Comments on: KBR prefers to defer electrical inspections in Iraq

By: Happy to be home

Happy to be home — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:23:46 +0000

I conducted a meeting in the large conference room at JBB immediately after the HQ guys (including Mayo) and other high ups from all camps (including some PM’s and DPM’s) finished an electrical conference after the level III CAR in the fall of 2008. I saw that all of the power strips in that room were daisy chained together for their laptops. They are hypocrites that just don’t get it. In my time in Iraq, I noted that the intelligent and talented people could seldom stick it out. The inept that moved up early on (being promoted for returning from R&R) stay and cash their checks… This leads to shotty work and people with power trips because they have never had a role in management before. I am grateful for the opportunity that this job gave me and my family, but as noted above, I am happy to be home and will never work LOGCAP again. This kind of “leadership” will be found at all the large contracting companies, especially since most of the management will be either KBR rejects or transfers.

By: Frankiedee

Frankiedee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:23:04 +0000

I agree , I saw a lot of soldier wiring or wired by some Iraqi guy after work.
The impression I got was KBR was overwelmed and couldnt get to it, so people took things into their own hands. Understandable when a breaker keeps tripping for your a/c and its 120 degrees or you need a welder to run so you can build up some armour on your vehicle….all we could do is recommend it was wired correctly ASAP.
Sometimes its hard to read the NEC codebook to the Mayor of a FOB in between mortar attacks.
Realistic is the key word here.

By: Who is it?

Who is it? — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:09:51 +0000

As an electrician over there I saw a lot of shade tree wiring, some by the military, some by others…
After correcting issues to make a facility safe, there was on occasion a report of shock and of course my role in repairs were questioned. It was later found during investigation that someone had come in after my repairs to alter things (to make it more convenient, add a circuit, etc).
We as electricians can only idiot proof so much and the that is the reason the military has procedures for everything. To allow for the idiots that think they can do better than the professionals.

By: Frankiedee

Frankiedee — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:38:47 +0000

Soo much hype!! I was there, it should be about inspecting facilities to make them safe, safe being the key word.
Iraq is a hostile and challenging work envirnment, installations were done to “make it happen”. An inspector cannot go around as if he were in the states and look at miniscual issues in the code book and write flashes as to tie up work crews, which cannot get to SERIOUS issues such as NO grounding or a sizzling panel or a deadly open conductor ready to easily kill anyone.
This is my whole point, the most number of facilities in theatre must be inspected for the most dangerous code issues as soon as possible!! Not spending days on end inspecting facilities to complete the report quotta for the day. I will put my reputation on the line in saying that I can walk into a facility and in a short period of time determine if its safe or not….you guys out there know Im right.
ITS TIME TO GET BACK TO BASICS!!!
When I joined TF SAFE thats what I thought it was all about, and thats why I am angry!

By: chrisatnve

chrisatnve — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:53:12 +0000

I was a team leader for KBR @ JBB Balad. At the end of August the word for the day was defer defer defer, we were told to defer any building that had issues with tampering, open splices in walls or ceilings, panels that needed to be replaced, basically anything that could not be repaired in 8 man hours was a write up for deferrals. We had Joe Tedesco come up from Baghdad, A senior management guy named Steve, also from Baghdad, and a host of other senior management team members. At one point we were told we had to inspect 88 hard stands in 4 days to see if they qualified for deferral. We of course said there was no way we could accomplish this. This was all done of course so that KBR could make the Sept 12 deadline for G&B, which they didn’t make anyway. And just think all the deferrals will be written up as P-2′s and KBR will probably get the repair work. I wish I could screw everything up the first time so I could get paid again and again to fix it, this of course is the KBR way. And it continues as we speak.

Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thanks for the great comment. I had heard this “defer defer defer” was going on and have reported it according. I am shooting you an email to talk more about this.

By: Ms Sparky

Ms Sparky — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:28:44 +0000

That change in priorities that moved the buildings on the deferred list to pri-1 came 7 days after Adam Hermanson died. Was Adam’s building on the deferred list? Hmmmm

By: sports

sports — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:54:29 +0000

SBH Article..Interesting… Thomas Koch? Electrician Thomas Koch, now @ FLuor Intercontinental? Was at the Embassy in Kazakhstan or one of those Stan’s?
I was with SBH, never got any letter, email from Bruce D. about SSC#’s.&>+@*%#^&!LOL

FLASH:

Hey! I remember seeing that guy in the BOAT…(FL)…(not to be confused with the MAN in the BOAT) Well, I saw the BOAT at least. It was on top of a building on the left side of the road before you go across the 14Th of July Bridge. I remember thinking how cool it would be water skiing down the Tigris, but would need a Helio to get it off and in, then sneak it back up.

FLASH:
I got sent home mid AUG after step/jump/fall from a russian PooPoo craft at an FOB. Then to Hosp.,home, my home Dr., x ray, MRI, Orthopedic Surgeon… says partial to total knee replacement. AIG says they ain’t paying chit, even after the DOL “recommended” them to fix me and pay me. So I’m out 2 1/2 mo. pay, thus far, can’t work, barely walk, and the COBRA CIGNA I’m paying for…..try to get it fixed on my own Insurance…as soon as you check the box “Is this visit a result of a work related injury” YesX, they kick you and your Expat Insurance Card to the curb. (Bitterness)

FYI: So AFTER 3 mo. I’ll have an “Informal” phone conference with my mouthpiece, their same and the DOL Claims Examiner. WOW! where the heck is TOTO?

FLASH:

What really ticks me off is that I DID NOT get invited to the White House Halloween Party tonite!!!!!

Be sure to CYA brothers and sisters, no one else will!

Sports.

Ms Sparky’s Response:
Sorry to hear you are having such a problem with AIG. I wish I could say that wasn’t normal. But AIG could very possibly be more criminal that KBR.