Patricia Schroeder: “last June I asked the Secretary of Defense to answer a few questions about growing numbers of military personnel on loan…”

“last June I asked the Secretary of Defense to answer a few questions about growing numbers of military personnel on loan to Members of Congress under questionable circumstances. To date, I have not received a reply. Now I know why. They are too embarrassed. Pentagon officials have learned that the their haphazard and uncontrolled lending of military personnel to Hill offices violates Congressional ethics rules, not to mention DoD's own regulations. The situation is so bad DoD has admitted it has no idea how many military officers are working on the Hill. The estimates range from dozens to more than one hundred. Here are a few examples. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have magnanimously given the Speaker of the House four military officers to help him analyze votes. The training, salaries, and benefits for these officers cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet they are now doing political chores for the Speaker. Another Member of Congress has had an Army nurse on his staff for years. Some Members of Congress are actually calling the Pentagon and requesting specific officers by name. ``Can you send Captain Midnight up to my office to help out for a year?'' Pentagon leaders believe that by detailing staff up here they can ingratiate themselves with Members of Congress. In other words, the goal is to keep Members happy and grease the wheels for Defense appropriations.…”