Four: Audit Faults DOCUPAK – National Guard Investigates ITS Own Troops

In 2012, an Army audit revealed that the recruiting program, sole-sourced to Docupak, had, in fact been awarded illegally. The Army Audit also found that controls implemented by Docupak to be deficient in 88% of all enlistments they processed. A memo from U.S. Senate staff before the 2/4/14 hearings, stated that the Army had concluded that RAP-related Anti-Deficiency Act violations amounted to $386 million roughly 70% of what they were paid for the program. The Audit also recommended that Docupak repay close to $500,000 in cancelled enlistments.

However, shortly after the Army Audit shared its findings, Lt General William Ingram, Lt General and Director of the National Guard, issued a memo to all Adjutants General of state National Guards, ordering a systematic investigation of soldiers. Why did General Ingram take the substance of an Audit, which clearly pointed the finger at Docupak, and shift that blame to soldiers doing exactly what they were asked – in some cases ordered – to do?

The logic of all of this is hard to explain. Docupak, theoretically responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars being misspent, has, to date, been held harmless. Our soldiers, our national heroes, are in the cross hairs for receiving a few thousand dollars each; money they had been told was just and due them for their recruiting efforts. What is the likelihood that thousands of soldiers were intentionally scamming the country they honorably serve, and for which they are willing to sacrifice their lives, for a few thousand dollars?

As yet, no one who endorsed, implemented or oversaw the G-RAP contract has been prosecuted, punished or held accountable in any way. The only persons being punished are the soldiers who carried out tasks they were asked, sometimes ordered to take on, based on a set of rules that appeared after the program was completed.