Comments on: KBR Hires Criminals? Say It Isn’t So!!

By: Ms Sparky

Ms Sparky — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:22:27 +0000

I have sent you and email with the name of an attorney. I strongly urge to contact him. This locking people down and the threats and intimidating by KBR mangers is just getting to be too much! Let’s just give them another damn contract!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:59:09 +0000

I was locked in a room for two and one half hours by two supervisors. One supervisor threatened to take me outside the wire and have me killed.
You ask why; I witnessed KBR violating Federal Laws by letting foreign nationals drive US Army vehicles. One night I witnessed a foreign national wreck a vehicle. I was standing with a US Army Captain who is also a witness. KBR thought I reported the accident to the Military Police. I did not.
KBR had to get rid of me because I was a witness.

By: Justice4all

Justice4all — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:38:13 +0000

Definately agree with you Ms. Sparky, the fraud and abuse comes from the corporate bean counters because they need to “recheck” all the billing to the governement and submit the bills from the US. Of importance is the lack of oversight for the contractors in their billing practces.

There are definately some BAD APPLES among the employees but for the majority the men and women are just doing their job (what they are told to do by the corporate bean counters). The managers are usually direct employees of the bean counters/corporate evil does so they sometimes forget about the safety of their people and/or allow for fraudulent and dishonest activities.

By: Ms Sparky

Ms Sparky — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:37:48 +0000

I don’t categorize all KBR employees as bad employees. KBR has some outstanding craft and employees with integrity who truly want to support our troops. But when you say KBR is not at fault for the fraud waste and abuse then who. They are the ones who place these managers in positions of authority and keep them their. It is the Bill Bodies on down who steadfastly deny they have done anything wrong. I would have to say it is KBR the who is at fault and the majority of their employees are innocent bystanders.

I would like to talk to you more in detail about the instances you have described above. Please don’t leave names of these people in the comments. Please email me by clicking http://mssparky.com/contact-us/

I appreciate the fact that you tried to do the right thing and were punished for it. Many KBR employees are in the same boat. You can still make a difference.

By: Descency Warrior

Descency Warrior — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:23:02 +0000

Dear Miss Sparky I worked for KBR since the war in Bosnia, I witness how KBR employees not the Company perform criminal ativity against the military. Damage equipment and materials in purpose either to make additional profit or just because they were able to do it. I witnessed Managers abusing their roles by overspending their budgets or covering expenditures for the girl friends. There are two cases that call my attention a foreman from the electrical shop went to Turkey to buy generators for KBR. He took his family and his brother family on a nice stay in a beach resort paid expenses by the contractor selling the generators. Neverthless this guy was assigned as Assistant Projecr Manager and use the woman assigned to the camp for his personal leisure by using his role as supervisor. There was another guy working in the Safety Department, own two houses and was barely making the means to pay both houses however he was authorized by his supervisor to supplement his income by inflating his hours with overtime when he was sleping at home. Nevertless the abuse will continue after I complainted to the Supervisor and Project Manager. The decision was made to leave him working for the project and to continue commiting fraud a decision that pushed me to leave the company. There are many of you that accusse KBR for the wrong doings of their eloyees, is not KBR is the garbage that they hire for employees. There are many descent employess working for the organization also, so not all employees should be categorized for those few bad potatoes.
Thanks

By: mslgerman

mslgerman — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:05:24 +0000

Can anyone tell about working as a mail clerk down there or if I could get to Dubai instead of iraq? processing on 23feb10.

By: Ms Sparky

Ms Sparky — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:01:06 +0000

I’m a journeyman electrician licensed in Washington and Oregon. I’ve been in the trade 31 years now. I worked for KBR for two years in Baghdad.

By: BusinessASusual

BusinessASusual — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:45:03 +0000

This stuff is funny. Mssparky, what do you really know about the background of the electrical work being done or not being done? I am not an employee, I am a former employee at a camp in which a person was electrocuted. I was never an electrician, but I know the history first-hand.

By: mex

mex — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:55:35 +0000

I remember mike chaffee from Fob salerno what a buthead some cad members where dfac workers from kandahar in 04. they moved them around because they were useless no certification whatsoever thats the way it was. Not surprised and rehired wow thats the good olboy network at its best.

By: Agitato

Agitato — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:21:13 +0000

I was Knighted by Sir Arthur Lange.

By: Baboo Remembers

Baboo Remembers — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:27:39 +0000

Feudal law re: Fiefdom
In the European feudal system, military duties performed in return for tenures of land. The military service might be required for wars or expeditions or merely for riding and escorting services or guarding the castle. To obtain such service, a lord could either enfeoff (grant a fief to) one man for direct and personal service or enfeoff someone who would bring with him other knights. The number of knights supplied usually bore some relation to the size of the fief.

Has any anybody in KBR or the others been knighted or are they self appointed? I prefer to think of the chopping block instead.

By: local595

local595 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:20:20 +0000

Well said Barry. Too many of those that are upset are not willing to stand up to those in charge. That is a shame and if this ‘silent majority’ remains truly silent then those in charge remain in charge and things continue on as they are now.

By: Barry

Barry — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:11:58 +0000

I have to take Issue with the ‘bitch and moan’ thing.Free citizens of a democratic society have every right to work in an environment free from abuse,harassment and intimidation.The people outside the wire shooting rockets and dropping mortars down on our heads were one thing I was prepared for-the prison mentality pervasive inside the camps was not something I would have believed had I not experienced It first hand.

We live in a free society,not a totalitarian police state,not the mini fiefdoms I saw while overseas.I thank God people are being held accountable.Speaking out is our right.It’s alot easier to blame the person with the courage to stand up and speak out than to try and correct a warped,rotten culture of see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil….

By: Ms Sparky

Ms Sparky — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:17:29 +0000

Yes…you are correct. People can just take it or leave and shut up and put up. But one thing to keep in mind. These are NOT privately funded contractors. These contractors are paid for by US tax dollars and they are supposed to be taking care of our soldiers….our husbands and wives…our children. We can either keep our mouths shut about what is going on or we can voice our observations and experiences for others to compare and share. You can either be a member of the silent majority or work together to force effective change. Either way the choice is an individual one.

By: Agitato

Agitato — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:24:38 +0000

I know as much about KBR and DI as anyone on this blog. I bitch and moan, too.

But don’t forget that we can quit and go home anytime something happens that we don’t like, is unjust, crooked, inefficient, just plain dumb…whatever.

No one is forcing us to stay.

By: Baboo Remembers

Baboo Remembers — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:54:44 +0000

Finally, someone has spoken the truth. Most of the staff probably doesn’t have a degree to start with. I have noticed Management likes to keep “eye candy” with distance. I don’t know these two but that was that standard rule. This is a dis-service to qualified women engineers. I can even say I know of Iraq KBR site manager who used his stateside contacts instead of the staff for the more serious projects.

By: FYI

FYI — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:42:41 +0000

There were several unlicensed folks proclaiming themselves as engineers on the Project, some have engineering degrees but do not qualify for the license and there were some that couldn’t spell the word engineer but are supreme A$$ kissers. Amber H. and Dana H. come to mind. The PE governing body can sanction and fine a company for this but nothing can be done until someone documents and reports it to them, each state has a chapter and the professional engineers licensing organization does take this seriously.

By: Baboo Remembers

Baboo Remembers — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:32:35 +0000

It’s nice know someone out there has the “huevos” to talk about Lushinger. KBR was well known for hiring non-licensed engineers after the ones who had credentials left. They also rehired some so-called “Cad Designers” from the A-Stan project. One of which was terminated for drinking at FOB Salerno…Mike Chaffee from Alaska was name. What a thieving hack. I was also informed maybe 3 of the 20 Cad Designers in the Iraqi could actually be called designers. More Hacks! If you have wondered about the poor design quality aside from the sub standard construction, now you know. I would hesitant of using the term “real engineers” unless they can produce the certification or a wet stamp. Stationary and Combat Engineers don’t count either in the real world as P.E.’s.

By: RobertA

RobertA — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:24:53 +0000

Ms Sparky,
I also have worked and spent 4 years in Iraq and 1 year in Afghanistan with KBR.
I have many bad and some good things to say about them.
About Bob Sacamano’s remarks; Either he has never worked for them or was in one of the BLIND EYE managers.
I, as do thousands of others understand what your motivation for this website is. To have the TRUTH come out.
I have worked as a supervisor and above since I was hired. I can not tell you how many times I was taken to HR for counsleing for refusing to do shoddy work. I have never had a problem with the saying ” like hell we are going to do it like that”.
Always caused me grief but my team always respected me for that.
I have also worked with all of the other foreign nationals including local nationals.
A mojority of those personal are some of the greatest guys (and we stay in contact) but just like EX PATS there are some real loosers.
I now work for Fluor and am very satisfied wth the way they do business. They have REAL engineers that ask the guys in the field and have weekly telecom links for EVERYONE to join in from the field with the engineers in Greenville.
I have friends (Expats and TCN’s) that went to work for Dyncorp and were sent to Kandahar AFG.
) in the Same dept are DEMOBing Monday over the pay issue.
In other departments (with Dyncorp) at KAF they are looseing 3 to 5 personal this next week and no telling how many will follow suit in the near future.
I have friends that are working for ITT and they love it.
KBR needs and is warranted the BAD RAP they have got for they have earned it.
I also know that it is not just the LEESVILLE gang because if you are a former Marine and are in Afghanistan then Jim Luchsinger will put you right in a management position even though you have no qualification.
Every Company has its own set of problems and alot of the same problems. It all comes down to people working as a TEAM from managment on down.
SF 85 comment;
The Army contracting office set up the mandatory SF85 and SF 86 for all contractors.
Yes, it is true they only go back 7 years but this is part of the background investation is done by the FBI and not the company you work for. This is a new process that was implemented for LOGCAP 4. It is a long drawn out process for the system has many bugs in it right now just as any new system does. The FBI snail mails an inquire to everyone that you put down for a referance and then it all depends when they get them all back before they check with the local law inforcement and sheriffs dept.
Just from your SSN they can tell everything about you (and don’t think it is NOT in their system either — BIG BROTHER WATCHING)and they even look at your credit rating.
That makes it bad if you are a EXPAT living in another country (I live in Turkey).
They already know almost everything about you but this is the process that was set forth so a paper-work trail is in a file somewhere.
It does not matter if you had a security clearance or not — New rules say that every new/old personal will have a new one done. This means that if you worked for KBR and took a new job with either Dyncorp or Fluor that after your 1st R&R you will have to report to the company recruting center and go through the process. That is not to say that the company can not have put in your SF 85 or 86 and all of the other nessessary paperwork so you are not stuck ?n the USA and really screw up your taxes.

By: Baboo Remembers

Baboo Remembers — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:54:40 +0000

Bob Sacamano;

The thing about KBR background checks is they only go back seven years in your state of residence and KBR never calls to verify one’s past employmet. Recuiters by law are not supposed to ask certain questions;only Dates of employment, Salary and would you consider re-hiring this individual.

If the former emplyoyer chooses to talk then so be it.The Wabi test was supposed to supplement this, of course KBR stopped this practice more than once because of the exceptionally high failure rateamong its applicants.