A four-star US general used military vehicles to shuttle his wife to a spa and billed the government for a refuelling stop in Bermuda and a £480 hotel room there, an investigation has found.
A 99-page report said General William 'Kip' Ward, who was the first head of US Africa Command and holds the American army's highest rank, also used five-vehicle motorcades when he travelled to Washington.
The findings follow a 17-month Defence Department investigation, which alleges excessive unauthorised spending and travel costs for Gen Ward, including lengthy stays at lavish hotels for him, his wife and his staff members.
It also said Gen Ward and his wife, Joyce, accepted dinner and Broadway show tickets from a government contractor during a trip, went backstage to meet actor Denzel Washington - before they and several staff members spent two nights at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Another alleged incident involved Joyce Ward asking a staff member to go and buy her a bag of "dark chocolate Snickers" bars, saying the general would provide "a couple of dollars" for it.
The inspector general's report said: "We conclude Gen Ward engaged in multiple forms of misconduct related to official and unofficial travel.
"He conducted official travel for primarily personal reasons and misused military aircraft."
It said he also misused his position and his staff's time and received reimbursement for travel expenses that far exceeded the approved daily military rate without approval.
Gen Ward is facing possible demotion for his activities and could be forced to pay the government back.
In comments throughout the report, Gen Ward defended the spending, saying his wife performed official duties on all the trips.
But investigators, who scrutinised emails, calendar entries and other documents, disagreed. Gen Ward also said he was unaware that the person who gave him dinner and theatre tickets in New York was a defence contractor.
He insisted the Bermuda layover - where hotel rooms for him and his staff cost almost £6,500 - was necessary as a "crew stop".
He also blamed his staff for making the decision to stay there rather than flying on to Africa Command's base in Stuttgart, Germany.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to make a decision on the fate of Gen Ward - who stepped down as head of Africa Command in 2011, with the intention of retiring - before the end of the month.
