Here are three video clips from the press conference held today in Washington DC by Senator Dorgan, Senator Casey and Cheryl Harris. The subject being the DoD Inspector General’s reports on the electrocution deaths and electrical conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Senator Byron Dorgan D-ND; Chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee (2:55)
Cheryl Harris; mother of SSG Ryan Maseth (2:14)
Senator Bob Casey D-PA; Cheryl Harris’ Senator (2:09)
***OPEN TO THE PUBLIC***
Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing
“The Exposure at Qarmat Ali:
Did the Army Fail to Protect U.S. Soldiers Serving in Iraq?”
Monday, August 3, 2009
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
628 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Find more information about the issue here.
In April 2003, the Army assigned members of the IN, OR, and SC National Guard to escort and protect KBR contractors working on the “Restore Iraqi Oil” contract. This contract was for the assessment and repair of Iraq’s oil infrastructure. Repairing the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant, which maintained pressure in nearby oil wells, was a key part of this mission.
Weeks after soldiers arrived at Qarmat Ali, a newly arrived KBR safety officer complained of widespread orange and yellow dust piled feet deep in places. That powder was sodium dichromate, a hexavalent chromium compound used as a corrosion fighter in the oil pipes. The same deadly chemical made famous by the movie Erin Brockovich. The safety officer at Qarmat Ali reported that 60 percent of the soldiers and staff at the site reported suffering adverse health effects including nose perforations, nose bleeds, spitting up blood, and itchy lungs.
According to the Army, KBR did not test conditions at Qarmat Ali until August 2003 — and waited to notify the military of the potential sodium dichromate exposure until one month later, in September 2003. The Indiana Guard learned of the contamination when KBR managers arrived in protective suits in August.
Witnesses at this hearing will discuss the Army’s response to U.S. soldiers’ exposure to sodium dichromate, a potentially deadly carcinogen, at the Qarmat Ali water injection facility. The hearing will include testimony from soldiers from the IN, OR, and WV National Guard who have become sick after being exposed at the site. Senators will examine the Army’s response to the exposure, including its oversight of contractor KBR, testing and monitoring of those who were exposed, and communications with soldiers about the nature, extent and possible health consequences of their exposure.
For more information contact Carl Segerblom at (202) 224-1833 or carl_segerblom@dpc.senate.gov.
Below are excerpts from a Houston Chronicle article published yesterday.
In a conference call Thursday morning to discuss the company’s second-quarter results with market analysts, KBR’s Bill Utt told analysts that KBR will not protest the outcome of two awards to other engineering and construction companies for U.S. Army work in Afghanistan. DynCorp International Inc. and Fluor Corp. were awarded a combined $3 billion contract earlier this month for support services to U.S. troops.
Recently, two major contracts in Afghanistan were awarded to the other contractors. Utt said today that KBR will not challenge the Army’s decision on the contracts, but after being briefed by the Pentagon, believes the awards went to other companies because the government feels pressure to divide the work among several companies rather than giving it to a single provider.
The Houston-based company warned that its U.S. troop support work in Afghanistan will begin to wind down in coming months as other contractors take over and will also decline in Iraq amid planned American troop withdrawls. (click HERE to read the entire article)
Hmmm. All my “Ms Sparky” senses are going off! (note: Spiderman has “spidy sense”) KBR must be up to something and it has to do with money. To not protest this award will cost them millions just in reimbursable expenses of daily operations. They could have drug this on for months. To protest a huge contract award such as this should be Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Is it just me or does something stink here?
Ms Sparky
KBR put out this press release yesterday and it is just plain KBR crap! It disturbs me how the news media will just take a press release at face value from a company like KBR without even asking the other party involved for a statement. You can read the truth about what’s going on in the news article below.
Below is KBR’s BS press release
Houston, Texas – July 28, 2009 – KBR (NYSE:KBR) announced today it has been dismissed from two lawsuits arising from an electrocution incident that resulted in the death of Sergeant Chris Everett. The dismissal orders were issued by the United States District Courts in the Southern District of Texas and the Eastern District of Louisiana.
“The dismissal orders affirm that despite repeated criticism and statements made by several public officials on Capitol Hill and related media reports, KBR had no involvement in the factors that led to the tragic death of Sergeant Everett,” said Andrew D. Farley, KBR Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services and civil infrastructure sectors. The company offers a wide range of services through its Downstream, Government and Infrastructure, Services, Technology, Upstream and Ventures business segments. For more information, visit www.kbr.com.
CONTACT:
KBR, Houston
Director, Communications
Heather Browne, 713-753-3775
heather.browne@kbr.com
or
Director, Investor Relations
Rob Kukla, Jr., 713-753-5082
investors@kbr.com
Below is the truth about what really happened.
By Robin Acton
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The mother of a Texas soldier electrocuted in Iraq in 2005 said it was a difficult decision to drop wrongful death lawsuits filed in two states against defense contractor KBR Inc.
Larraine McGee, mother of Staff Sgt. Christopher L. Everett, said Tuesday she felt she had no choice when she agreed to KBR’s request to dismiss federal complaints filed against the company in Texas and Louisiana. She said she feared “losing the whole case,” which also names as a defendant Arkel International LLC, a defense contractor based in Baton Rouge.
“KBR had us tied up in appeals, and Arkel didn’t appeal anything,” said McGee, of Huntsville, Texas. “I was afraid of losing it all. I felt I had to do this so the case against Arkel could continue.”
Houston-based KBR yesterday issued a statement indicating that its removal from the cases absolves the company of responsibility in the death of Everett, 23, who was killed while power-washing sand from a Humvee in a motor pool on Sept. 7, 2005.
“The dismissal orders affirm that, despite repeated criticism and statements made by several public officials on Capitol Hill and related media reports, KBR had no involvement in the factors that led to the tragic death of Sergeant Everett,” said Andrew D. Farley, KBR senior vice president and general counsel.
The Army’s criminal investigation into Everett’s death is ongoing, according to a report released Monday by the Department of Defense inspector general. (click HERE for the original article)
This statement by Farley is BS and there should be some sort of punishment the DoD can dish out for this.
This dismissal does not affirm that KBR was not responsible for Chris’s death. All it affirms is overwhelming legal wrangling on KBR’s part. But to claim that this dismissal proves they had nothing to do with Chris’s death is just inaccurate. The dismissal had nothing to do at all with evidence of the case. The Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) isn’t even finished with their investigation.
The suit will still go forward with KBR’s former co-defendant Arkel International from Louisiana.
I hope the shareholders are paying attention here.
I have always referred to Heather Browne’s office as the “Office of Bogus Bull Shit”. Either Brown and Farley share an office or KBR has two “Office’s of Bogus Bull Shit”! Who would’ve thought!
Ms Sparky
By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 28, 2009
NORFOLK. VA
A Virginia Beach Navy corpsman has filed a lawsuit against the defense contracting giant KBR, claiming he suffered burns and nerve damage from an electrical shock when company workers mistakenly turned on a generator in Iraq in 2007.
This is the latest in a string of lawsuits and federal investigations targeting alleged faulty electrical work by KBR in Iraq since the Texas-based company obtained a lucrative contract to provide electrical service there.
At least 16 service members and two American contractors have died from electrocution in Iraq since the war began in 2003, and thousands more have been injured from shocks, according to media and government reports.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Peter Taylor of Sir Barton Drive in Virginia Beach was serving as a hospital corpsman with a Marine unit at Camp Fallujah in the summer of 2007 when he was injured. At the time, KBR had a contract to provide maintenance and management, including electrical service, to the camp.
His lawsuit seeks $2.5 million and was filed in U.S. District Court on Friday. It says “KBR’s main electrical generator at Camp Fallujah was frequently malfunctioning or not functioning resulting in the armed service personnel at a critical forward operating base to be without electrical power.”
On July 27 of that summer, Taylor and a group of Marines, fed up with the constant lack of electrical power, decided to hook up their own generator. To do this, they disconnected KBR’s main generator in that area, the lawsuit says.
While Taylor and the others worked on an electrical box, a group of KBR electricians came by and “were specifically advised to not turn on the main generator until notified by the Marines,” the lawsuit states.
The KBR workers acknowledged the request, but while the Marines were still working on the box, the KBR electricians inexplicably turned on the main generator, the lawsuit says.
Taylor had his hands on the wiring at that moment and “a powerful electrical current” went through him and he “had to be forcefully pulled from the wiring box to stop from being electrocuted,” the suit says.
Taylor suffered third-degree burns on his hands and wrists plus nerve damage. He spent months at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and is now home. The suit claims that his hands still don’t function properly.
Taylor was not available for an interview Monday. His lawyer, Stephen Swain of Virginia Beach, said he recognized KBR’s history in Iraq before filing the suit.
“Basically it shows a pattern of what was going on in the way they handled their people. So many times, the war profiteer folks across the way in Iraq and Afghanistan do not utilize the highest measure of safety,” he said.
“Any company over there making the kind of money they’re making should use the utmost standard of care, which we don’t believe was being used in this case,” he said.
KBR spokeswoman Heather Browne said she was not familiar with the Taylor lawsuit and could not comment on it. She did not respond to other e-mail questions.
Service members killed or injured in a war zone may have trouble suing military contractors. They are already prohibited from suing the government.
A federal appeals court ruled earlier this month that military personnel cannot sue private contractors in American courts for damages sustained on the battlefield. The family of an Army sergeant, who was critically injured when his truck, driven by a KBR worker, overturned in Iraq, had sued KBR and its former parent Halliburton.
But there are other suits still making their way through the system. None has yet to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Of the 18 people who died from electrocution in Iraq, the government has linked only one death directly to KBR. However, the company has sternly denied its workers caused any deaths or injuries.
The New York Times and The Associated Press reported earlier this year that an Army investigation into the electrocution of Green Beret Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Maseth of Pennsylvania found “credible information” that his death was the result of criminal negligence by KBR workers. Maseth’s family is also suing KBR.
William C. Bodie, KBR’s interim president of government and infrastructure, issued a statement in May denouncing damaging media reports of federal investigations into the company.
“There is no link between faulty KBR wiring and electrocutions, nor is KBR aware of any Pentagon investigation that has made such a link,” the statement said.
The Defense Department has acknowledged an investigation into KBR’s electrical work in Iraq and issued a scathing report last fall, citing “serious noncompliance” with its contract.
“This failure is widespread and manifests itself primarily in electrical service deficiencies,” according to a letter sent to KBR by the Pentagon’s Defense Contract Management Agency. “As such, this failure has created immediate life, health and safety hazards for our deployed personnel,” the letter said. (Click HERE for original article)
Click HERE to read the original complaint.
We know how many soldiers and civilians have been killed by electrocution….well for the most part. But how many have been injured? 100’s? 1000’s? We may never know.
Ms Sparky
By Robin Acton
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
An April assessment of buildings occupied by U.S. troops in Afghanistan revealed dangerous electrical conditions similar to those found previously in Iraq, according to a report released Tuesday by the Department of Defense inspector general.
Although some hazards were corrected in recent weeks, serious grounding and wiring deficiencies remain, says the report that stresses a need for immediate action at Camp Brown and Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, both in the Kandahar province near Afghanistan’s southern border.
The report was released a day after the inspector general released results of a review of 18 electrocutions in Iraq that found the military and Houston-based defense contractor KBR Inc. responsible for the death of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Shaler. The Green Beret died Jan. 2, 2008, when a KBR-installed rooftop pump shorted out and electrified the water flowing into his shower. KBR maintains it is not responsible for Maseth’s death.
One of the government’s largest defense contractors, KBR provides meals, shelter, transportation, maintenance and other logistical support services in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although KBR is listed among military commands, agencies and contractors interviewed in conjunction with the assessment, the inspector general did not identify contractors responsible for specific deficiencies in electrical systems in Afghanistan.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, have led the fight in Congress toward resolving electrical issues and achieving better contractor accountability.
Dorgan, as chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, and others have called for a broad review of electrical work throughout the war zones. Dorgan said government and military leaders must work to ensure that contractors do “quality work that protects soldiers rather than endangering them.”
Casey said he plans to reach out to the Department of Defense to determine how to expedite electrical inspections in Afghanistan.
“I remain alarmed that the same problems are being found in Afghanistan and that there are not enough inspectors to quickly complete the inspections,” Casey said.
According to the inspector general’s report, limited inspections at select facilities at Bagram Air Field, Kandahar Air Field and Kabul in Afghanistan revealed hazards that include a lack of grounding, unprotected electrical components, use of undersized wire that could melt and catch fire, improper wire splicing, exposed wiring and failure to comply with the National Electrical Code.
In one instance at Spin Boldak, inspectors found that a sock was used as an electrical insulator, posing a fire hazard. At Camp Brown, inspectors found incorrect wiring performed by untrained workers.
The report indicated there is no comprehensive inventory of U.S.-controlled facilities in Afghanistan, nor is there a plan to detect and correct electrical deficiencies. Inspectors observed a shortage of resources such as money, qualified engineers, inspectors and electricians during the assessment.
Central Command took steps to reduce hazards in Afghanistan by making repairs and correcting electrical deficiencies, the report found. CENTCOM, in response to the report, noted that repairs are complete at several locations and estimated that work related to major discrepancies at Camp Brown and the base at Spin Boldak should be finished by mid-September.
Commanders agreed with the inspector general’s recommendation to provide electrical safety training to troops prior to their arrival in Afghanistan, where safety officers reported “many soldiers made electrical repairs on their own.” The command plans to implement a comprehensive reporting system for electrical shocks and confiscate soldiers’ power strips that do not contain built-in circuit breakers. (Click HERE to read original article)
Click HERE to read the Inspector General Report on Afghanistan electrical.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
More than 19 months since her son, Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, was electrocuted in the shower while serving with the Special Operations Task Force in Baghdad, Cheryl Harris finally has some sense of justice.
Yesterday, the inspector general of the Department of Defense issued a report proclaiming that the contractor tasked with performing facility maintenance at the Radwaniyah Palace in Baghdad, along with military leaders there, failed to properly perform its duties to ensure safety for servicemen and women stationed there and throughout Iraq.
“The results are revealing and contrary to what KBR and its president have continually stated over the last year,” Ms. Harris said. “The report says that KBR installed the water pump that killed my son — a point KBR has flatly denied for the past year.”
She has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against KBR Inc. in U.S. District Court, claiming that the military contractor tasked with providing facility maintenance and repairs at the former estate of Saddam Hussein is responsible for her son’s electrocution.
The case is currently on hold while KBR appeals a decision by U.S. District Court Judge Nora Barry Fischer denying the company’s motion to dismiss.
Following a great deal of congressional interest in Sgt. Maseth’s death, the inspector general’s office was tasked with reviewing it, along with 17 others.
Shaler native Sgt. Maseth, an Army Ranger and Green Beret, was electrocuted while in the shower on Jan. 2, 2008.
His mother contends that KBR failed to properly ground an electric water pump on the building’s rooftop. Sgt. Maseth was killed when it short-circuited.
In the summary of the report, the inspector general concluded that “multiple systems and organizations failed, leaving Staff Sgt. Maseth exposed to unacceptable risk.”
The report addresses KBR specifically, finding that the company installed the water pump in question in early June 2006. The company did not properly ground the equipment during its installation or report improperly grounded equipment during routine maintenance, the report said.
It notes that the Defense Contract Management Agency found more than 230 incidents of reported electric shocks in KBR-maintained facilities across Iraq from September 2006 through July 2008.
In addition, the inspector general found that KBR personnel at Radwaniyah had inadequate electrical training and expertise, and that facility maintenance records were incomplete and lacked specificity, precluding the identification and correction of systemic problems.
Other problems noted were a lack of standard operation procedures for the technical inspection of facilities and a failure to bring inconsistent contract specifications to the attention of the administrative contracting officer.
KBR, which has continually denied any responsibility for Sgt. Maseth’s death, had not seen the inspector general’s report and would not comment on it. However, Heather L. Browne, a spokeswoman, issued a statement saying that KBR informed the military that there was no grounding in the structure nine months before Sgt. Maseth was killed.
“Prior to that incident, the military never directed KBR to repair, upgrade or improve the grounding system in the building in which Maseth resided, nor was KBR directed to perform any preventative maintenance at this facility,” she said.
In its report, the inspector general identified a total of 18 electrocution deaths in Iraq, spanning from April 2004 to November 2008.
Nine of those, the report concluded, were people killed accidentally by touching or coming into contact with live power lines.
The other nine were the result of either faulty equipment or improper grounding.
As of June 30, the report said, five of those nine deaths were still under investigation.
As part of its investigation into Sgt. Maseth’s death, the inspector general collected more than 22,500 pages of documents, interviewed 60 people and did field work in Iraq last fall.
Among those outspoken on Sgt. Maseth’s death has been U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.
“There’s still work to be done regarding a full measure of accountability by KBR,” Mr. Casey said. “There has to be a definitive sanction of some kind.”
The senator could not expand on what that penalty might be, but he did note that there is an ongoing investigation into Sgt. Maseth’s death by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command.
“There’s a heightened level of gravity to that,” he said. “That may be the report that has teeth — potential penalties or sanctions.”
In the meantime, the inspector general’s report spells out a list of recommendations to prevent future fatalities. Those suggestions include increasing communication among commanders, base camp mayors and contractors regarding similar problems, as well as establishing facility maintenance standards for extended occupation of non-U.S.-built structures.
It also notes progress that has already been made in Iraq.
Trade workers employed by military contractors must now meet minimum professional competency requirements, and safety inspections of more than 75,000 structures in Iraq are expected to be completed by KBR in September.
“KBR wasn’t the only player in this tragedy that bears responsibility,” Mr. Casey said. “We have to ensure the U.S. government is working to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
“There’s plenty of work to be done.” (click HERE for the original article)
Here is the DoD Inspector General Report Entitled “Review of Electrocution Deaths in Iraq: Part I – Electrocution of Staff Sergeant Ryan D. Maseth, U.S. Army” dated July 24, 2009
Report No. IE-2009-006 .pdf 2.5 MB
You can also get it from the DoD IG website.
I have not had time to read this entire report but here is a very short summary from a media report published today.
IG blames system failure in death
By KIMBERLY HEFLING (AP) – July 27, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department’s Inspector General has determined that military leaders and a military contractor failed to protect a Green Beret who was electrocuted while showering in his barracks in Iraq.
The 2008 death of 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth has triggered investigations into the other electrocution deaths of U.S. troops and the review by the Defense Department’s IG.
The inspector general says that “multiple systems and organizations” failed and exposed Maseth to “unacceptable risk.” That’s according to a summary of the IG’s findings obtained by The Associated Press.
It specifically spells out that KBR Inc. installed improperly grounded equipment that faulted and led to Maseth’s death. (Click HERE for original article)
I will be blogging more about this when I have read the report.
Ms Sparky
Here is the DoD Inspector General Report Entitled “Review of Electrocution Deaths in Iraq: Part II – Seventeen Incidents Apart from Staff Sergeant Ryan D. Maseth, U.S. Army” dated July 24, 2009
Report No. IPO2009E001 .pdf 1.7 MB
You can also get it from the DoD IG website.
I have not had time to read this report, but here is a VERY brief summary based on media reports.
Nine of 18 electrocution deaths reported in Iraq were caused by “improper grounding or faulty equipment,” including the January 2008 death of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, the Defense Department’s inspector-general found.
Investigations remain open in five of those cases, according to a summary of the report obtained by the AP.
As soon as I get more I will let you know.
Ms Sparky
Here is the much awaited DoD Inspector General Assessment of Electrical Safety in Afghanistan.
Report NO. SPO-2009-005 July 24, 2009 .pdf 2.6 MB
I have not had time to review this report yet. But I wanted to make sure everyone who wanted it got a copy.
You can also get it from the DoD IG website.
Ms Sparky
By KIMBERLY HEFLING (AP) – July 27, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department’s Inspector General has determined that military leaders and a military contractor failed to protect a Green Beret who was electrocuted while showering in his barracks in Iraq.
The 2008 death of 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth has triggered investigations into the other electrocution deaths of U.S. troops and the review by the Defense Department’s IG.
The inspector general says that “multiple systems and organizations” failed and exposed Maseth to “unacceptable risk.” That’s according to a summary of the IG’s findings obtained by The Associated Press.
It specifically spells out that KBR Inc. installed improperly grounded equipment that faulted and led to Maseth’s death. (Click HERE for original article)
Wow. I just couldn’t be more pleased. As soon as I get the reports I will post them on Ms Sparky!!
(UPDATED July 27, 2oo9 11:23 PST)
By KIMBERLY HEFLING Associated Press Writer © 2009 The Associated Press
July 27, 2009, 12:50PM
WASHINGTON — Military leaders and a major military contractor failed to protect a Green Beret who was electrocuted while showering in his barracks in Iraq, the Defense Department’s Inspector General determined.
The early 2008 death of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh, triggered an investigation by the IG of Maseth’s death, but also a review of 17 other electrocution deaths in Iraq. Uproar over it also led to the electrical inspections of about 90,000 U.S.-maintained facilities in Iraq, which are ongoing.
The inspector general says in its findings to be released later Monday that “multiple systems and organizations” failed and exposed Maseth to “unacceptable risk.” A summary of the IG’s findings were obtained by The Associated Press.
Maseth was electrocuted while showering when he came in contact with an energized metal shower and hose caused by the failure of an ungrounded water pump located on the roof of the building, the IG said. It says Houston-based military contractor KBR Inc. installed the pump and adjacent water tanks.
KBR did not ground equipment during installation or report improperly grounded equipment during routine maintenance, the inspector general said. It also says KBR did not have standard operating procedures for the technical inspection of facilities.
But it also says military commanders and key decision makers failed to ensure that renovations were properly performed and did not address the maintenance situation.
Maseth’s family has an ongoing lawsuit against KBR. A spokeswoman for KBR did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Of the 18 electrocution deaths in Iraq, nine were blamed on touching live electrical wire or cables and didn’t warrant further review by the IG, according to the summary. Eight involved possible equipment faults or malfunctioning that caused or contributed to the electrocutions, the IG found.
It says it asked military criminal investigations to reopen investigations into four of the deaths, and is still waiting for the results of the review.
Last fall, Gen. David Petraeus, then the commander in Iraq, ordered an inspection of about 90,000 U.S.-maintained facilities in Iraq by a task force called Task Force SAFE. Of the 67,000 inspected so far, about 18,000 have been found to have major deficiencies. About 11,000 of the major deficiencies have been repaired. (click HERE for original article)
I know I am a little late on this one and 99.99% of KBR employees already know this is BS. But I felt the need to make sure all my readers were aware of KBR’s attempt to deceive the masses.
In June 2009 KBR employees were asked to fill out an employee survey asking them to answer questions about work conditions, work satisfaction, bosses, skills and such. All I can say is the KBR “spin doctors” have been hard at work.
Below is an email from Bill Utt sent to ALL KBR EMPLOYEES on July 14, 2009. With that in mind I can only assume that ALL of KBR’s over 50,000 EMPLOYEES (according to the KBR website) were invited to participate in the survey to begin with. As you read the email and the survey results below keep in mind that only a meager 12.5% or 6273 employees responded to the survey. More impressively over 43,727 or 87.5% of KBR’s valued employees chose not to even participate!! Hmmmm. That in itself speaks volumes!
TO: All KBR Employees
FROM: Bill Utt, Chairman, President and CEO
SUBJECT: KBR Employee Survey
In May, each of you was given the opportunity to complete an anonymous employee survey enabling you to provide feedback on areas including your job, your work group, pay, benefits, and general impressions about KBR.
Now that the survey has been completed, I want to share with you the results. You can view the results in their entirety by clicking here. (Ms Sparky Note: That link was imbedded in the original email and you had to have a user id and pw to get to the site. But I obtained the results and you can see them HERE.)
Overall, the feedback received was positive. Areas that received high marks included employee satisfaction with work conditions at KBR, employees knowing what is expected of them in their positions and a general sense of pride to work at KBR. Safety, ethics, and KBR as a responsible citizen also received favorable feedback.
The survey noted that the continual rise in healthcare costs and benefits is a concern for many employees. While I can appreciate that feedback, KBR performs extensive benchmarking of our benefits against others, with the objective of being at market in the E&C industry and regions in which we operate. We will, however, continue to review this area and adjust accordingly if it is feasible to do so.
Less than favorable feedback also centered around recent job reductions at KBR. The reductions in recent months are in direct correlation to the reduced level of activity at KBR.
KBR’s employees are its greatest asset. KBR’s success is attributed to the valuable contributions each of you make everyday. Ensuring that KBR provides the best workplace possible is all of our responsibility, so your valuable feedback on the survey is appreciated. Your comments are valued and provide us an opportunity to review areas where we can improve moving forward.
Thank you again for your participation and continued support of KBR. (End of email)
So here’s my take on it.
Bill Utt: “Overall, the feedback received was positive.”
Me: What? Over 87% of your employees didn’t even respond. What were the demographics? Did you “strongly encourage” your managers and supervisors to participate in a positive manner?
Bill Utt: “Safety, ethics, and KBR as a responsible citizen also received favorable feedback.”
Me: What?
So how did the normal KBR employees feel about this when it came out? Did they think is was BS too?
Ms Sparky
Larraine McGee kneels next to her son SSG Christopher Everett’s grave.
On a recent trip to Texas I visited a dear friend of mine, Larraine McGee. I met Larraine in Washington DC in July 2008 when we testified before the same Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on “Contractor Misconduct and the Electrocution Deaths of American Soldiers in Iraq”. Larraine’s son Chris was electrocuted and died at Camp Taqqadum (TQ) on September 7, 2005 while pressure washing his Humvee. Larraine has since filed a wrongful death suit against KBR and Arkel International. Since the Hearing Larraine and I have stayed in touch and I have committed to help her in anyway I can. (click HERE for Larraine’s Testimony and HERE for all the testimonies of this and other Senate DPC Hearings)
In true Larraine style we were greeted with a genuine smile and a great big hug. She is a gracious host and treated my grandson to some fishing, he caught his first fish ever and showed us the tourists sites of Huntsville. The most important site she wanted us to see was her son Chris’ grave. It was a not so subtle reminder of who we are fighting for. Chris is dead because of complacency, inattention to detail, poor management and poor oversight. If all electrical installations and maintenance had been done correctly Chris would not have died and Larraine would not have to visit him in the Cemetery.
I get a lot of criticism for nit picking KBR and other contractors for the little things that don’t seem to make much difference in the big scheme of things. It’s the little things that lead to the big things. If you don’t deal with the little things they can become big things very quickly. It was a relatively little thing (sloppy work) that evidently led to Chris’ death. The little things matter in a very big way. Just ask Larraine.
Why do I care? There’s one big reason…….this future Marine (year 2021)
This is my grandson and he is already bound and determined to be a Marine. He was not too keen on following us into the Cemetery but then again he was not too keen on being left in the car either. He has heard me talk about Chris and other soldiers who have died in the war. But seeing the headstone seem to make it very real for him.
I refuse to sit back and “hope” that in the year 2021 some DoD Contractor doesn’t screw up and kill my grandson. I refuse to sit back and “hope” that the DoD finally has their house in order and cares about my grandson as much as I do. I just refuse to sit back and ‘hope” for change.
KBR is always spouting “KBR’s commitment to employee safety and the safety of those the company serves is unwavering”. If KBR and the DoD want to know what true “unwavering commitment” is they just need to ask Larraine McGee or any another mother who is fighting for the truth about the death of their child.
Ms Sparky
Thanks to The Defense Base Act Compensation Blog for posting this message from the US Embassy in Baghdad to ALL US Citizens working in Iraq. Thanks to the Embassy staff for utilizing all forms of communication, including he blogging community, to make sure all affected Americans are notified. Please forward or repost to those affected.
Staff Notice
Embassy Baghdad
UNCLASSIFIED
NUMBER: 009-336
SUBJECT: Reminder to Contractors Regarding Iraqi Jurisdiction
DATE: 07-09-09
TO: USG Contractors and Contracting Officers Representatives under COM Authority _______________________________________________________________
This is a reminder that since January 1, 2009, many of the rules and procedures governing the activities of the Coalition, the Embassy, and our partner contractors and grantees (collectively referred to below as “contractors” for simplicity) have changed. USG contractors operating in Iraq are now subject to Iraqi civil andcriminal law. Contractors’ residences and vehicles may be searched by Iraqi officials, pursuant to a court order, or under exigent circumstances. Contractors who violate Iraqi law may also be subject to the Iraqi criminal justice system, as the Government of Iraq has primary jurisdiction over offenses committed by USG contractors, even on bases and diplomatic properties. The U.S. Embassy thus urges contractors to respect and abide by Iraqi law.
Contractors should be aware that possession of illegal drugs (including cannabis, cannabis resin, and cocaine), possession of pornography, and solicitation of prostitution are punishable by imprisonment and may carry longer sentences under Iraqi law than under U.S. law. Distribution of illegal drugs may be punishable by life imprisonment or execution. Additionally, contractors may be arrested and prosecuted for carrying weapons without permits or in prohibited areas, such as the commercial side of Baghdad International Airport.
If a contractor is arrested by Iraqi law enforcement, we recommend that the company and the individual in question take several steps immediately.
(1) If arrested in the IZ and the arresting authority is not the IZ Police, call the IZ Police at 0770-444-1757 and inform them of the matter.
(2) Insist on speaking with a consular officer from the individual contractor’s home country. Iraq has an obligation under international law to notify your consulate upon request, and the consular officer is entitled to access to you and to provide consular assistance. The American Citizen Services Office in our Consular Section is ready to assist American citizen contractors in distress, as they are any other American in Iraq.
They can be contacted at:
a. During regular business hours (0800 – 1200 and 1300 – 1700, Sunday through Thursday): Email: BaghdadACS@state.gov; telephone: 1-240-553-0581 x2413 (this is a U.S. number that rings in Baghdad) or Iraqi mobile phone: +964 (0)770-443-0287.
b. For the after-hours emergency American Citizen Services Consular Duty Officer, please call Iraqi mobile number +964 (0) 770-443-2594.
(3) You, or your company, should immediately notify your contracting officer. As with other issues regarding your work in Iraq, your contracting officer should be your primary point of contact with the United States Government. This is especially true in the case of an arrested Third Country National contractor whose home government does not have a diplomatic/consular presence in Iraq. Your contracting officer will be able to contact appropriate U.S. Embassy personnel, so that we can track your case and provide appropriate assistance.
(4) Obtain Iraqi legal counsel. We strongly recommend that contracting companies identify and retain competent local counsel before an incident occurs, so that they will be available when needed. The Consular Office has a list of Iraqi attorneys who have expressed a willingness to represent Americans, but the best source of advice on local counsel is your fellow contractors. Iraqi law guarantees the right not to be questioned except in the presence of a judge, the prosecutor, and your attorney. Iraqi law also guarantees the right to be brought before a judge within 24 hours of being detained. These rights are translated in Arabic below.
US Embassy Baghdad is committed to protecting the rights of our citizens and third country nationals who contribute to our diplomatic, military, and reconstruction efforts in Iraq. We will continue to engage with the Government of Iraq to ensure that any USG contractor accused of a crime is treated fairly.
The following is a statement (in Arabic and English) of your rights upon arrest by
Iraqi authorities.
(This section was written in Arabic but I can’t get my version of Wordpress to recognize it. It’s translated below in English.)
1. You have a right under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations to have the Embassy notified immediately. Request notification by the Iraqi officials. Call 0770-443-2594 (duty consular officer).
2. You have the right to be brought before a judge within 24 hours.
3. You have the right not to be questioned except in the presence of a judge, the prosecutor, and your attorney.
(Click HERE for a copy of the Original Embassy Notice)
Did anyone get this notice in Iraq? I strongly recommend you write these phone numbers down and keep them with you at all times.
Ms Sparky
I mention this in a comment response, but I am going to post it here as well.
Recently Fluor has, for some reason unbeknown to their employees in the Middle East, removed Internet access from their servers. Fluor employees are now unable to privately or anonymously access the following from the Fluor Network. To access any of the following they must wait at an MWR or access it from a another companies computer.
Why is this? Here’s what I think could be going on. There are so many KBR employees in Afghanistan and soon to be Iraq signing on with Fluor more and more will be coming forward to report their witnessing of Fraud, Waste, Abuse & Crimes against our soldiers and the US taxpayers. With so many KBR managers now running things for Fluor these reports from former KBR employees could very well implicate them as well.
Unless someone has shot the satellites out of the sky, there is no excuse in this day and age to be anywhere without internet access.
KBR first started isolating and controlling the communication of it employees by forbidding the use of cells phone calling it a security issue. LMAO on that one. Evidently someone got caught with a voice recorder trying to catch his manager lying. Bummer, no more voice recorders. Personal cameras and computers are severally restricted if not completely forbidden by now.
So, if this whole shutting down of the Internet on the Fluor network doesn’t have “Former KBR Manager” written all over it, I don’t know what does.
So you tell me what you think. If you think Fluor is trying to restrict their employees ability to freely and anonymously report to the DoDIG and other investigative and oversight organization, let me know and then send your own report to the Inspector General via thieir email at hotline@dodig.mil
Ms Sparky
Apparently the Army Contracting Center at Rock Island has determined that the lowest bid is not always the best value. Finally some common sense. The decision to leave KBR out of the LOGCAP IV awards in Afghanistan were based on the “best value” approach which also took into consideration past performance. Evidently KBR’s seven years of past performance in Afghanistan did not give them much of an advantage. Hmmm Go figure.
Jul 15, 2009
By Jon Connor
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (July 14, 2009) — Two new task orders supporting LOGCAP IV contract operations in Afghanistan are now in effect, Army officials announced July 7.
DynCorp International, LLC was awarded the work for southern Afghanistan and Fluor Intercontinental was selected for work in northern Afghanistan, the Army Sustainment Command at Rock Island, Ill., announced.
KBR also competed for the contracts, officials said. KBR has held a number of LOGCAP contracts to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The task orders encompass base life-support services and logistics support, which include base setup, food service, facilities maintenance, and morale, welfare and recreation to name a few, said Jim Loehrl, executive director, Rock Island Contracting Center, Rock Island, Ill.
The two task-order awards include moving all existing work in LOGCAP III to LOGCAP IV, plus capacity to stand up additional base camps, Loehrl said.
The task orders were awarded with pricing for one base year effective July 7, and four option years. Depending on growth in Afghanistan, the two task orders could potentially total $15 billion over five years, Loehrl explained.
This is based on each task order’s base year costing $1.5 billion plus a potential four option years.
“It all depends on what the growth is in Afghanistan as we continue to put troops in Afghanistan and where they go,” Loerl said. “We built the contract capacity to handle that.”
The selection process was an “integrated source selection encompassing technical management proposals, past performance, and costs,” Loehrl said.
From this, a “best-value” decision is then made, Loehrl said, which will benefit the Soldiers and other personnel, and give taxpayers the most value.
The contracting office issued a solicitation outlining the task order requirements and the terms and conditions under which the task order would be administered. The solicitation contained criteria against which each of the contractors’ proposals was evaluated.
“The concept hinges on the principle that while price is always a factor in the selection process, price alone does not define the best value for the taxpayer,” said Amy Hayden, chief, LOGCAP IV Contracting Branch, Rock Island, Ill.
“The best-value approach takes into account the fact that it may be in the government’s best interest to pay a premium to receive a better product or service,” she said.
The new task orders are the continuation of the Army’s plan to transition work from the single-award LOGCAP III contract to the multiple-award LOGCAP IV contract. So far, there have been 10 task orders awarded under LOGCAP IV, Loehrl said.
Loehrl said bidders not selected have the option to protest the award decision. “They certainly are allowed to protest,” Loehrl said. “That certainly is a possibility.”
Protests would be filed with the General Accountability Office, Hayden said.
“While there are circumstances under which contract performance my proceed despite the filing of the GAO-level protest, under normal circumstances, the government must suspend contract performance until the protest is resolved,” Hayden said.
The support for the services, however, would continue. Additionally, KBR can bid for future LOGCAP IV task orders, Loehrl said.
The Army had previously transitioned all LOGCAP work in Kuwait from LOGCAP III to LOGCAP IV (DynCorp), as well as awarded some new work in Afghanistan under LOGCAP IV (Fluor).
These newly announced task orders will transition all work in Afghanistan to LOGCAP IV. Similar processes to compete and transition the work in Iraq are also underway.
“The transition will be operationally driven, and methodically undertaken to ensure a transition that is seamless to the warfighter,” Hayden added.
“The transition is not a ‘turn-key’ operation and is extremely complex,” said Lee Thompson, LOGCAP executive director, Rock Island, Ill.
“Before we even begin the legacy task-order transitions, we will be starting the urgent work required for force expansion [in Afghanistan].”
The first step in the process is to conduct a post-award conference scheduled in early August, Thompson said. The conferees will discuss such areas as transition touch-points, explain the process, and reach agreements between contractors on the conduct of the transition, known as protocols, Thompson said.
“During the transition the incumbent continues to provide services and will do so until the U.S. government is satisfied that the incoming performance contractor can assume full operation of the function,” Thompson explained. “Once the IPC has demonstrated full operational capability, the incumbent is officially released from responsibility and the IPC is officially assigned full responsibility and accountability for performance execution.”
As with all government contracts, reviews, audits, and continuous oversight of contractor performance will be ongoing to make sure government and American taxpayers’ interests are protected, Sustainment Command officials said.
The contractors’ performance will be measured by the Defense Contract Management Agency and Defense Contract Audit Agency in accordance with pre-established performance standards, ASC officials said.
“DCMA and DCAA provide oversight of contractor business systems, and the LOGCAP IV task orders contain award-fee provision incentives for the the contractors to maintain these systems at an adequate level. DCMA also provides quality assurance representatives in-theater to oversee the contractors’ work,” Hayden explained.
“Finally, DCAA reviews contractor billings to ensure they are appropriate. In combination, these measures provide a high degree of protection against inappropriate practices during the execution of these task orders,” she said.
LOGCAP — Logistics Civil Augmentation Program — is an Army initiative to hire civilian contractors to perform services supporting the U.S. military in wartime and other contingencies. Use of contractors allows military units to focus on combat operations.
(Linda Theis, deputy public affairs officer, Army Sustainment Command, contributed to this article.(click HERE for a link to the original article)
I just love the writers at Houston Hair Balls. It’s a great Houston area blog but they all over the lawsuits filed against KBR in Houston. Here is another great article about KBR BS!
By Chris Vogel in Courts
Wednesday, Jul. 15 2009 @ 6:58AM
kbr71409.jpg
It’s hard to know what kind of workplace behavior is acceptable at KBR these days.
On the one hand, if you believe the many lawsuits filed against the nation-builder, it’s not unheard of for the men stationed in Iraq to verbally and sexually abuse their women colleagues, even rape one on occasion. There are alleged incidents of prostitution and human trafficking at a Thai brothel, where KBR managers encourage their workers to visit, and in some cases possibly even own the brothel. There are even instances where KBR workers supposedly exposed military personnel to contaminated food, contaminated water and improperly incinerated human remains. Yes, one man claims he saw a wild dog running around base one day with a man’s arm in its mouth.
So it should have hardly come as a shock to Karen Tounkara when she was fired from her contract gig at one of KBR’s Houston facilities for wearing a headscarf. After all, a company must have its standards.
According to a lawsuit recently filed against KBR in Houston federal court, Tounkara, a Muslim, claims she was discriminated against because of her religion when she was prohibited from wearing her headscarf, or hijab, in observance of her faith while she worked.
Tounkara’s attorney, Darius Porter, tells Hair Balls that his client was contracted through a nursing agency to help prep KBR workers heading to Iraq. When Tounkara showed up to her first day of work in December, she was told she could not wear her headscarf. “Mind you,” says Porter, “this was December and there were other nurses there who had on hats and skull caps because of the cold weather. They weren’t required to do anything.”
Later that night, says Porter, the staffing agency told Tounkara she was not welcome back at KBR because of a KBR policy stating that no employee can wear a head-covering at work. When Tounkara explained that she was a Muslim and asked if an accommodation could be made, says Porter, KBR countered by saying Tounkara could wear her headscarf up until entering the gates of KBR and put it back on once she had left.
“That is not necessarily a reasonable accommodation,” says Porter, “so we filed the petition.”
Hair Balls contacted KBR to ask whether the company has a no-hats-and-scarves policy, but have not yet heard back.
The lawsuit states that Tounkara should be protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on religion. (click HERE for the original article)
Click HERE for a copy of the complaint.
Sounds to me that KBR was discriminating against Ms Tounkara and they are violating their own headgear policy by making people wear in the Middle East. I would think that ANYONE fired for not wearing the dreaded red KBR hat would have a great case against KBR. I would think they can’t have it both ways.
Ms Sparky
Now that KBR has lost LOCAP IV in Kuwait and Afghanistan…..what is the DoD’s agenda?
Do you plan to hold KBR in a contingency position in the event Fluor or Dyncorp flounder and fail at their new contracts?
I suppose this is not an unreasonable strategic plan. But I have to ask, are you going to afford Fluor and Dyncorp the same courtesies you afforded KBR when they were awarded the LOGCAP III contract? Those courtesies being little to no DoD oversight or accountability on KBR’s part. Yes this did lead to a poor quality product but it did allow KBR to pocket billions of US tax dollars therefore being quite financially successful.
Are you going to do anything to assist Fluor and Dyncorp in succeeding in cleaning up after KBR. Or are they just going to be on their own dealing with the mess KBR created while they deal with the heightened levels of DoD oversight being demanded by Congress, something that KBR rarely faced until recently.
The DoD seemed to just turn a blind eye until The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chaired by Representative Waxman on July 31, 2008 just shamed the DoDIG, the DCMA, and KBR about electrical work. How humiliating for them all. It seems things have started to change since then.
The DoD has been pressured by lawmakers to put a stop to KBR’s rampant reign of fraud, waste and abuse. So they have had to make a showing in Kuwait and Afghanistan by not awarding any LOGCAP IV task orders to KBR.
If KBR is so incompetent that the DoD has totally cut them out of Kuwait and Afghanistan why hold them in contingency? Is there some little vindictive voice somewhere that hopes Fluor and/or Dyncorp fail so that your beloved KBR can jump in and save the day? Then you can go back to the lawmakers and say “See we told you KBR was the only ones who could do it!”
Not too much has changed in the DoD since President Obama took office. It still looks like Bush’s DoD for the most part and there have been a whole lot of military egos that have been bruised recently. I hope Fluor and Dyncorp are expecting this.
Now, lets just wait and see what happens.
Ms Sparky
It would appear that KBR hasn’t even broken stride with the loss of LOGCAP IV in Afghanistan. Apparently they can see the raping of the US Taxpayer coming to an end so they now look to violate one of our closest allies, the Brits. Bill Utt is currently in Britain sucking up to the Ministry of Defense in hopes they will allow KBR to take care of their soldiers. What the hell? Surely the Brits get the news over there and know how KBR has been accused of killing and injuring American soldiers due to shoddy electrical. Exposing them to harmful chemicals and contaminated water. The prolific fraud waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Knowing all this and still contracting with KBR…you get what you deserve! We don’t want to hear no whining afterwards. Note: the article below is from a British newspaper hence the differences in spelling.
To call US oil and defence contractor KBR controversial is the understatement of the decade.
By Amy Wilson
Published: 8:00PM BST 10 Jul 2009
The list of people and projects linked to the company in the recent past – Dick Cheney, the Iraq War, Guantanamo Bay – is a litany of the red-hot contentious issues of the first part of this century. So you might expect chief executive Bill Utt to walk around stooped over, hauling this baggage around behind him. But in fact he is quite the opposite – an affable, suntanned American, decidedly unflashy, who apologises for being late.
He is in Britain to encourage the Ministry of Defence to send more business in KBR’s direction. The company is not a household name here, other than perhaps through its links to Halliburton, which KBR, as Kellogg Brown & Root, was spun out of in 2007, and which was chaired by former US vice-president Dick Cheney before he joined George W Bush’s presidential campaign. But KBR is involved in large projects with the MoD, including an £8bn PFI deal to build new accommodation for soldiers at Aldershot and around Salisbury Plain, in a joint venture with Carillion. It will provide 11,500 single rooms with en-suite facilities as well as accommodation for more senior ranks.
“We hope to take part in soldier’s accommodation on a wider basis,” Mr Utt says. “The way it is being run now is more expensive. It’s something we think we can do more efficiently.”
Given the state of some of Britain’s military housing, the building programme comes not a moment too soon, and the private companies’ backing for the PFI gives the cash-strapped MoD the means to do it. There is not much meat for the anti-KBR lobby in this project.
KBR also sets up and runs forward-operating bases for the British armed forces in Afghanistan, providing the water, sanitation, fuel and food needed to make the sites run. The company has a much wider remit with the US Army, doing tasks like delivering mail, and Mr Utt is pushing for the MoD to hand over more of what it calls “life support” work, leaving more troops free to get on with the business of fighting a war.
With the defence budget facing even deeper cuts and fighting in Afghanistan intensifying, Mr Utt’s proposition to MoD bosses must be a seductive one: using contractors should allow the armed forces to do their job with fewer people and lower costs.
“Everything downstream of soldiering should be up for discussion,” Mr Utt says. “We allow for a higher percentage of war fighters in the military. You can maintain your power with fewer people.”
And it’s not bad business for KBR either. The company has made fee income of $30bn (£18.5bn) from its contracts with the US since the start of the Iraq war. Mr Utt declines to put a figure on how much money KBR has saved the US in its recent campaigns, but says his staff have undertaken 400,000 hours of activity which would otherwise have been carried out by troops, and the “mileage” the country gets out of its soldiers has increased from 90 days in the Vietnam era to 180 days now.
KBR is able to cut costs because it does not have to pay its staff the $115,000 the US military spends to train and maintain each soldier for a year. The company has 70,000 staff in theatre in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom come from poorer countries such as the Philippines and Bosnia.
But it is Mr Utt’s plans for expanding the business as US soldiers pull out of Iraq that will have conspiracy theorists rubbing their hands in glee. With almost seven years of experience working in Iraq and as one of the largest oil and gas contractors in the world, KBR hopes to be the first port of call for oil companies who need to build the infrastructure to develop Iraq’s largely untapped oilfields. A consortium of BP and Chinese National Petroleum Corporation won a deal to develop Iraq’s largest oil field last month. KBR has worked with BP for years.
“We’re at the crossroads of people with on-the-ground experience in the country and experience in oil and gas.”
Mr Utt acknowledges this is an open goal to those who pointed to oil as the reason for the war in Iraq. But he bats away criticism.
“You can accuse me of being welded at the hip to Dick Cheney,” he says. “But we’re a contractor: people tell us what they want and we do it. We don’t set government policy.”
KBR is currently working on the enormous Gorgon gas field, off the north-west coast of Australia. The project is a joint venture between Chevron, Shell and ExxonMobil, and will produce 15 million tons of liquid natural gas a year.
Another large exploration project KBR is involved with is the Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan, one of the largest discoveries of oil in the last 30 years with scope to produce more than 30 million barrels of oil. Italian oil company Eni works with KBR on Kashagan.
KBR has also worked on the Escravos gas project in Nigeria, along with Chevron and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, which has the potential to produce 34,000 barrels a day of clean diesel and liquefied petroleum gas. (click HERE for original article)
Ms Sparky
KBR Employee From Pearland Accused Of Raping A Woman In Iraq
Houston Press
By Richard Connelly in Courts, Crime
Friday, Jul. 10 2009 @ 3:35PM
A KBR employee living in Pearland has been arrested for “abusive sexual conduct” he allegedly engaged in while in Iraq.
NCIS agents (that’s Naval Criminal Investigative Service to you) arrested David Charles Breda, 34, at “a Houston-area barber college,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
According to a newly unsealed indictment, “Breda, a civilian defense contractor employed by a subsidiary of Kellog, Brown and Root (KBR), sexually assaulted a woman at Camp Al Asad, an airbase in Iraq,” the release from the office said.
Breda no longer works for KBR. (Read the rest of the story here…)