More than $5 million in unauthorized “micro-purchases” were made with government charge cards by employees of the U.S. Southern Command from April 2012 to March 2013.

Government purchase cards are intended to be used only for purchases of approved merchandise under $3,000. Southern Command employees used the cards improperly nearly 6,000 times at a cost of $5.1 million, according to a Department of Defense inspector general report.