Did millions of dollars appropriated for the war on terrorism end up being diverted to build luxury air accommodations for VIPs to travel the world?
So says The Washington Post, which reported on its Web site that the Air Force’s top leadership sought to spend counterterrorism money on “comfort capsules” to be installed on military planes that carry senior officers and civilian leaders.
But an Air Force spokesman said the service is drawing the money for the project from elsewhere in its budget. Lt. Col. Mike Paoli said the service had requested that the project be included in a supplemental budget for the war on terrorism, but Congress rejected the request. The supplemental war budget is supposed to directly fund troops in combat zones.
The capsules are basically mobile conference rooms that, from the outside, look like large boxes; Defense Secretary Robert Gates travels in one nicknamed the “silver bullet.”
A watchdog group called the Project on Government Oversight alleges that the Air Force is spending large amounts of money to buy three new capsules and equip them with “world-class” luxuries.
Among the luxury items cited:
· Wall-mounted flat screen monitors capable of playing back CDs, DVDs, and VHS, with a diagonal measurement of at least 37 inches.
· First-class airline seats, with storage for carry-on bags for each seat.
· Full-length mirrors.
· Wall-to-wall carpeting.
· Wall treatments/coverings.
· Ceiling treatments/coverings.
The watchdog group alleges that the Air Force intends to spend $113,000 to reupholster the leather chairs to Air Force blue and to upgrade the wood tables to cherry.
The Air Force defended the project.
“That’s bunk,” said Mr Paoli, the Air Force spokesman. “The carpeting comes from Home Depot, not Ethan Allen.” He added that the capsules are “less than business-class standard” and “really not that nice.”
Report by David Wilkening
