gain visibility of money flow, understand and shape perceptions of the Afghan people, correct the behavior of some Afghan contractors, and gain an awareness and level of control over the second order effects of U.S. contract spending on the environment," said Nicholson. "