VIRGINIA BEACH
Maj. Gen. Robert Newman and his wife, Becky, found little but the location to like about the state-owned cottage at Camp Pendleton.
Dust billowed from the mattresses and pillows. Linens had not been replaced in more than a decade. The furniture evoked the Harry Byrd era. "This place was disastrous," Newman said.
It was also Newman's responsibility as the newly appointed adjutant general of the Virginia National Guard. The cottage is the modest, yet official, Camp Pendleton residence for the state's top National Guard officer.
A few weeks after their visit in February 2006, Becky Newman, armed with a state credit card, swung through the aisles of Hecht's, Target, and Bed, Bath & Beyond to hunt for curtains, bedspreads and sundry items.
The shopping spree may have brightened the five-bedroom cottage, but not everyone agreed with the Newmans' design scheme.
A whistle-blower alerted state investigators about the purchases and overall use of the property. In late July, state investigators found that the Newmans had improperly spent $3,600 in state funds.
Investigators faulted the general for allowing his wife, who is not a state employee, to spend nearly $2,000 with the state credit card, and for paying $1,600 for a new fence for a dog walk and picnic area.
Investigators also said Newman shouldn't have stored a family motorboat at a base facility without reimbursing the state.
Newman's boss, Secretary of Public Safety John Marshall, directed him in a July 24 memo to ensure that future purchases made with state funds meet state guidelines. He also ordered Newman to remove his personal boat from a garage on the property. He was not charged a boat storage fee.
In an interview at his Richmond office Friday, Newman apologized. "Tallyho. I got it," he said. "I'm a better state employee for this."
He said the fence was erected to keep migrating birds - mostly Canada geese - from fouling the grounds around the cottage. Investigators believe it was primarily used to keep the general's dog on the property. Dogs are otherwise banned from Camp Pendleton, with few exceptions.
Newman said his wife's use of a state credit card was due to his unfamiliarity with state rules governing purchases. The 17-foot motor boat, used primarily by his two adult children, has been removed, he said.
The Virginian-Pilot obtained a copy of the complaint filed anonymously with the State Employee Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline. Investigators from the State Internal Auditor's office found complaints about Newman's personnel decisions and other improvements to the base to be unsubstantiated.
Camp Pendleton is a 320-acre oceanfront reserve owned by the National Guard and used primarily to train small Guard units on weapons and tactics. Virginia guardsmen, as well as active-duty troops, have trained at Camp Pendleton since World War I. The base has about 1,200 feet of shoreline, and military families can rent cottages and trailers near the ocean. It also has state-owned residences for the governor and adjutant general.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine appointed Newman, a two-star general in the Air National Guard, to the post in January 2006. Newman had earlier served as deputy assistant homeland security adviser to Gov. Mark Warner.
The white, low-slung cottage on Lake Christine suffered from years of neglect, Newman said. "It's a good-sized house, but hardly pretentious," he said.
But Newman saw a diamond in the rough. He planned to fix up the home to use for official retreats, functions and receptions to boost the National Guard's profile with state and local officials.
Carroll Thackston, who held the post from 1994 to 1998, said past Guard leaders paid out of their own pockets for improvements to the property. For example, Thackston said, he spent about $900 for a satellite dish during his tenure. The state paid to wire the house, which still remains in place, he said. When Thackston left state government, he took the dish to his personal vacation home.
Newman said he will continue to use the cottage for official business and weekend trips. The fence and new sets of curtains, linens and sundry household items will remain state property.
"I can understand guys making these complaints," he said. "These are perceptions. I've become smarter."
Louis Hansen, (757) 446-2322, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com
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Rebuttal to the Whistle Blower
The cottage in question at the State Military Reservation, Camp Pendleton at Virginia Beach is one of the few immenities available to the Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard. Like our Commander-in-Chief, the Governor of Virginia, who also has a fine modern cottage at Camp Pendleton, this is a perk. I am amazed that the Post Commander of Camp Pendleton, also a retired Virginia Guard Officer, would let his boss be put in such unfavorable light! After all, he is charged with keeping both the cottages in question in a high state of repair. It should not have been left to the wife of the Adjutant General to do minor repair and interior decoration! Shame on you Post Commander for letting your boss take a heat round for something that you should have covered!!
People! Get with it! It's not about the money!
It's about proper procedures and state law. State money is supposede to be spent after competitive pricing. Amount doesn't matter. No wonder the State is a Billion in debt! That's State money. Not federal. Navy and Army Generals spend huge amounts of $ on their residences. But, it's done by the numbers. This is not a permanent residence. It's a beach house. Much more money could be spent on this house if proper procedures are followed. State purchasing laws should apply to everyone, regardless of rank or position. It's not about money! Tallyho!!
Non-Issue
In the spectrum of wrong doings, this is nothing. At worst an honest mistake. Move on.
To the people saying "this is no big deal"
Please tell me how one attains the rank of Maj. Gen. and not know the appropriate procurement methods? And to give an answer "Tallyho?". Remember people, count your pennies and your dollars will follow.
broke the rules...
Doesn't seem to be any nefarious intent. Slap his hand and move on. This is small potatoes - military members make fraudulent purchases virtually every day for much more money than this. Doesn't make headlines because they're not generals.
You've got to be kidding...
$3,200 is cheap compared to how others of his rank live. Take Admiral’s Row on the Naval Base. A 4-star lives in the Virginia House, a HUGE historic house large enough for a family of 8 or more. He lives there, alone. He & past residents have people that clean his house, cook his food, mow his lawn, etc., and I’m sure it costs more than that per month. The power bill alone easily tops $1,000/month. Never mind the high-maintenance of such an old building. I’ve been in this and 2 other houses doing comms installs and have been blown away by the luxury & amount of $$ that’s wasted. That’s not to say a person of this rank isn’t entitled to privileges, but to go after a general officer for $3,200 to fix up a rat-trap is insane.
What's the problem?
I don't get the flap over the boat. If the boat had been paid for with that government credit card, I could see being upset - but that it was stored in his garage - who really cares?
I first thought Mrs. General was doing a personal shopping trip on the government card, but then realized these are items that will stay with the house. Is the problem because she did the shopping rather than the general? I'm sure he doesn't have enough to do and would much rather spend his time deciding if chintz or silk would be more appropriate in the living room.
The fence, while perhaps not necessary, is an upgrade to the property. It was suggested that he should pay for it out of his own funds - would he be able to take it with him like the other general did his sattelite dish when he leaves?
sheeesh
I remember the New President of Norfolk STATE University spending hundreds of THOUSANDS of $$$ to renovate the Residence on Campus.
So $3200 is frugal.
I don't see an issue
What's the big deal? It was a dump and a few bucks were needed to get it in condition to move in. Don't we have better things to worry about? At the very most reprimand these folks and move on. We don't need sanctions on this minor issue. We need these people.
Didn't know the rules
Says something about these "top officials" when they don't know the rules regarding a government issued credit card. Secondly, I furnished and entire condo including beds, frames, living room furn, HD wall mount TV, kitchen appliances, dishes, etc., pots and pans - everything necessary for about $8,000. The wife spent 2 grand on linens, curtains and the like. Please. His comments are smug and elitist...Tallyho indeed.
John L.
Good comment. I well remember a day in the late 80's on Patch Barracks in Germany when our new four star held a town hall meeting and was told of the transient troops (staying at Patch, headed for other ultimate bases) who were sleeping on bare mattresses in the barracks. He called for his driver right after the meeting and conducted a "surprise" inspection of the barracks. Heads rolled after that. I must say that not all four stars I have known showed his intestinal fortitude, but I was always blessed by the occasional one who truly looked after his troops, down to E-1. Cheers, MGM (I know, I know, NCO's are supposed to look after the E-1's, but sometimes, as in this case, someone needs to ensure they are doing their job, too)
Proves Governor Kaine Doesn't care about the military afterall
If Kaine did, he wouldn't let this sorry state of affairs exist. This is for a major general--imagine how they treat a private!
I don't think
its unreasonable at all. All residences need fixing up once in awhile, sheets and curtains aren't the same as a satellite dish. It doesn't seem like any fraud to me. Same with keeping the boat there. Seems petty. The fence. Hmmm if to keep his dog in, then he should have paid for it. And I agree, if the gov't was in charge of fixing it up, would probably have spent 3 times as much for the same thing.
Thank you!
Thanks to the MG and his wife for fixing this place up on their own. All the State had to pay for was the cost of materials. Imagine the cost to the State if the National Guard would have let a Contract to upgrade the place! I'm guessing at least five times the cost!
$3,600
A drop in a bucket compared to what our state legislators waste on crap on a daily basis. The facilities at Pendleton are worse than slums. The buildings haven't had any upgrading since WWII when they were built.
They needed a fence. A friend of mine once, quite some years ago, got all drunked up and cut donuts on the lawn with his wife's brand new car.
$3,600 fer cryin out loud, probably 1/10 of what it costs to fly Bush to Texas and back.
Give the General a break!
It would help raise the profile of the National Guard to fix the house up a little. The National Guard needs to give the City of Virginia Beach back our land! That base has no training value or importance anymore. It's just a cheap vacation spot for all the top brass. What a waste of tax payers money. Give it back and get it back on the tax rolls!
BETTER USE OF INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS
If the government would go after WIC and welfare fraud with the same ferver, maybe we would not have that much of a budget crunch.
Good Idea - Poor Execution
The general and his wife were right to want to fix up the old rat trap that was touted as his on base quarters. He should have requested the base do the job and keep his credit card out of it. It should have been the base's responsibility in the first place to keep the place liveable.
Our state officials need to be really careful w/ their spending habits on the state dollar since the flap with the safari.
frivolous
I'm a VA tax payer so I feel, unlike other posters here, that I have a real opinion in this matter...
The boat part is ridiculous, but overall they should have known better.
In real estate exchanges, things like curtains and such are not part of the "property" unless so stated in writing in the sales contract. This is basically a rental; hence, those items should have been funded through the proper means or private means. Further, property improvements (fencing) most likely must be approved via the VA Guard or whom ever the custodian of the property happens to be.
Now, I must assume they are staying in this "cottage" free, while drawing a State salary.. So, this sounds like blatent abuse of authority...
Good going on the whistle blower!
If the State wanted this to
If the State wanted this to be an official residence then it should have been fixed up. How much money are we talking about here? Clearly, there is no abuse of State funds. Better yet, if the State is not willing to pay for the upkeep, then eliminate the perk. Government at its best again!