Security Assistance; and Logistics - Federation of American Scientists

The MoD provided an increased allocation of funding for LSSR in a phased manner.They also increased the paycheck of the individual soldier by an amount believed to besufficient to cover the expenses of basic life support services (food and water). 22 Theunit to which the soldier was assigned would then keep a large portion of this increase inpay, and the unit would be responsible for providing the food for the soldiers.The MoD formed committees to audit the funds used to pay for the food and services andto evaluate the quality of food and life-support services provided to the soldiers.Funding Base Operating ExpensesAfter visiting two Location Commands it was evident that the transition to Iraqi selfreliance was generally succeeding, although the quality of food provided for the Iraqisoldier was reportedly less substantial than had been provided under the contractedsystem. Of greater concern, however, was the lack of uniform financial resourcesavailable for the Location Commands to properly carry out their support mission fortenant units. At both Location Commands we visited, there were significant shortfalls inelectrical power generation, food, water, sewage treatment, mortuary affairs, and fuel.Under the LSSR, the MoD provided to each tenant unit a set amount of money per soldierassigned to that unit. A portion of that money was supposed to then have been given tothe Location Command in order to pay for those life support functions that the tenant unitcould not provide. At Taji National Depot, the Location Command collected moneyfrom all units and ran a centrally supported logistical operation for life support. At theKirkush Military Training Base (KMTB), however, the tenant units kept most of the dailyfunds, providing for their own life support in a decentralized fashion.Both the Taji Location Command and the KMTB Location Command support a largenumber of tenant units, including IA training centers and IA Divisions. Most of thetenant units were stove-piped to the MoD and outside the Location Command chain ofcommand. Organizationally, the Location Command had no real influence on the tenantunits when it came to collecting the Location Command’s share of the monthly stipendpaid to the tenant commanders for life support and base infrastructure. There was anadditional perception by the Location Command commanders that the numbers ofpersonnel assigned to the tenant unit commands were misreported to the MoD andLocation Command. With the system currently in place, the tenant commands weresuspected of reporting a larger number of assigned personnel to the MoD in order toreceive more funds, while at the same time reporting a smaller number of personnel to theLocation Command. This would result in the tenant unit keeping extra life support fundsfor its personnel, a possible source of corruption, while simultaneously providing theLocation Command fewer funds than that needed to provide life support services for theactual number of military members on the base.cleaning, supplies, security, facilities and equipment maintenance, morale items, sanitation and wasteremoval, mortuary services, and electric power.22 5000 Iraqi Dinar per day, or 150,000 Iraqi Dinar per month.90