Within any organization fraud and abuse is a serious concern. Within military and government organizations that concern is compounded due to the public trust bestowed upon them. This week the, now former, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team was reprimanded and fined in connection to a string of events originating during deployment to Iraq in 2005. While the details are dramatic (international love affair, trips to The Netherlands and millions of dollars in government contracts) it is the mundane backstory that is most noteworthy.
Col. James Johnson was “an honor graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point… always rated best and brightest among his peers” and a veteren of four combat tours, reaching the pinacle of military service. If there was any person one would expect to be above reproach it would be Col. Johnson. Yet, by his own account he says “I disgraced my family, disgraced my unit, disgraced my profession… I failed the soldiers I commanded and the officers I served with for 26 years”
Not only should we keep in mind that we are each human and falible but that others are as well, regardless of their history or qualifications. A firm that currently holds or is seeking government contracts would be well advised to keep this fact in mind. Proper checks must be put in place to prevent fraud and abuse.
Read the story in its entirety here
Social tagging: Ethics > Fraud Prevention > Government Contracts