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Public funds, public records

Defense Secretary Robert Gates didn’t take long to act after he learned the military pays up to $440 an hour for advice from retired generals and admirals who also work for defense contractors.

He ordered a cap on what the Pentagon pays “senior mentors” and required them to disclose their business ties. He also required public financial disclosure of those who worked more than 60 days a year and collected more than $119,554, USA Today reported.

In July, three months after Gates directed greater transparency in the mentor program, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn unveiled a policy that requires only “private” financial disclosure. The Pentagon says the policy rollback is based on advice by the Office of Government Ethics. Maybe, but it is counter to the best interests of both the American taxpayer and the Defense Department. Pentagon expenditures account for more than 20 percent of all federal spending — taxpayers have a right to know where their money is going.

Letting senior mentors who draw paychecks from defense giants keep their business ties and Pentagon financial arrangements secret undermines public trust, which is invaluable and essential to continued support for defense programs and operations. There may indeed be a need to draw on the expertise of career generals and admirals, but it should be obtained only through publicly accountable agreements. The Pentagon could, for example, extend their active-duty service or create civilian positions for them.

Allowing retired military brass to collect their pensions, work for defense firms and collect undisclosed Pentagon payouts smells bad — and that’s because it is a rotten practice.

Legislators are looking at making public disclosures by DoD senior mentors a federal law. They should do that as quickly as possible.