What!!?? Risking your life everyday for 16,000 dollars a year is not enough for you? If anything they should give that 2000 dollars to the soilder actually serving.

What a country! More government waste!

Is anyone really surprised by this? In any endeavor that involves tax dollars, somebody somewhere will figure out a way to line their pockets. That's why I have a problem with most government programs. Not because they are necessarily bad ideas (although a surprising number of them are), but because of the waste and fraud associated with them.

What a country! More government waste!

Correction, "More unethical thieves!"

Not surprised in the least. And I also expect none of them will be arrested or do time. My husband is a combat wounded Marine; he can't find a job, suffers from PTSD, and they are cutting off his unemployment. But the @!$%#s who started this bull@!$%# war, and the recruiters that lied to get people to sign up for someone else's battle are the ones who are rich now. Yeah, good old America. My husbands life will never be the same and someone else is richer for his service.

Mere pennys compared to what our elected politicians take.

A waste is a terrible thing to mind. LOL. I figure that if I do enough drugs, they will never want to recruit or draft me. Its has worked so far.

I agree with one of the above posts. Give the damn money to the soldiers that were recruited, or their families. Then send the recruiting officers that scammed this plan, directly to the front line doing bomb patrols in Afghanistan.

Celtchick, hopefully your husband is working with someone from either the VA or the Disabled American Veterans organization to obtain a disability rating from the VA. It isn't a solution to the problem, but maybe it will help him and you some.

floyd, as long as you can walk and your trigger finger works you can be used. the military motto on drugs is, you're in the field where you can't get to them once you're in. they can wait a month for you to detox while busting your butt in boot camp.

Fraud in US military spending? I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED! I say...

US military is the best way to flush taxpayer money down the toiled and have nothing to show for it.

I'm shocked!!! Not one comment so far blaming Obama or Bush by name. Amazing.

Gotta love this Bush-era wasteful spending "incentive" program that lacked honest oversight. Fortunately the fraud was discovered under Obama and corrections are being made. Plus, with the wars winding down and bringing both troops and "advisors" home, as well as high unemployment here, the military no longer needs to mass-recruit Americans to go fight other countries' wars.

I do agree, though, that the military disability system has tightened its evaluation process to the point of cheating deserving veterans out of badly needed benefits. Still, it's easier in most cases to qualify for military disability than it is for Social Security Disability (SSDI/SSI) because the definition of "disabled" must be 100% complete and total to receive the latter, whereas the military can award smaller percentages for partial disabilities. Both systems have appeal processes, though; don't be satisfied with inappropriately low ratings.

Let's blame Bush and Dick Cheney!!!......oh......wait a minute.......they are long gone....dang....now we have to blame Obama which automatically classifies me as a racist by the left.....can't win for losing.......

Celtchick - I agree with Bookem Danno - make sure your husand is seeking the right help. There are alot of programs out there for vets to help get employment. I am sorry if he was hurt in the war and appreciate his sacrifice and yours, and so do the people of Iraq who he was fighting for.

These military recruiters and docupak need to be help responsbile for this theft like any other individual. They should lose all benefits.

Celtchick - I have noticed your other posts for varying topics. I do believe you may be also needing to talk with someone about all of this? you seem pretty disgruntled about alot of things.

As much as I appreciate your husbands sacrifice. Remember as a US soldier his participation was voluntary. Stating that the recruiters lied to get him in is incorrect. He knew what he was joining. As well millions of other people are still unemployed both veteran and non-veteran.

Please get some help for yourself as well.

US soldiers are fighting hard to make sure the 1% keeps getting richer and richer, while the rest of us 99ers keep hoping to survive on crumbs from their table. In order to ensure steady supply of soldiers the poverty and unemployment rate must be kept high, and higher education inaccessible to a very large segment of young people.

How about DHS's FRAUDULENT use of $ 30,000,000,000 taxpayer money for a FAILED Boeing virtual fence ???

How about 41 Obama White House staffers, and some aides, along with hundreds of Congressional Representatives who have FRAUDULENTLY failed to pay their BACK IRS TAXES ?

Utterly convenient.....deflecting something negative at the military again.

Time for an investigative reporter to REPORT on ALL government Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.

Max^108.....may I suggest you do a little research to find out how many of our U.S. military families are on FOOD STAMPS. And how can you even say our military fights for "the 1%" when they took the oath ".....to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America"....and THAT MEANS YOUR FREEDOMS !!!

It you have never served in the military, I could get approval from the DOD to go back on active duty for one day to enlist you into ANY branch of our military service, however I reserve the right to "select" your first duty assignment AFTER boot camp (if you graduate from it).

Ido - I served after Vietnam. US soldiers enforce the global imperialism foreign policy formulated exclusively to benefit the global ruling elite. It is not their fault.

Max^108.....may I suggest you do a little research to find out how many of our U.S. military families are on FOOD STAMPS. And how can you even say our military fights for "the 1%" when they took the oath ".....to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America"....and THAT MEANS YOUR FREEDOMS !!!

didn't we just start a war for oil? the 1% control everything including politicians who decide when and where we fight. soldiers are their tools. of course you probably think soldiers are fighting for our freedom though. are we any more or less free after iraq? the answer is less, just look at all the rights the government has to hold citizens indefinitely now thanks to the patriot act. look at how much more security there is everywhere you go. look at the invasive procedures you have to endure just to get on an airplane.

a true AMERICAN once said- anyone who would sacrifice liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security. benjamin franklin

if soldiers were fighting for OUR freedom they would be fighting OUR government.

Yeah pentagon, investigate the other man's fraud and not your own. Tell me, why are we in Iraq and Afghanistan again and just exactly where are those billions in nation building going.

One of the reasons I was rooting for Julian Assange. Where is he lately. Has he finally been shut up or paid off.....

the recruiters that lied to get people to sign up for someone else's battle are the ones who are rich now.

A. The old "my recruiter lied to me" riff is crud. Anyone who signed up in the military for the past 10 years and didn't know they risked combat is likely unable to pass the admissions exam. Seriously, your husband volunteered and while I wish nothing had happened to him and am sorry it did, he knew what he was getting into.

B. Most recruiters out there today have multiple combat tours themselves so stop acting like it is a cush job and recruutiers aren't doing their part.

Not to excuse these recruiters acts, they are illegal and they need to be punished to the limits of the law. Then, get our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines out of Afghanistan now. No matter what they do we are wasting our time there, the Afghan people are incapable of following through on any strides we make to better their lives. Continuing to attempt to better their lives isn't worth the effort or loss of another American or NATO servicemember.

Seriously, your husband volunteered and while I wish nothing had happened to him and am sorry it did, he knew what he was getting into.

That attitude is exactly why we have "the cream of the crop" rushing to join the military. She was not complaining about her husband signing up to serve, she's complaining about the lack of assistance and help for his injuries after his service. That was something no one expected -- especially since there was so much "patriotic" posturing going on in Congress in the early days of these wars.

We certainly know what to expect, now.

BRAD TO CELT CHICK: "Please get some help for yourself as well."

Leave Celt Chick alone. You know nothing about her personally nor whether or not she needs "help." You may need a lot more help than she does.

Hello Folks, is there anything in our system that isn't corrupt or that works?

Ido, post 1.16, Please go to http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/01/homeland-security-axes-bush-era-virtual-fence-project/ and read article - under George W. Bush in 2006. Your figure of cost of 30 TRILLION (that's how many zeroes you filled in) is way off base. According to article the total cost if accepted as proposed, would have cost 6 BILLION ($6,000,000 - a long way from $30,000,000,000). Of course billions of dollars misspent add up over time, but don't intentionally misrepresent facts. As Moynihan from NY used to say "You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts!"

Here is an excerpt from the end of above article: ""The SBInet program has been a grave and expensive disappointment since its inception," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security committee, said in a statement. The system is estimated to cost about $1 billion. If the entire project had been accepted and rolled out, its cost would have exceeded $6 billion. "We know that we cannot continue to put out millions and millions of dollars of taxpayer's money if we're not confident that it's really not going to work,” Napolitano, who ordered a review of the program upon taking office, said in October. DHS had granted Boeing two 30-day extensions on contracts for the project towards the end of 2010 as it became clear the department was moving to cancel the program."

Give it back??!! Im sorry,that's not good enough. That money was to encourage people to help with the recruitment effort. These guys committed fraud to take it. They should be in jail. Furthermore ,if they are in the military,they should be kicked out and if they are already out their discharge should be changed to "dishonerable" They stole money from the government they swore to protect.

A court martial should take place, come on, they are using our tax money and commiting fraud.

Another sterling example of the benefits of privitization of government functions. The people at Docupak are certainly exemplars of the Ayn Rand type of capitalism that will eventually elevate this country to its highest levels.

Court martial and some serious jail time will be the outcome of this. Oh and FYI, there's no cable TV, hot tubs, and Serta Sleepers in military prisons!

The recruiters should be made to give the money back and then be discharged with loss of any pension.

that money was to get citizens to get other people to risk THEIR lives to fight. those citizens don't deserve anything. who knows what they told people to get em to sign up. as for the soldiers recruiting what would stop them from doing the same? it's in their best interest to lie as it could lead them to having less deployments. recruiters will lie to you in a heartbeat. any promise they make has to be in writing to be honored.

Yeah, the vast majority of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. All of who protect our country day in and day out for crap pay and a public that is ungrateful for our service and sacrifice.

Bush huh? It started in 2005.

BigD, when you have nothing intelligent to say, that's what you say. Congrats.

Another third grader trying to sound knowledgeable.

Big D

You should have read the article. How does your foot taste?

Big D

yea, let's blame Obama for this too. Hell, why not, we blame him for all our problems anyway.

They sent him money too. Facts to back up that allegation? Why? Since when do we need facts? Oh and by the way, I work for Faux news, too. Just trying to be transparent...........

That only works one way, it's always Bush's fault even if it happens today or 40 years ago

nice try Alan B

unfortunately your canned teapublican response doesn't cut it this time - it did start under Bushs watch...

you and Big D should just email each other only- that way you will always get the response you are looking for!

Yes this program started under Bush, I have no qualms about blaming him for this (for all of you leftists), but this is just a drop in the bucket for even one of the colossal frauds perpetrated by the Obama Administration (i.e. Solyndra, which I believe was $500 million)!

There will always be fraud, but keeping it to a minimum and prosecuting the snot out of them with extremely harsh penalties will be the best deterrent to future attempts.

Concerned - OK, I'll match your 500 mil and raise you 3 trillion in a war of convenience in Iraq. We can go at this all day... Solyndra was, I agree a failed attempt, but that is just one company, there are others that are doing quite well. You can't win them all. Oh, and I'll take the failure of Solyndra if you give credit for saving the auto industry...

Just send them to the base I was stationed at and make them eat at the chow hall there 3x a day,more than sufficient punishment

Just send these recruiters to serve, then, they will know how fun it is be a soilder. Something they send our kids to do.

Phenom...recruiters have already served several years and many have combat tours. Everyone on here wants to hang every recruiter when a few bad people need to be punished and held responsible for their actions. Recruiters went through training and they know about being soldiers. If you served in the Army you would know this and not blame all recruiters for the actions of a few. We have bad cops, firemen, mayors, and pick-your-title, but that doesn't mean they are all bad.

Maddog, Phenomenal didn't say send ALL recruiters to serve which you then say the recruiters have served already. This is what Phenomenal said was "Just send these recruiters to serve....".

That way, those who perpetrated the fraud and benefitted financially would "serve their time" on the FRONTLINES!

Thank you it is time we all wake up. A country is only as good as it's people now is the time to show how good we are. We must take a stand or lose it all.

Agreed FatCat.

So, THAT's why our taxes are so high!

If they want recruits, I think there's plenty of people in gov't who have kids. For any and ALL, military action, the 1st soldiers deployed should be family of those that push so hard for war.

Disgusting! Abominable! Who are these people that so many entrust and vote into office to steal from all of us? ....like anything will change because of it. Honestly, my 1st reaction was: is that all?

Wow! This I don't get. One of our finest is deployed for 4 tours since Iraq, has a diagnosed brain injury, has marital problems, cracks and decides to take it out on some Afghan's, Why? These A-Holes are probably he HAD marital problems...because he, obviously, didn't get his bonus. He should be over here, giving the scum that stole from him and all of us what they deserve. I better watch out what I say though 'cos they'll might throw me in Guantanamo for that...

But, I think they should give it back, and these *%#@& should be punished to the fullest extent of our laws, and, we ALL deserve an apology from Obama on this.

So that people don't misunderstand me...

I don't think anyone involved in this deserves to be killed. However, I wouldn't be surprised if any soldier who's been in combat and made such sacrifices...only to be stolen from like this, to react with hostility. Nor would I be surprised if soldiers go AWOL.

Maybe the boys that sign up thinking that war will be "patriotic" and an adventure should undergo some counseling before they sign. Some of the thousands of soldiers now on disability for PTSD should meet with the would-be recruits and tell them about the effects of of going to a war zone. This should be required.

IT's time to seriously question this idea of a professional Military where it's money, money money. Money for this, money for that. Many recruiters are combat vets. 1,700 recruiters are on the list for arranging and taking kickbacks from the bonuses paid to their referring assistants. Sounds like the word spread among the recruiters. And so this contractor is part of the problem but enforcement told the one guy prosecuted to give his money back to the contractor ! IT's bad enough when the Bush/Chenny/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz contractors pillage and plunder the treasury, but when our much loved combat vets collude with citizens for a good old fashioned kickback scheme it gets too crazy. Pack 'em up and bring 'em home. Shut down these crazy wars - and stop getting in new ones.

Fat Cat and all others: Just do a Google search on "Military Industrial Complex" and read what Eisenhower had to say in his farewell speech from the White House, and he was a Republican, a U.S. President and a Military General. We now have proof of what he was talking about and it is bankrupting the country and turned our country into a land of "haves" and "have nots". If you are not in the 1%, then you are in the 99%, and the top are getting richer every day as the rest of us become like the dirt under their feet and try to survive on the leftover crumbs.

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132942244/ikes-warning-of-military-expansion-50-years-later

Here is a brief excerpt from that speech 51 years ago:

"On Jan. 17, 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower gave the nation a dire warning about what he described as a threat to democratic government. He called it the military-industrial complex, a formidable union of defense contractors and the armed forces.

Eisenhower, a retired five-star Army general, the man who led the allies on D-Day, made the remarks in his farewell speech from the White House.

As NPR's Tom Bowman tells Morning Edition co-host Renee Montagne, Eisenhower used the speech to warn about "the immense military establishment" that had joined with "a large arms industry."

Here's an excerpt:

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist."

IReadyYou, I agree it's time to pack them up and bring them home. We have not been able to learn from other countries' experience of fighting in Afghanistan where no country has ever been able to prevail over the tribal forces and the ruggedness of the country. Now we are having single individuals like the one over the weekend who went off the deep end and killed a whole bunch of innocents and has put the entire U.S. at risk of retaliation from the Taliban. It is time to get out and let the Taliban or other Afghani's run whatever they desire for their country, we CAN'T FIX IT!!!

Like it is said, "if we can't learn from history, WE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT!" Too bad we haven't learned from the lessons from other countries who tried in Afghanistan and failed. We are spending lives and money for a battle that cannot be "won".

J Camp, you are only watching Idol because of the rest of us. I hope you enjoy your freedom to hate us. Personally I can't say that I have ever raped, hated, joined gangs etc.

Nice stereotype though. Not even close, but nice.

The money only was to go to a service member or civilian for recruits he/she sent to a recruiter in the National Guard/Reserve.

It takes two to tango. In other words what likely happened is that the recruiter told friends that if they were the ones listed on the form to receive the bonus for a recruit who enlisted, the recruiter would split that money with the other person. Not only did the recruiter commit fraud, but also the person who was splitting the money with the recruiter.

Everyone except the criminal at the top that solicits the crime like Holder and Bloody Obama.

Mackie-4741671

Everyone except the criminal at the top that solicits the crime like Holder and Bloody Obama.

The bonuses were part of the Recruiting Assistance Programs, which started in 2005 as part of an effort to recruit more soldiers for the two wars.

Don't you mean Bush and Cheney?

mackie - you're the type of person that hates SO much that you can't even understand basic FACTS. Obama put a STOP to it. It started under Bush.

You can't impeach Bush, he's already out of office.

starbuck49

You can't impeach Bush, he's already out of office.

The funny thing is, over 95% of people do not know the meaning of "impeach".

Even most of the well educated and politically knowledgeable people do not know the definition of "imeach".

Hint; It does not mean remove from office in any way, shape or form.

Trivia Time - The only two presidents to ever get successfully impeached were Andrew Johnson (last before Lincoln), and Bill Clinton. Nixon was not impeached.

I am sorry you have this going on in your life right now. As far as supporting the military goes my small town does what we can. American Legion/VFW, Sons of the American Legion, fund raising going both ways-Legion always putting money out, the high school band spends many hours practicing and playing at the holidays. You are NOT forgotten! Peace to you and good luck.

It is not impossible, nor should it be, to fire or demote government employees for poor job performance, etc. It takes supervisors who have principles and guts to work with the system in place of verbal warning, written warning, etc. to demotion or firing. Depending on the egregiousness, this can be accomplished in a very short period of time, i.e., verbal and first written warning can be the same day. It does not have to take many months to get through the steps, but it does take supervisors who have integrity to weed out these employees with poor performance. It takes documentation, documentation, and more documentation!!!

Unfortunately, too many supervisors don't have that integrity and rather than do the responsible thing, they promote them or transfer them to another office where someone else will have the responsibility. This is how the "level of the 'cream of the crop' of inefficiency will 'rise to the top'." Too many people who have become supervisors were never born with a back bone to stand up for the right thing, instead they just take a "pass" and let someone else deal or not with the problem employees. Years ago I was a federal employee and for a couple of years was an EEO counselor, so I know the rules are in place, they just have to be applied!