The scale of projects that allow U.S. commanders to use on-hand cash to meet the urgent needs of the local populations in Afghanistan and Iraq is increasing in lockstep with congressional scrutiny and criticism of the program. The Commanders Emergency Response Program, known as CERP, has been steadily evolving since its inception in the 2003-2004 time frame, but lawmakers now charge the Defense Department is mismanaging the effort while DOD officials, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, are concerned the program's...