NEW AUDIT finds Pentagon credit cards spent over $1 Million on casinos and adult entertainment. How do those budget cuts feel now?

Pretty much a yawner. You'll always have the 0.5 percenter abuse something. Considering how small the number is against the volume of money flushing through the GTCC program, this looks more like a success story. Words like "appalling" tell me there's improper journalism going on in an organization with an agenda.

I'm more torqued over the disparity in discipline. We've had cases where the kid just grabbed the wrong card out of his pocket for condoms at WalMart get hammered. Then I had one Army civilian transfer to me use the card to buy Christmas gifts, new motor for his boat, and then refused to pay the bill. He got hammered less than Condom Kid.

A Lousy Million?....Caesar's Palace Does More Than That Between 5:30 Am & Day Break.
If All They Played Black Jack With Is A Million, Makes Me Wonder "How Much Did They Steal?

I’d like to see the rest of the story. Was anybody prosecuted? We’re charges mischaracterized? Too many ways this story could be bogus.

[This is for GVT Travel Cards.] The thing is, they are not Pentagon credit cards. You use your personal credit history when you apply for the card. You are responsible for paying the bill. The only thing the DoD does is have visibility on the account. Now if they tried to get reimbursed through DTS through this, than yes, that is deceitful and stupid and they should be punished for it. Other than that, it is just a personal credit card and it shouldn't matter what they used it for.

Now if we are talking GPC - Government Purchase Card - then it is a completely different issue.

So... I think several things here.
1. The charges (assuming that they are as reported - based on life experience, I think they are) were improperly placed on GVT travel cards.

2. Given the painful briefings we (and I assume DOD civilians) get before we are issued a card, and annually thereafter, there is almost no chance that any of them can use ignorance as an excuse.

3. Unless the account holders failed to pay their bills (which they are PERSONALLY responsible for), or attempted to file for reimbursement for the expenses, there is NO CONNECTION WHATSOEVER to budget or personnel cuts, etc.

4. However, I think a fair amount of the charges were due to simple carelessness/thoughtlessness - grabbing the wrong card, not bringing your personal card with you on the trip, etc. (This explains, but does not excuse - there is a difference)

5. Things like this are exactly why the only things I ever put on my travel card are absolutely mandated items. This is generally ONLY airfare in my experience (I could rant for hours about that being mandated, but it is what it is). EVERYTHING else I put on my personal card and then request reimbursement on eligible expenses. DTS does a few "are you sures" when you tell it that you didn't select the "default" of reimburse the GTC, and you have to write a sentence or two, but it's totally worth it just to not have to deal with some auditor out to play gotcha.

6. Things like this are also why we should go back to centrally billed accounts for airfare (why is the service member having to front the money for official travel that HAS to be booked through GVT means? Does the DoD really need the "float" ?) as well as bringing back travel advances.