This ALL HANDS email went out today to KBR employees in Afghanistan. Oh the “shock and awe” of it all! Click HERE for the PDF of the ALL HANDS.
From: Yoshia Hence
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 12:27 PM
To: DL_KBR LOGCAP III Afghanistan All Hands
Cc: Jim Luchsinger
Subject: ALL HANDS: LOGCAP IV Announcement
By now I am sure you have all heard or read about the LOGCAP IV announcement. First I will tell you I was shocked when I received word last night that we had not been selected for any of the work in Afghanistan . Then I began to think about all we had accomplished over the years in Afghanistan and believe me I could talk about it for hours. All of you should be proud of the role played in those accomplishments. I know I am proud of the service and sacrifice all of you have made in support of this mission.
We now have another mission in front of us and that is transition. This transition will include all our missions in the South to DynCorp and all our missions in the North to Fluor. The transition covers 82 sites and all six task orders. We have not been informed how or what area the Government will want us to start in. The dust will have to settle and numerous meetings will be held before we have any idea of the Government plan.
I know most of you are concerned about what the future is for your continued employment. The one thing you must understand is we have to start transition before there are opportunities with other companies. Also this transition is going to be a very long drawn out process and during that process we have to provide the same level of service we always have. So every employee really needs to look at how much longer they need to be out here before their goals can been met.
We will be fielding questions and holding All Hands Meetings to help you stay informed of what is going on. We will tell you what we know as factual in a timely manner. I ask that you continue to focus on the mission at hand and providing the superb support to the Men and Women of the Armed Forces. I also ask that you think over your options and remember we have month’s worth of work to accomplish.
Jim Luchsinger
Deputy Principal Program Manager
Central Asia
KBR, Inc
APO AE 09354
Office Phone: 281-669-2558
DSN: 431-3055
Cell: +971-502-402 583
Jim.Luchsinger@KBR.com
This e-mail, including any attached files, may contain confidential and privileged information for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient (or authorized to receive information for the intended recipient), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and delete all copies of this message.
Other Related Posts From Ms Sparky
- KBR’s LOGCAP III contract extended in Iraq LOGCAP IV task orders canceled
- KBR awarded $2.3B LOGCAP IV task order in Iraq after poor performance evaluation (updated 02/28/2010)
- Employees frustrated with LOGCAP IV transition in Afghanistan
- KBR will not protest LOGCAP IV contract awards in Afghanistan
- KBR Loses Afghanistan to Fluor & Dyncorp
Our manager here just came back from r&r so we havent had time to ask her about anything but the rumors here are that KBR lost the contracts for O&M and CLSS and that Fluor will be taking over Sept 1st. The funny thing about this rumor is its the same no matter what department the person is that you hear it. As for the thing with hats and all the little other things they dont even hide it we get told at every all hands that they need to reduce personnel and people are being fired for everything (not wearing hats, speeding, rolling through stop signs, not wearing seat belt, vehicle not clean, room not dusted, overtime, wearing hats other then standard KBR hats with red lettering) these are all things that people here have been fired for in the last 2 months. Hell we have a new guy that just got here and they sent him to night shift and when he forgot to annotate his shift schedule on his timesheet they wrote him up and are considering firing him.
Before she left our manager told us that because fluor will be hiring people in foreman and below positions that “higher” wants them to have as few people as possible to complete the job when they take over and they will fire us for any little thing they can.
On another note I use a proffesional proxy site to connect because even on our private radiusnetcafe internet your site is blocked.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thanks. I think you are about the 10th person to tell me about the firing of the good people so Fluor and Dyncorp won’t have much to work with and it increases their chance of failure. MY GOD KBR SUCKS!!!
People need to be reporting this to the DODIG hot line at hotline@dodig.mil
Tell the DoD what is going on so they can put a stop to it. Unless of course they are in on it!!
Interesting then what there several suddenly listed on the KBR website. Maybe, to rehire Americans instead of others, and possibly clean house. They could be collecting resumes again. They cleaned their database regarding people that have applied for jobs in the past but one’s resume is still listed in the database. As always they firing the people who make things happen instead of replacing leadership. How about firing Jim Lushinger and his boss, they shouls share the blame for all the crap that’s happened. He’s extendable.
Let me rephrase; Several jobs have recently been listed on the KBR website. They could be collecting resumes again for replacements. They’ve cleaned their database regarding jobs people have applied for in the past but one’s resume is still listed in the database. This is no doubt due to labor laws. And if this so then why they haven’t followed other U.S labor codes.
As with downsizing, KBR likes to fire people without cause and people have not unemployment benefits. This is the risk we take for overseas employment. They don’t even have the class to offer a severance package. My question is why hasn’t theater management been replaced because of contract negligence.
Ok….here is the scoop. ITT Systems will be administering the contract for fleur in afghanistan. They are also hiring/bringing on all their own management team. Many from ITT corporate, but also a few who worked for kbr in previous years. However, the former kbr people are the ones who left kbr because of all the corruption. They were the good guys. I.e. I hear their country HR Manager will be this guy who was in Salerno when I was there. Robinson or something. Word from many people at KBR was that this guy was actually fair and honest and had a lot of run ins with senior kbr management attempting to insure fairness. which is why he left i am guessing.
Also, word is that ITT will be trying to bring on as many kbr people as they can to reduce costs…but this will be foreman and below positions only, not management.
Still not sure when they will send their phase-in team over. probably as soon as they find out if kbr will protest or not.
Anyone else have news on this front?
Some of the HR people attached to the DynCorp back end-support contract took a few days off. No hurry to implement until the final verdict arrives to see if KBR will protest the award. I’m sure they will to earn a few more bucks and cause more disruption before the transition. Remember their new corporate slogan, “Get er’ Done” or is it, “Nobody does it like KBR” or the “Manager who Shagged Me.”
Baboo Remembers said,on July 19th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
True other companies have come into theater and didn’t succeed due to their arrogance or own stupidity and with no help from KBR. Why would a competitor help anyone except out the door?
Hopefully they remember that when they mess things up for teh incoming company, they endanger our Troops and make their lives worse than they have to be while here.
I know a bunch of high up KBR who left TQ and the Al Anbar region in general and they were scum. I hope they are blackisted just as KBR threatened to blacklist anyone who did what the employee agreement asks, that we prevent and report fraud, waste and abuse.
For the Troops sake, I hope they make the transition easy and safeguard the people we are here to serve and that is not the bank manager back home.
just finished the “bad boy school for those who terminally don’t get kbr”3 days of learning why kbr is losing everything.the top dog for hr in iraq told us that the hat issue is one of the reasons things are so screwed up.they have their priorities mixed up.kbr recieved a level 3 car for iraq for quality(qcp)that THEY wrote but never inforced.now they are trying to cram course us all on our “responsibilities” concerning the quality control plan.a little late doncha think!?!sept 12 is the final report card date.according to mr hazzard (who just bailed to the competition”kbr is letting evrything but ttm(theatre transportation mission),jmmt(mail) and some clss go.clss will fold into ttm along with the mail,everything else is up for grabs.bls is shut down and the o&m guys got thier notice(dirt movers)alot of those guys are transferring over to forklifts(MHE)those of us left are either trying to get on with someone else or praying flour comes to our rescue.we keep getting the”just hold on”talk.but i really do not want to work for the same assholes who ran kbr into the ground over at flour or dyncorp.change the hat yes,but cut the fat.remember what the WHO said”meet the new boss,same as the old boss,won’t get fooled again!”hope it works out
Lushinger is blame for a lot of the crap. He was better in a support role at BAF than in a leadership role in Iraq. He was a CMSM under Rick Rueter in the Marine Corps. I’m not saying his performance was stellar, but it seems he has been promoted beyond his ability. Hopefully, he will be shaking hands with the unemployed. Something about the “Peter Principle”
I do not know about Fluor, but DCP (the DynCorp team) will not fail in Afghanistan. When they take Iraq away from KBR, they will not fail there either. The Iraq TO Final RFP has not been released. ERD is 10 August. Until then, submission of proposals and award announcement, no one will take over anything from KBR in Iraq.
Is it correct that KBR is to operate a US Army fuel farm in Kuwait. I think the location is Camp Buehring.
Yeah, there is a fuel farm there. I worked at one that leads to Arifjan. As far as I know, there wasn’t one near Buehring. Unless it’s a lot smaller, I’m wasn’t aware of one near there.
It was KBR run, but it wasn’t on our list of routine G&B checks. But, we ended up going anyway as a favor. Not sure what that was all about.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thanks for that First Hand information!!
Feb 17, 2009 (M2 EQUITYBITES via COMTEX) — KBR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating — KBR (NYSE: KBR), an engineering, construction and services company, disclosed yesterday (16 February) that it has received a contract from the US Army Contracting Command to conduct bulk fuel farm operations at certain military sites near Shuiba Port and at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.
As per the contract KBR will provide all services, resources and management necessary to perform bulk fuel farm operations, fuel transfer, inventory management and operations and related maintenance at specified locations for equipment and vehicles. Meter calibration and site expansion services will also be undertaken. Work under the contract is expected to commence in March.
The one-year contract includes four one-year renewal options and is valued at up to USD19.2m.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2179605/
Baboo Remembers said,on July 23rd, 2009 at 8:48 am Lushinger is blame for a lot of the crap. He was better in a support role at BAF than in a leadership role in Iraq. He was a CMSM under Rick Rueter in the Marine Corps. I’m not saying his performance was stellar, but it seems he has been promoted beyond his ability. Hopefully, he will be shaking hands with the unemployed. Something about the “Peter Principle”
Jim was not a Command SgtMajor in the Marine Corps. That rank does not exist in the Corps he might have worked with Rick but not as his Senior Enlisted Representive. Get your facts straight.
…enough said,on July 24th, 2009 at 12:42 pm I do not know about Fluor, but DCP (the DynCorp team) will not fail in Afghanistan. When they take Iraq away from KBR, they will not fail there either. The Iraq TO Final RFP has not been released. ERD is 10 August. Until then, submission of proposals and award announcement, no one will take over anything from KBR in Iraq
Dyncorp will not fail if they cannot handle Kuwait which is nothing compared to Southern Afghanistan they will fail enough. If you take a look at Dyncorp in Kuwait then you will see why they put KBR on a 120 day notice to assume the mission. Furthermore when they awarded the contract in Afghanistan they completely flip the contract Fluor was working in the south and Dyncorp the north well good old DOD jacked that up. now they have to move everything north and south and let me see them do that in the middle of winter.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I am going to assume you meant “Dyncorp will fail”. I agree they have really messed things up in Kuwait. They talked about that quite a bit at the last hearing. BUt the DoD did change the scope at the last minute and KBR did not help in the transition. That too was discussed at the Hearing.
But you bring up a valid point about the flip flop in Afghanistan. I wonder if the DoD did that on purpose? If these two contractors fail and the have to bring KBR back to LOGCAP IV then the DoD is exonerated where KBR is concerned.
Please any help would be appreciated, I have had job offered to me in Afghanistan for Fluor as a Maintenance planner. I would like to have any info that some one would feel helpful to me in making this decision .I have to followup after the holiday weekend to answer because they would like me in Greeneville the week of the fourteenth and be ready to be in country around the 25th.I believe this will be in based in northern part of country.I have always heard positive things about fluor and worked with them as they were consultants for a plant the I worked a start up. I have never worked overseas and definitely not in war zone but single and in my late thirties good health and probably my biggest concern now short of ones that havent occured to me is I questioned them how much travel in country and how that would be with my position. Please I really need some insight from people with this experience
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I’ve never worked in Afghanistan and I have never worked for Fluor. I have a lot of Afghanistan readers I hope they will give you some great information. I don’t have a lot of readers that I can identify as Fluor employees as of yet. I have heard good and bad about Fluor in Afghanistan as with every other company. I have only heard good things about Fluor in the States. If I had to chose between KBR, Fluor and Dyncorp I would personally choose Fluor but that would be based on hearsay only and my personal experience with KBR. Whatever you decide, if you get over there and just hate it….you can quit and come home. It’s not a mandatory 1 year. If you have never worked out of the country before, I say go for it. It will make you appreciate the States that much more. Any Fluor recruiter emails would be great. I have a bunch of readers wanting to get over there.
Those are the facts I was told by the boys who ran the show when I worked under them in Bagram. If is true or not, I don’t know except that Rick was a Marine soley based upon the fact he held his Marine Corp birthday at Karshi. I can only repeat the nonsense I was told. If you choose to dispute my statement so be it. I don’t have access to his military jacket. So Triple K, what is Jim’s background?
Thanks for the quick response .I have spent the evening trying to do quick research .I have a good stable job coming and I am trying to determine whether I am willing to bypass it but the earnings for Afghanistan sounds good and yes I have thought about the fact I dont have to stay but If I turn down opportunity here I need to be in there for the long haul.I will try to get email for u so far today spent about two hrs on phone discussing job and indoctrination in Greeneville, I guess they are ramping this up pretty fast…I do hope to get some info from your readers.I have learned a lot of info from reading through here so far thanks so much for this resource
Flour has the north, BAF nice climate and it snows compared KAF. Taliban activity is mostly in Helmand province. Occasional rocket attacks on base from disgruntled Parwan Valley Warlord or other insurgency activity. Taliban Prison on Disney drive. Prisoners escaped in 05 and made their way out the Egyptian gate. Dead Taliban corpses were accidentally discovered during on the far side of runway during base expansion in 06. Suicide bomber pulled the cord at front gate during inspection of local workers at main gate and maimed KBR employee. Unexploded ordinance will rise to surface during rains, so watch where you walk despite previous mine clearing activities.
Flour will be on base except they if they decide to refurbish or build new FOB’s and replace KBR personnel out at FOB’s to replace. FOB’s have less politics due to the serious nature of the mission. Border areas are always high risk due to Taliban crossings. Transportation provided by Blackhawk almost never by convoy. Tax year starts from the time leave the ground you arrive until the time you touch sovereign soil.
Thank you the more I can gather the better equipped I will be to make this decision
Ok I am asking more and more .what vacinations will I have to take .It looks like I will be there by end of the month it also seems like I am walking into a messy turnover .I assume from what I have learned from recruiter is right now in the progress of some equpiment handover
Normally you will get two Hepatitas shots, which you need to get follow up shots in country. You will get a Typhoid shot. They will give you malaria pills to take. Those are the ones I know of anyway.
Cheers
Well I will say this KBR doesn’t deserve any contract. They need to consentrate on how to treat employees. Sometimes the management needs to listen to the employees about proper procedures. I have never in my life been treated with such disrespect. I am embarassed that I even worked for them. All the people working with high positions, half of them don’t even know what they are doing, so I guess you can just say they are the one’s that couldn’t make it in the real world.
One thing is for sure they need to understand that water, metal and electricity don’t mix. Go to school and learn about GFCI protection for containerized showers and latrines. Fluor and DynCorp, GOOD LUCK you got a mess to clean up.
Was just checking web for Fluor and KBR jobs, whats up with KBR they are posting almost four hundred jobs for skilled trades and Fluor is showing no jobs. I just turned down job with Fluor to be electrician foreman in Iraq and now job is showing canceled. Is it maybe Fluor bit off more than they can chew. Any information would be helpful.
Anybody seen the new Blue Border Alert about the CAC cards and only American passport holders will have one? This came out about the same time as all the job announcements. At militaryhire.com there looks to be about every position KBR has in theater open?
well people afterbeing new and reading all the comments on the site. there is a good side and bad side ,to it all, my experience with kbr was taking my vacation and then telling me for no reason i was terminated, contract downsizing, then being transfered to Iraq after working with KBRfor 4 yrs being RIF, no negative counselings, people been with company less time then me theyre still working ,in same job I had ,I didnt understand logic behind it,would rather be able to quit on my own, I guess they had used all of us up and discarded us, I hope the new company Fluor ,or who ever takes over doesnt,treat people the same,and Iam sure they will be more productive and get the job done.taking care of the customer while, providing the best Service possible, people dontlike getting treated like dirt,and trash , Iam not complaining about KBR, but it was the people in it that made it a bad place to work,in,not all but a lot of them,the best one i ever worked for was James R, Baker , he was fair thats all anyone could ask of them, l try
OKAY ALL READERS AND WRITERS OUT THERE IAM GOING TO OR WOULDLIKE TO GIVE FLUOR A TRY,IF THERE IS ANY HELP OR POC,S OR NUMBERS YOU CAN PASSON TO ME I WOULD APPRECIATE IT,ALSO IAM LOOKING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH A HR, REP IN AFGHANISTAN OR JAMES R, BAKER A PROJECT MANAGER FOR FLUOR IN AFGHANISTAN THANKS
Sorry to say Buddy they are not hiring Americans the majority are FNs from Bosnia and Macedonia . And India and Pakistan … I am in Afghanistan and that is what is going on now.
Better off trying to find a job in the States
It’s all over except the crying for most.
But there is some hope with AFCAP. Not too many trade positions available. The tech positions for the Air Force I’ve seen are only hiring Americans due to the security clearance issue involved.