Comments on: Shock and Eeewww! http://mssparky.com/2009/09/shock-and-eeewww/ Wed, 23 May 2012 17:46:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ex-KBR Wife http://mssparky.com/2009/09/shock-and-eeewww/comment-page-1/#comment-6157 Ex-KBR Wife Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:47:35 +0000 http://mssparky.com/?p=3969#comment-6157 This is a copy of an article from todays Wall Street Journal concerning ArmorGroup North America. U.S. Seeks New Guards in Kabul The State Department plans to seek new bids to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul after the current firm ran into staffing and oversight problems. The company, ArmorGroup North America, a unit of Wackenhut Services Inc., will be allowed to bid on the new contract, the State Department said. "The recent allegations of misconduct and various contract compliance deficiencies led us to conclude it was in the best interest of the government to compete a new contract," said P.J. Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public affairs. The plan to rebid the contract was earlier disclosed by the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group that in September released lurid photos and videos of ArmorGroup guards at a party. ArmorGroup North America began protecting the Kabul embassy in 2007 as part of a contract valued at as much as $189 million over five years. It is renewed annually, and the current work expires in June 2010. The company struggled to provide English-speaking guards and was frequently understaffed. The previous company had similar issues. The company declined to comment and referred questions to the State Department. The decision to rebid the contract highlights the challenges the Obama administration faces in continuing to rely on such firms in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are already some 104,100 Defense Department contractors in Afghanistan, mostly local hires focused on logistics and construction. They are expected to outnumber U.S. forces in Afghanistan even after 30,000 more troops are sent next year. Thousands more contractors work for the State Department on various rebuilding and development projects. This is a copy of an article from todays Wall Street Journal concerning ArmorGroup North America.

U.S. Seeks New Guards in Kabul

The State Department plans to seek new bids to protect the U.S. Embassy in Kabul after the current firm ran into staffing and oversight problems.

The company, ArmorGroup North America, a unit of Wackenhut Services Inc., will be allowed to bid on the new contract, the State Department said.

“The recent allegations of misconduct and various contract compliance deficiencies led us to conclude it was in the best interest of the government to compete a new contract,” said P.J. Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public affairs.

The plan to rebid the contract was earlier disclosed by the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group that in September released lurid photos and videos of ArmorGroup guards at a party.

ArmorGroup North America began protecting the Kabul embassy in 2007 as part of a contract valued at as much as $189 million over five years. It is renewed annually, and the current work expires in June 2010. The company struggled to provide English-speaking guards and was frequently understaffed. The previous company had similar issues.

The company declined to comment and referred questions to the State Department.

The decision to rebid the contract highlights the challenges the Obama administration faces in continuing to rely on such firms in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are already some 104,100 Defense Department contractors in Afghanistan, mostly local hires focused on logistics and construction.

They are expected to outnumber U.S. forces in Afghanistan even after 30,000 more troops are sent next year. Thousands more contractors work for the State Department on various rebuilding and development projects.

]]> By: FYI http://mssparky.com/2009/09/shock-and-eeewww/comment-page-1/#comment-6147 FYI Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:06:33 +0000 http://mssparky.com/?p=3969#comment-6147 A government watchdog group says it has obtained an email indicating that the State Department plans to phase out the use of security contractor ArmorGroup North America at its US embassy in Kabul. The Project on Government Oversight previously exposed allegations of contract deficiencies, understaffing, false statements, misrepresentation and bad behavior by some employees with the security contractor. http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1209/POGO_ArmorGroup_loses_Kabul_embassy_contract.html# A government watchdog group says it has obtained an email indicating that the State Department plans to phase out the use of security contractor ArmorGroup North America at its US embassy in Kabul.

The Project on Government Oversight previously exposed allegations of contract deficiencies, understaffing, false statements, misrepresentation and bad behavior by some employees with the security contractor.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1209/POGO_ArmorGroup_loses_Kabul_embassy_contract.html#

]]> By: Curious http://mssparky.com/2009/09/shock-and-eeewww/comment-page-1/#comment-4453 Curious Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:50:14 +0000 http://mssparky.com/?p=3969#comment-4453 I have to wonder after reading this, if Senator Nelson and Congressman Poe ever got responses from Secretary of State Rice or Secretary of Defense Gates regarding ther requests for information on contractor crimes? http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/supporting/GatesLetter.pdf http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2008/01/bush-admin-slow.html If Robert Gates didn't bother to respond to the allegations of rape of US Women by their US co-workers; will the booze-n-buttcrack scandal even raise an eyebrow in his world? Silence Means Consent <strong>Ms Sparky's Response: </strong> I think the only reason this has gotten so much media attention is the photos of these pervs. More attention more public outcry more action. No photos of rapes, or murdered women in Iraq, therefore the general public has a hard time visualizing that horror. Therefore no mass public outcry and no pressure on Gates. I have to wonder after reading this, if Senator Nelson and Congressman Poe ever got responses from Secretary of State Rice or Secretary of Defense Gates regarding ther requests for information on contractor crimes?

http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/supporting/GatesLetter.pdf

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2008/01/bush-admin-slow.html

If Robert Gates didn’t bother to respond to the allegations of rape of US Women by their US co-workers; will the booze-n-buttcrack scandal even raise an eyebrow in his world?

Silence Means Consent

Ms Sparky’s Response:
I think the only reason this has gotten so much media attention is the photos of these pervs. More attention more public outcry more action. No photos of rapes, or murdered women in Iraq, therefore the general public has a hard time visualizing that horror. Therefore no mass public outcry and no pressure on Gates.

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