McCaskill calls out 'questionable' Army spending under LOGCAP

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) today sent a letter to the Defense Contract Audit Agency director criticizing the oversight of the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, or LOGCAP, in Afghanistan.

The Army established LOGCAP in 1992 to provide logistics support such as transportation, maintenance, engineering and construction, emergency and other services to deployed forces. Previous LOGCAP awards supported operations in Africa, South America, Europe and the Middle East.

McCaskill, the ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in her letter referenced a May 11 Defense Department inspector general report looking into the issue. The report found "at least $536 million of the $2.4 billion billed on vouchers [submitted from 2015 to 2017] that were supported by questionable documentation," according to DOD IG.

Such expenses included "$74,022 for one employee's Afghanistan visa application, $7,128 for Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in the United States, $2,713 for convenience store purchases in the United States, and $715 for a carwash," she wrote.

DCAA in response to the report told DOD IG it “did not find any significant unallowable costs during its review of the $422,825” IG identified, but the IG will consider its recommendation closed when it verifies the review is complete. 

McCaskill is requesting documents addressing DCAA's review of those costs and the implementation of "a new process for improved communications between the DCAA and" Army Contracting Command that is scheduled to start in fiscal year 2019.