Another Mysterious Electrocution Death in Iraq

By Jeremy Scahill
September 9, 2009

Adam Vernon Hermanson “was a natural-born leader,” according to his brother, Jesse. In 2002, just before his eighteenth birthday, Adam enlisted in the US military, armed with the required permission from his parents because he was not legally an adult. Adam spent six years in the Air Force. In all, he did three tours in Iraq and one in Uzbekistan. After he was honorably discharged from the military in early 2009 with the rank of staff sergeant, Hermanson took up employment as a private bodyguard in his hometown of Las Vegas, where, according to his family, he protected a wealthy individual. But according to Jesse, Adam was interested in returning to Iraq as a private military contractor. “He had been talking about it a lot; he was interested in Blackwater,” Jesse recalls.

In May, Adam signed a contract that would put him back in the action–as a private contractor for Triple Canopy, the company that the State Department has chosen to take over much of Blackwater’s security work in Iraq. According to his cousin, Paul Moreno, Hermanson was offered about $350 a day for a four-month contract. “It happened real fast,” Jesse remembers. “He didn’t want the family to know and get worried. He actually did it behind the backs of the family–my mom found out a day and a half before he was going. We were trying to change his mind and say it wasn’t worth the money, but he felt that he needed to do it to pay off bills and get a house and be financially secure.” Jesse adds, “He had also tried to get a job in Vegas as a Metro Police officer, and they denied him even with all of his training.” Adam’s mother, Patricia, says, “We know he disliked it. His plan was that after four months he was going to leave Triple Canopy and get a house.”

Hermanson arrived in Iraq in June and took up residence inside the Green Zone at Triple Canopy’s base at Camp Olympia. His family said his e-mails were brief and primarily made up of questions about how everyone else was doing. As for his work, he told the family he wasn’t allowed to say much. “The last time I talked to him, I noticed that it wasn’t really Adam–the way he talked,” Patricia recalls. “He said he was working seventeen-hour days. When I asked how it was going there, he said, ‘I can’t really say much, but let’s just say the average Joe couldn’t be here and do what we do.’”

Earlier this week, Hermanson returned home on a flight to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. His body was in a coffin. (for a photo of Adam and to read the rest of the great article by Jeremy Scahill click HERE)

Here’s a list of statements (disclaimers) from the key players:

KBR(Heather Speaks)-”KBR has no operations or maintenance responsibility for the living, office, or shower facilities at Camp Olympia, the Triple Canopy compound where the death occurred. Nor does KBR maintain the electrical system in the facilities or for the camp,” KBR spokesperson Heather Browne said in a statement to The Nation. “We have found no evidence that that KBR constructed the camp, installed the electrical system, or ever had any operations or maintenance responsibility for the living, office, or shower facilities.”

Triple Canopy-1. Jayanti Menches, a spokeswoman for Triple Canopy, said in an e-mail (to the AP) that the company was saddened by his death but would not be commenting further until an investigation was complete. 2. Triple Canopy would not comment on whether it did the electrical wiring for the facility where Hermanson died or if an outside contractor was involved. A Triple Canopy spokesperson told The Nation she was “unable to provide additional information at this time.” (Hmmmm)

The State Department – 1. State Department spokesman Robert Wood also offered condolences to the family, but would not elaborate further on the cause of death, pending an investigation.(AP) 2. From The Nation: Editor’s note: A State Department spokesperson called The Nation shortly after this story was posted to say that Hermanson was working on a Defense Department contract at the time of his death.

The Defense Department – 1. No Statement (Hmmmm) My DoD sources believe Adam was working on a State Department contract.

I pose these questions:

Is it possible that Triple Canopy employees who were working on both DoS and DoD contracts were both living at Camp Olympia? YES

Is it possible the DoS does not want any more bad publicity after the “Guards Gone Wild” incident in Kabul? YES

Is it possible that the DoD does not want any more bad publicity after the SSG Ryan Maseth electrocution and all the Congressional Hearings? YES

Is it possible that both DoS and DoD are telling Triple Canopy “Adam Hermanson DIDN’T work on our contract”? I WOULDN’T PUT IT PAST EITHER ONE OF THEM

What was the Task Force SAFE investigation findings. You know TFS sent a Subject Matter Expert to investigate the incident. Why would they do that if DoD or DoS was not the owner of the building? A courtesy? Damage control?

Who did the electrical maintenance?

I think there is much much more to this than meets the eye. Something stinks here.

I would like to thank everyone who has come forward with such valuable information and condolences for Adam’s family. Keep that info coming.

Ms Sparky