Stars & Stripes, America Supports You affiliation ending amid IG audit

Stripes, America Supports You affiliation ending
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, November 6, 2007


ARLINGTON, Va. — Stars and Stripes is parting ways with America Supports You, the Defense Department program that gives publicity to groups supporting U.S. servicemembers.

The decision, disclosed Friday by Stripes acting publisher Max Lederer, comes amid a DOD Inspector General’s office audit of Stripes’ expenditures related to America Supports You.

“My understanding at this point is that the program is in transition, and that OSD/PA (Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs) is going to go a different direction with it and that Stripes’ participation will come to an end in the upcoming months,” Lederer said.

He expected the relationship to end within six months.

Founded in 2004, America Supports You is a DOD program that gives publicity to nonprofit groups that support U.S. troops and tries to connect troops to those organizations.

Stripes has served as a conduit for money used to fund America Supports You, according to a Stripes official speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak on the issue. A DOD spokesman said that Stripes was fully reimbursed for all expenses.

The IG review of America Supports You has prompted an audit of American Forces Information Service, including Stars and Stripes, and Defense Department public affairs to see whether “management has established proper segregation of duties and effective internal controls,” according to a letter from the inspector general’s office.

more...

http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50059