Pentagon Building Security Chief Is Accused of Abusing His Authority

The chief protector of Defense Department facilities in the Washington area abused his authority and some of his subordinates by taking improper advantage of the agency firing range, golf tournaments and meal service and by granting an unmerited promotion, according to an inspector general report made public on Monday.

Steven Calvery, a veteran of the Army, Secret Service and several departments who became director of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency in 2006, came under heavy criticism in the IG report completed last February but only released this week with ample material redacted.

Auditors, who were tipped off by two anonymous hotline complaints from the Force Protection Agency, found that Calvery violated the Joint Ethics Regulation by providing non-agency employees with access to the agency firing range, weapons and two instructors; by requiring subordinates to bring him lunch and coffee (though Calvery paid for the food himself); and by giving employees leave for golf tournaments in 2009 and 2010. He further abused his authority, the report found, by giving a promotion “based on their relationship rather than the subordinate’s experience or scope of responsibilities,” which in turn denied the opportunity to three other subordinates.

The IG recommended that the agency recoup the costs of Calvery’s actions.

In his response, Calvery told investigators he “sought appropriate guidance from his staff and the annual golf tournament was a team-building event for [the Pentagon Force Protection Agency] and other partner organizations.” He said the leave for the tournament was given only to four employees, and said he never coerced his subordinates into fetching him coffee or lunch. He denied that the promotion was given for reasons other than merit.

A Pentagon spokesman said Calvery would have no further comment.

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