General accused of habitual unauthorized spending

WASHINGTON -- The four-star general who headed U.S. Africa Command used military vehicles to shuttle his wife shopping and to spas, and billed the government for a refueling stop overnight in Bermuda, where the couple stayed in a $750 suite, a Defense Department investigation revealed.

A 99-page report details excessive unauthorized spending and travel costs for Gen. William "Kip" Ward, including lengthy stays at lavish hotels for Ward, his wife and his staff members, and the use of five-vehicle motorcades when he traveled to Washington. It also said that Ward and his wife, Joyce, took a trip during which they accepted dinner and Broadway show tickets from a government contractor, went backstage to meet actor Denzel Washington and spent the night, with several staff members, at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

The report by the Defense Department's inspector general was obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

One incident involved Joyce Ward asking a staff member to go buy her a bag of "dark chocolate Snickers" bars, saying the general would provide "a couple of dollars" for it.

Ward, who is facing possible demotion for his activities, defended the Bermuda layover as a "crew stop" and blamed his staff for making the decision to stay there rather than flying on to Stuttgart, Germany-based Africa Command. His comments were included in the report.

Ward conducted official travel for primarily personal reasons and misused military aircraft, the inspector general's report said. It said he also received reimbursement for travel expenses that far exceeded the approved daily military rate without approval.

In one case, his request to use military aircraft for a personal trip was denied, so he abruptly changed the trip to an official one, adding a quick meeting, and went anyway.

During an 11-day trip to Washington, Ward spent one day visiting wounded soldiers, had a 90-minute meeting on another day and a State Department meeting on a third day but billed the Pentagon more than $129,000 to cover the daily hotel and other costs for him, his wife and 13 civilian and military staff.

The report concluded he did no other official business during that trip.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to make a decision on Ward's fate before the end of the month.