Ben Freeman
Ben Freeman
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Ben Freeman is a National Security Investigator at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). He specializes in Department of Defense personnel issues, weapons procurement, and the impact of lobbying by foreign governments on U.S. Foreign policy. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, on National Public Radio, and in numerous other media outlets. Additionally, he has utilized his expertise testifying before the Senate and as an instructor in the School of Security and Global Studies at American Military University, where he teaches research methods and analytics.

Prior to joining POGO, Dr. Freeman earned a Ph.D. in political science from Texas A&M University, where he was also an instructor in the Political Science Department and the Bush School of Government and Public Service. He recently completed a book on lobbying by foreign governments in the U.S. titled The Foreign Policy Auction, which is scheduled for release this spring.

Blog Entries by Ben Freeman

The Pentagon's Weapon Programs: Delivering Less, Later, for More Money

0 Comments | Posted April 6, 2012 | 8:57 AM

The cost of the Department of Defense's (DoD) major acquisition programs grew by $74.4 billion in the past year and now totals more than $1.58 trillion, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. And, this $74.4 billion is just a fraction of the overall cost growth...

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Paul Ryan's Profligate Pentagon Plan

0 Comments | Posted March 20, 2012 | 2:44 PM

Cross-posted on POGO's blog.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveiled his fiscal year 2013 budget this morning, which, as The Hill writes, "would shield the Pentagon from nearly $500 billion in automatic cuts and roll back some of the $487 billion reduction approved in last year's Budget Control...

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Fear and Loathing In the Pentagon Budget

60 Comments | Posted February 17, 2012 | 9:15 PM

Since President Obama released his FY2013 budget request on Monday, proponents of Pentagon waste and inefficiency have been working overtime to frame this 1 percent reduction in Pentagon spending as "dangerous," "a jobs-killer," and leading to a "hollow-force." What this grandiose rhetoric lacks in truth, it makes up for in...

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The Hidden Costs of Star Creep: Generals Making More in Retirement Than in Service

22 Comments | Posted February 9, 2012 | 7:15 AM

The cost of our nation's top-heavy military -- which now features a historically large proportion of generals and admirals, a trend called Star Creep -- doesn't end when these top officers retire. Indeed, top generals and admirals can make even more in retirement than they do on active duty, as...

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