Behind the Pentagon's doctored ledgers, a running tally of epic waste that Reveals $8.5 Trillion is Missing From the Pentagon's Budget\. A review of multiple reports from oversight agencies in recent years shows that the Pentagon also has systematically ignored warnings about its accounting practices. chronic failure to keep track of its money- how much it has, how much it pays out and how much is wasted or stolen.This is the 2nd in a series in which Reuters delves into the Defense Department’s inability to account for itself. The 1st article examined how the Pentagon’s record-keeping dysfunction results in widespread pay errors that inflict financial hardship on soldiers and sap morale.