The U.S Office of Special Counsel (OSC) today sent letters to the President and Congress alerting them that the Army lost possession of six government-purchased fuel trucks worth $1.34 million, largely due to improper contracting procedures. A whistleblower within the U.S. Army Material Command alerted OSC to the issue, which was referred to the Army for investigation. The Army investigation confirmed that a contracting officer's inaction contributed to the agency's inability to quickly uncover and correct the error. The Army is now taking steps to reacquire the government-owned trucks from a private company.
“Whistleblowers play such a critical role in ensuring taxpayer money is not misused," said Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner. “In this case, because a whistleblower spoke up, the Army is now taking steps to recover assets worth more than a million dollars. OSC is proud to work with whistleblowers to ensure taxpayer money is not wasted or mismanaged."
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