I bet I get at least a hundred emails a day. People send me stuff all the time. Cute stuff, funny stuff, serious stuff, sad stuff. Then there are the injured or sick soldiers and civilians needing help and the patriots who are sending information that needs to be forwarded. Then there are my readers comments. I try to respond to every one. Oh yeah…and I must be one of the luckiest people in the world because I win UK and on-line lotteries at least 3-4 times a day. I must also have a very trustworthy looking email address, because people are emailing me all the time wanting to transfer millions into my bank account. All I have to do is email my bank info. Hmmm
To find out what’s what so I can prioritize….I have to open the emails and read them. On most occasions there is always something that will make me laugh, make me cry or make me mad.
I got something this morning. (Thanks KRASH) As soon as I saw it, I thought of every “bottom of the KBR food chain” employee that tries every day to do the very best they can despite the sometimes insurmountable obstacles. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been there and I get it.
CLICK HERE This is a short 20 page Power Point presentation. (Just click “open with MS PowerPoint) I am not sure who D&P is. Email me if you do. Enjoy!
Ms Sparky
Ms Sparky;
That was so ‘spot on’ I think I pulled a muscle laughing. I think the other company is D&P (Daoud and Partners), the TCN/SCW/FN labor contractors
Ms Sparky’s Response:
No wonder they won. They had their slave labor! Aren’t they the ones who got the Nepalese killed? They told them they would be working in Jordan and then took their passports and drove them in. Got stopped by insurgents. 12 out of 13 I think were executed. And they sent the lone survivor into work for KBR. Bastards. They are being sued!
Oh hell yes!! No shit Ms Sparky. That is exactly what is wrong with Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan!! Too many KBR Chiefs. Thanks for the laugh.
Hoo Ra
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Yep…I think if KBR had to Dmob everyone from the middle east it would take a week just to get the managers out!
Nailed it. Thanks for the laugh. Funniest thing I read today….
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Glad you enjoyed it.
Too funny! Ain’t that the truth! If it weren’t for the damn managers around here, I could get my work done in less than half the time. It would be 100% correct and the client would be happy. But, doing it my bosses way, the client is never happy!
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I feel your pain!! It must cost more to make the client happy. That’s all I can figure.
Spot on!
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Spot on…spot off…spot on…spot off! Sorry I couldn’t help myself! Thanks
Spot on can we send this to the DOL and also to the Dept of State.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
You can send it to whomever you want!
How true this holds…..Like the highway workers 5 people standing around yelling orders and 1 working the shovel….
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Sounds like there is a “bad manager pandemic” spreading!
I think a large part was also the likely fact that 6 of the 7 first year rowers were sitting on their assets while the other did all the work and the second year rower was a buddy who knew he could sit Kick Back and Relax without penalty, until of course it made the buddies look bad.
This one never gets old
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I’ll bet you’re right!
Right on Ms Sparky. LOOOOOOOOL.
They did the same thing with Aramco & Dow after the got their largest project ever, Ras Tanura (God knows how they won it, may be after some years we’ll know how. How many years it took the world to know that they’re getting projects from Nigeria by way of Jack Stanly $180M) However, Aramco and Dow engineers shut them up and decided to give the project to other companies that prompted KBR to lay off masses of engineers.
I read all of your postings strictly for entertainment, and don’t get me wrong they are quite entertaining. However you tend to add a fictional spin that is truly amazing. I also realize that you and most that concur with you were probably terminated and are a bit disgruntled, and this is understandable to a point.
I will get to my point, keep my opinion to myself for now, and go with these facts. Of all the KBR Bashings you have posted you have yet to mention that everything that KBR and any other contractor does or plans to do must go through a process, that requires the Military customer, the Defense Contract Management Agency, The Contractor all to come together and agree on all aspects of the work, and then be approved by the Administrative Contracting Officer.
There are no companies in the world today that doesn’t have its share of issues, but in Government Contracting a company does no work, or spends any money without the APPROVAL, and Signature of a Government Representative.
So at the end of the day, if the Government approves the work, allocates the money, provides oversight of the money, and quality of work, and it doesn’t turn out like it should, then who is screwing the Taxpayer, the Contractor, or the Government?
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thank you for the compliment. I am pleased you claim to have read ALL my posting and find them entertaining. I know entertainment is limited for KBR Managers in Iraq. But, if you had read all my posts you would know I terminated my own employment at the end of two years and was NOT terminated by KBR, although I am sure I am no longer eligible for rehire. LOL. Although my first year sucked and my non-electrician electrical General Foreman was as ignorant and arrogant and they come, my second year and manager was great, he let me do my job correctly and the Government go their monies worth. I know…the question….”If it was so bad why did you stay?” I had a sense of patriotism and a determined commitment to myself to finish my year no matter what. And….we were getting hit with rockets and mortars several times everyday in 2004/2005. Plus I find it intriguing that so many people feel you must be a disgruntled terminated former employee to speak up. Actually, I speak up as a a disgruntled American taxpayer and an advocate for our soldiers and civilians that serve our country.
Second, if you had read ALL my posts then you would know that I hold the DCMA equally accountable for the FUBAR they created within LOGCAP. But….I ask you this, “at the end of the day” as you so aptly stated, is it 100% the Sheriff’s fault if you commit a crime and just because they didn’t catch and stop you before it happened you’re not guilty? We all know if you are determined to commit a crime there is little one can do to stop you. Just like KBR. If they were determined to violate their contract and hide those violations from the DCMA or the Contracting Officer, it would be difficult to stop. But it is evident the DCMA and the ACO could clearly have done much better at overseeing KBR’s and others contracts.
THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS!! The failures of all parties involved does not make any violations of the contract acceptable. Most notably:
1-Shoddy electrical work that kills and injures soldiers and civilians (some KBR) and destroys Millions in government property.
2-Delivering contaminated water to troops and civilians.
3-Burning perfectly good material in the burn pits, allegedly to order more. Burning new vehicles because they had no spare parts.
4-Knowingly exposing US Troops and civilians to known carcinogens at Qarmat Ali and who knows where else.
4-Serving expired food to troops and civilians.
5-Overcharging the DoD (taxpayers) for material, supplies and services. (See Senate DPC Hearings)
6-Handing out CAC cards to unauthorized individuals posing security risks at US Bases world wide.
I could go on and on….but I will let someone else chime in here. Any other insights? Any other contract violations someone want to list. Personal experiences? Disagree with me?? Let me have it!
Well put, although I am not a KBR Manager, not everyone that may disagree with you is a KBR Manager. There are always two sides to every story. Thanks for allowing me to state my opinion, and providing a mature, well written response.
I do enjoy your blog.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Feel free to state your opinion. Sometime we might even agree. Thanks for reading.
Well said Ms Sparky . . . and just to clarify again, my contract with KBR was not terminated either, and if I was physically able I would still be there.
The rumor mill was rampant with tales of overcharging the client and exorbitant “bonuses” being paid to management. DCMA and ACO could have had a better presence in country, and KBR could have put more experienced managers on the ground in country (or at least put managers with experience in the areas of their expertise).
Ms Sparky’s Response:
It would be nice if the at least the electrical management were electricians. MINE wasn’t!! What a loser!
Get A Life,
I too was not terminated by KBR. In response to “There are always two sides to every story”, KBR does not always put forth the entire side of their story.
You say that DCMA has to approve everything, well that is not true. KBR does not always get ACO/PCO approval on everything. Also, KBR has had problems where to keep from having to get Government Approval, they broke down the cost into multiple purchase orders that were under the required signature limit.
Also, have you seen where KBR employees have been convicted or plead guilty to fraud against the US Government? Even their CEO Jack Stanley has pleaded guilty to fraud.
In fact when one of the KBR Managers does one of the frauds with the subcontractor and takes a Kickback, every subcontract after the original is inflated.
I hope that you are just someone that likes to disagree and argue, and don’t really believe that KBR’s side of the story justifies the problems at this company.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
That’s right. I remember I was told when ordering to break it up into I think was $1500 orders. Thanks for the comment.
Having worked in Iraq & Kuwait for KBR nearly 3 years I can appreciate your forum. I voluntarily DEMOBed in ’06 after I realized enough-is-enough.
There were good times, bad times, times made bad by managements’ intervention, and as a result, many friends made along the way.
What always struck me as fascinating was how KBR never screened camp managers or trained them on people-building skills. If you were in a camp where the management lacked any since of civility, you were in for a rough time.
Other camps I visited were well organized and tight like one happy family. The differences were amazing!
It was my experience that many good people had the misfortune of being managed by poor leaders. The company simply did not seem to have anything in place to train management. I still find it amazing to this day that Americans would subject themselves to working, living, eating, and breathing under the direct
management of a KBR selected individual… A Camp God of sorts. Bequeathed with power from a major corporation, funded by the American Taxpayer, blessed, and deemed infallable in his/her mission by the US Army.
This must be why KBR mentally programs hired personnel (remember, your not an employee if your SEII
to sign a ridiculous contract where you wave away your rights to exist as a human and put your confidence in the arms of the In-Theatre Hillbilly Managers or their nut-job guidance councilors know as EAP.
My final assessment is that KBR provides “High Paying” pre-retirement employment opportunities to selected former Army Generals/Officers. “Cozy”.
KBR serves itself, before Country!
Ms Sparky’s Response:
You nailed that one. WELL SAID!!
I am a retired Army National Guard Soldier.I am an Iraqi Freedom Veteran 2005-2006.I understand everyones pain,but what i am trying to do is go back over there and make some money.I am realy haveing a hard time running back and forth to the VA and trying to pay bills.Is their anyone out there that can put me in contact with someone that can make that happen.I have tryed many web sites all i get is the runaround or they want to charge money.
To Get A LIFE
“The Contractor all to come together and agree on all aspects of the work, and then be approved by the Administrative Contracting Officer.”
In theory it should work like that but doesn’t.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Nothing seems to work like it is supposed to with regards to LOGCAP