» 2009 » April Ms Sparky

AIG on ABC’s 20/20

Posted on: April 16th, 2009 at 10:33 am — by Ms Sparky

AIG is the Defense Base Act (DBA) workers compensation insurance carrier for the Government. Basically they are supposed to cover you if you get hurt. For everyone who thinks AIG will take care of their loved ones or themselves if they are injured overseas has got to watch this special report on Friday April 17th at 10pm EST on ABC’s 20/20. I knew it was coming out, I just didn’t know when…. glad to see someone blowing the whistle on AIG and telling the stories of those battling them.

Blind Amputee Has to Fight AIG for New Plastic Leg, Wheelchair

While Executives Get Bonuses, John Woodson Gets “Cheapest They Could Get Away With”

By AVNI PATEL and BRIAN ROSS
April 16, 2009

An Oklahoma man who lost an eye and a leg in Iraq says the giant insurance company AIG refused to provide him a new plastic leg and fought to keep from paying for a wheelchair or glasses for the eye in which he has 30 percent vision.

“They bought the cheapest thing that they could get away with,” said 51-year old John Woodson, a truck driver for the KBR contracting firm who lost his leg when his truck hit a roadside bomb in Iraq.

“Everything’s been a struggle, a constant fight,” said Woodson, injured in Oct. 2004. “It’s been hell since.”

Watch 20/20 Friday at 10pm E.T. to see this joint investigation involving the Los Angeles Times and Pro Publica, a non-profit investigative group.

Woodson is covered by AIG under a government-mandated program that provides medical and disability benefits for employees working for U.S. contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. AIG covers about 90 percent of the claims for overseas workers.

Woodson is one of a number of injured contractors whose alleged difficulties with AIG were examined in the joint investigation.

AIG said it could not discuss any specific case, but that it strives to provide “quality” care.

“We think we’re helping the military with out insurance program,” said AIG executive John Russo.

In Woodson’s case, when his fuel truck hit the hidden bomb outside Baghdad, he was blown through the roof of his cab and thrown about a hundred feet away, also damaging his back and breaking his pelvis.

Woodson says he was told by an AIG representative in the hospital that he would be fully covered by AIG, but that when he returned home, he quickly discovered AIG was prepared to challenge almost all of his medical needs.

AIG Refused to Buy Him a New Leg, Woodson Says

“I’ve had to argue for everything, you constantly stay on the phone, writing letters, e-mailing, trying to get things to happen,” Woodson said.

To cushion the impact on his injured back and pelvis, Woodsen asked AIG for a new plastic leg with a spring in the foot.

“It was just so painful just to walk,” Woodson said.

He says AIG refused to buy him a new leg, which he says would have cost about $8,000.

AIG also refused, he said, to provide him a water-proof leg so he could remain standing and take a shower.

U.S. military amputees are normally provided three different legs, to cover a full range of walking, showering and exercising.

In the end, Woodson says he thinks it was pressure from his lawyer and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that forced AIG to finally provide an improved leg, with replacement parts, but not a new one as his doctor had ordered.

Woodson’s lawyer, Toby Cole, says he sees a pattern of AIG “delaying and denying” claims from contractors injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s difficult for me to think it’s anything but a concentrated effort just to ignore these guys,” said Cole.

In its statement, AIG says the “vast majority” of claims are “paid without dispute when the proper supporting medical evidence has been received.”

More than 30,000 contractors have filed claims for injuries suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 1,400 have died. (Click HERE to read original article and watch short video)

Posted in DBA-AIG. Tags: DBA-AIG. 21 Comments »

KBR Says “You’re Fired”

Posted on: April 15th, 2009 at 10:01 am — by Ms Sparky

Yesterday KBR issued a Blue Border Communication entitled Personnel Alignment and Reduction (PAR) outlining KBR’s alignment with the DoD’s reduced mission requirements in Iraq. Click HERE to read that.

The very first statement in the memo is making my BS detector go off! Here it is: “As we continue our commitment to transparency on the LOGCAP III project….” Is anyone else screaming “bull sh*t!”

You’re Fired!! Window or Aisle, Chicken or Pasta!! At will contract!! Bye Bye now!! In other words….KBR is sending expats home. I’ve heard rumors that there are people in tents at BTC waiting to DMOB. Can anyone confirm that?

In the construction industry, it’s the nature of the business to work yourself out of a job. We build stuff, we finish it, we move on. So on that issue I really can’t blame KBR for sending people home. I can however criticize them for their methods of choosing people. Now would be a great time to trim the fat, cut out the dead wood, get rid of the non-producers. But…I doubt they will do that. They will keep the suck ups a KBR loyalists!! The ones that will keep their secrets.

So, what is KBR doing? They are firing people for the most ridiculous stupid things like not wearing your KBR hat inside the DFAC. WHAT?? If you have to send people home JUST DO IT!! Pick people and DMOB them. Why must you demoralize and humiliated people who have put up with your crap for so long by firing them for something stupid? Just “man up” and pick people to send home.

One last question. How many Theater Managers, Project Managers and Attorney’s is KBR firing for something stupid? I’ll bet that’s a big ZERO!

Keep me posted.

Ms Sparky

Posted in KBR Contract, LOGCAP III - KBR. Tags: Employee Issues-KBR. 50 Comments »

How About A “Hire American Act”!

Posted on: April 14th, 2009 at 1:25 pm — by Ms Sparky

There’s a Fly America Act and a Buy American Act how about a “Hire American Act“?

I’ve been listening to CNN all morning and hearing about the 5 million plus Americans who have lost their jobs in the US. The business that are closing. The States that are in a bind due to reduced revenues due to closed businesses due to lost jobs. It’s just a big ole vicious circle.

I have a “novel” idea. What if we implemented a “Hire American Act”? In a nutshell, if a job is being payed for by US taxpayer dollars, you have to hire US Citizens to work it. Or at the very least a very large percentage of the workforce should be American. This goes for work in the US and around the world. The US is spending billions of dollars building US Embassies, US Consulates and US Military facilities all over the world. Not just in Iraq and Afghanistan. At these facilities the largest group of employees, probably 75% are normally locals or third country nationals.

I understand boosting the local economy. But it’s time to boost our local economy and send that money home not to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bosnia or Mexico. Plus in many job classifications, such as electricians, there are quality and qualifications issues. Not to mention people being kidnapped and brought to other countries to work against their will for The Americans, also called “Human Trafficking”. Yes…your tax dollars do support Human Trafficking!

Also included in this Hire American Act should be the following provisions:

Only legitimate US companies can bid on US Government contracts.
No bogus shell companies like KBR’s SEII & OAS will be allowed to supply manpower. The contractor will pay appropriate payroll taxes including state unemployment taxes.
Employees will be protected by US labor laws. No more threatening to fire people for not keeping their mouth shut when fraud or crimes are committed!
Employees will be protected by OSHA (safety) protection. (SOME exceptions may apply in a war zone)
Job position qualifications will be established. Such as electricians much be licensed or have equivalent verifiable training.
A real workers compensation insurance program needs to be established. The DBA and AIG have got to go. It’s a money pit and it doesn’t work.

If an act like this were passed into law, I think it would level the playing field and make the bidding more competitive. Especially for those companies who would like to bid the work, but just can’t sink as low as KBR can.

This is my personal opinion….I think only “cleared” Americans should be making the food and water for our soldiers. Talk about a weak link in not only the security chain but health and hygiene as well!

Tell me what you think should be in the Hire American Act.

Ms Sparky

Posted in Rants, Working Overseas. Tags: Rants, Working Overseas. 26 Comments »

Lets Only Hire Contractors That Haven’t Committed Crimes

Posted on: April 13th, 2009 at 11:57 am — by Ms Sparky

Oh My Freakin’ God!!! What a novel concept!! Only hire contractors that have not committed crimes and that are not under criminal investigation. It’s pure genius!! Like an ethics clause? Why haven’t you thought of that DoD? Or why haven’t you enforced that? Kudo’s to Hays County!

Commissioner proposes ethics policy

By Andrea Lorenz | Monday, April 13, 2009, 11:47 AM

Hays County commissioners will discuss a proposal tomorrow to develop an ethics policy for companies the county does business with.

The discussion comes a week after commissioners withdrew their support to approve a proposed contract with KBR Inc. after two Iraq War veterans criticized the company’s work in Iraq at a public meeting.

County Commissioner Jeff Barton wrote a three-page pitch to commissioners asking them to approve the creation of an ethics policy for contractors that would affect any company or individual seeking a contract of more than $10,000.

Barton proposed the county not do business with firms or firm officials that have been found to have committed fraud or negligence, and that firms disclose if they are under government investigation. (Click HERE to read the original article)

Update: April 13, 2009 4:16 pm

Click HERE for another great in depth article that just came out on this same topic! Kudos to Hays County Texas. The DoD sure could learn from you!

Posted in KBR Contract. Tags: KBR Contract. 8 Comments »

Follow Ms Sparky on “twitter”

Posted on: April 10th, 2009 at 5:01 pm — by Ms Sparky

I finally broke down and signed up for a “twitter” account. I am muddling through it so be patient. I only have the capacity to learn a few new things at a time!! If I learn to much at once I am forced to forget something….and that could be dangerous. I am thinking about calling our local Middle School and asking the principal if there is anyone there who wants to earn a little extra cash by managing my social networking…..I’m talking about the kids!!! They seem to be so into this social networking stuff….MySpace, Facebook, Twitter. And me? I just get that “deer in the headlights” look every time something new comes out!! It’s like….”I haven’t learned the last thing yet and now I have to learn something new?” (Assuming fetal position!)

Anyways….back to twitter. If you want to follow me on twitter go to MsSparkydotcom

If you have any suggestions feel free to pass them on!

tweet…tweet

Ms Sparky

Posted in Miscellaneous. Tags: Misc. No Comments »

No LOGCAP IV in Iraq?

Posted on: April 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm — by Ms Sparky

I have just been slammed with LOGCAP IV questions. So I am going to see if I can get some info out there that will help answer some of those questions. Keep in mind, this information is unofficial. But…this is what I am being told from some VERY reliable sources.

First, I am told that LOGCAP IV is not going to be implemented in Iraq. They will extend the current task orders until the majority of the bases are closed. I don’t know how long this will take. But I am going to estimate a year…. maybe. There is no way that KBR will be able to absorb ALL their expats into other countries. So in the meantime KBR will be firing and sending people home for stupid reasons just to reduce manpower. If you are an American expat you had better be saving your money.

LOGCAP IV will be comprised of Kuwait, Afghanistan and Africa.

I was told that KBR WILL NOT get a piece of the LOGCAP IV pie if they can not get this electrical issue under control.

I was told that KBR lost Kuwait primarily because they underbid it so much that their bid was not believable. Rumor has it they are going to rebid it.

I was also told that KBR is bidding LOGCAP IV with 30% less expats and more subcontract workers. I think it’s about a 1 to 3 ratio.

If you are being told something else…by all means let me know. Does anyone know if KBR has transitioned to ANY LOGCAP IV contract? Does anyone know if LOGCAP IV has been implemented anywhere in Iraq? I know Dyncorp has LOGCAP IV in Kuwait and Fluor has LOGCAP IV in Afghanistan. Anyone else?

Ms Sparky

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, KBR Contract, LOGCAP-Dyncorp, LOGCAP-Fluor. Tags: Fluor*, KBR Contract. 88 Comments »

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter wants answers on KBR contract

Posted on: April 10th, 2009 at 2:22 pm — by Ms Sparky

Congresswoman wants answers on KBR contract

By KIMBERLY HEFLING – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A New Hampshire congresswoman said the Pentagon has failed to justify giving a new, $35 million contract to a company whose electrical work on U.S. facilities in Iraq has been criticized as shoddy and unsafe.

At least three service members were electrocuted while showering at U.S. facilities in Iraq. Others have been injured or killed in electrical incidents.

Houston-based contractor KBR Inc., which maintains nearly all U.S. facilities in Iraq, has said it was not responsible for any of the deaths, and that safety is its top priority.

In a letter sent last month, Army Secretary Pete Geren told Rep. Carol Shea-Porter that KBR got the new contract because the Army Corps of Engineers felt KBR had performed well on other jobs. Geren also said KBR was the only contractor to submit a proposal, and was not on a government list of debarred companies.

“The office that is overseeing this work has the expertise required to monitor both the design and construction aspects of the project,” Geren said in the letter, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press.

“What do you have to do to get on that list? Why weren’t they suspended?” Shea-Porter, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said in an interview this week. She is seeking more information on the contract decision.

“The issue here is we can’t change what’s happened,” she said, “but we certainly have an obligation to these men and women who have suffered and their families to fix them and to make sure we don’t hand another contract out to anyone or any company who had a hand in this.”

Inspections of some of the thousands of Iraq facilities that KBR maintains have turned up major electrical problems at more than a third of the sites.

The AP reported Feb. 6 that KBR was given an Army Corps of Engineers contract to build a convoy support center in southern Iraq that includes a power plant and electrical distribution center. Shortly before the contract was awarded, a senior Pentagon official had rejected the company’s explanation of electrical mistakes in Iraq and said some defense officials had lost confidence in KBR’s ability to do electrical work.

On Feb. 13, KBR was notified by the military that it had accepted KBR’s plan to fix the electrical problems, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the AP using a Freedom of Information Act request.

The military is in the process of inspecting every facility in Iraq and making repairs to electrical problems. (Click HERE for original article)

Posted in KBR Contract. Tags: KBR Contract, Political Leaders. 1 Comment »

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