Allegations of Wasteful Spending at the Naval Air Station, Lemoore, CA

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed allegations of wasteful spending at a naval air station. GAO was asked to determine: (1) whether the Navy spent over $4000 for furniture which was placed in a house and used by a Navy official for a single night, (2) how often the aforementioned house had been used before the official's visit and whether it has been used since that visit, and (3) whether new carpeting had been installed in the officers' club for the visit and, if so, the cost of that carpeting.

GAO found that the Navy used stored officer quarters furniture to furnish a house for the official's visit. The furniture had been stored for quarters that were undergoing or were scheduled for renovation. A three-bedroom officer housing unit, 1 of 110 officer housing units at the base, was used to lodge the visitor. The house was last vacated in October 1981 and, from that time until January 1982, it underwent renovation as part of a program to renovate most of the family housing units on the base. The house has not been used since the official's visit due to a lack of demand for officer housing. When a demand develops, it will be used for that purpose. Finally, GAO found that a 12-by-18 foot piece of carpet was purchased to recarpet the bandstand in the ballroom of the officers' club. Public works officials said that the repairs were clearly routine maintenance work that would have taken place regardless of any visits or other actions.