Experienced overseas workers know there will be a certain amount of bull shi*t associated with any contractor, job or country you might consider working in. It doesn’t matter who you’re working for or where you’re working, there is bound to be some machiavellian manager in charge or worse yet, one who appears to have the management IQ of a carrot. And yes, this “root vegetable” will be in total control of your life in this foreign country. There are atmospheric and environmental issues…..Antarctica is too damn cold, Iraq is to damn hot and Asia is too damn humid. There are cultural issues and language barriers with the locals and the ever present separation from your family issues.
Those variables and more factor in to what I call a persons “Maximim Bull Sh*t Tolerance Level” (MBSTL). This level is the maximum level of bull sh*t a person can endure on a job for the amount of money they are being paid. Personal financial goals and situations are different therefore, every bodies “MBSTL” is as different and unique as they are. But it would appear that pay and “MBSTL”are directly proportional. The higher the pay, the higher the “MBSTL”. With this information, one should be able to conclude that ZERO pay would equal a ZERO “MBSTL”.
In all my years of working overseas, I have found this to be true. Don’t pay what you agreed to pay them and their normally tolerant attitude becomes intolerable and disgruntled! Interesting phenomena don’t you think? Let’s examine why this might happen.
A person, in good faith, accepts an offer to be paid a certain wage at certain intervals from a company such as DYNCORP to go to nasty third world country like Afghanistan in the middle of a war to support the United States mission Operation Enduring Freedom. It is be bitterly cold in the winter, stifling hot in the summer, dusty all the time and insurgents are actively trying to kill you. Tools and materials are difficult to get if at all, you desperately miss your family, and yes a “machiavellian root vegetable” is giving you orders. Still this appears to be well under your “MBSTL”.
Now throw in the fact that, your desperately needed paycheck did not get direct deposited on the next expected payday. Hmmm. You give them that one. You are a new employee. Maybe someone didn’t get the paperwork in on time. Your “MBSTL” is lowered somewhat but you are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
The next pay day rolls around, a month later and still no paycheck has been direct deposited into your account. If you had wanted to go to Afghanistan as a volunteer instead of a Dyncorp employee you could have joined some humanitarian organization. At this point in time you have basically worked for free for nearly two months.
You signed a contract with Dyncorp and they agreed to pay you a certain amount on a certain day. And they didn’t. They are in breach of their contract. But then Dyncorp Deputy Project Manager in Kandahar informs you that you can’t quit because they will charge you for the airfare and expenses over and back. It will be deducted from the check you haven’t even gotten yet! What the hell?
I have received numerous complaints from Dyncorp employees in Afghanistan about this issue. Here are some of their comments.
Now we are at two pay cycles late…and no help at all…just excuses…I am going home now….I will not work and not get paid…..Fluor offered me a job…I will surely take that…..EVERYONE is pissed……Dyncorp will not last long like this……We thought KBR was bad….this one takes the cake
The people that said they were going to quit because of not being paid were told they would have to pay for their own ticket home too. The sad part was that these same people couldn’t afford to buy a ticket (hadn’t been paid…) but DynCorp said “no problem, we’ll take if from your final paycheck”.
I had to go to Dyncorp Corporate to get paid. That really pissed off Dyncorp management in Kandahar. I was told “This issues is between (you), Payroll and HR. Let’s keep it at that level! We were also told by the same manager if we ever talked to the DCMA we would be fired.
They are now trying to pay in cash. They are paying the SCW’s in cash as well. Many of them haven’t been paid for two months as well. What in the hell do any of us need a fistful of cash here in Afghanistan? We need it in our bank accounts for our families. This is really putting the SCW’s at risk. I suspect there is going to be a whole lot of stealing and fighting going on in the tent.
One would think this is Dyncorp’s first big job , their first overseas job. Just maybe they are not cut out for LOGCAP IV.
Here’s what I do know. If Dyncorp has submitted vouchers to the DoD to be paid for payroll that they haven’t paid. IT’S FRAUD!!! If Dyncorp hasn’t paid their people in two months the amount agreed to in the agreed to method, they are in breach of their contract. If you quit after not being paid and they charge you for the airfare and expenses let me know, I will help you find an attorney.
Here are a few of the Dyncorp managers involved.
Hank Miller – Dyncorp Project Manager – Kandahar, Afghanistan (Allegedly a retired 1-star Army General trying to verify)
Scott Mount – Dyncorp Deputy Project Manager – Kandahar, Afghanistan and the former KBR Project Manager for DF&I sites in Iraq. He “Voluntarily” resigned from the project in 2005. Allegedly there were some questionable WBS coding practices and he is not eligible for rehire at KBR. The word on the street was that KBR implemented the “Front Line Supervisor Training” in part because of his cronyism and management style. Paul Cerjan the Program Manager of LOGCAP III even sent out a “Cerjan Sends” slide condemning the threats and intimidation tactics used by Scott Mount and his Leesville “Redneck Mafia.” I have so much info on Scott Mount and KBR, I could write a book just on him. He is named in at least one discrimination civil suit.
Conrad Cannon – Dyncorp O&M manager. Also known as the “I don’t know” man.
I would love to hear from more current and former Dyncorp employees from Afghanistan. Is this happening anywhere else? Let me know.
Ms Sparky
Ms. Sparky,
Let us not forget that the director of Finance, Daniel L. Rowland, was fired very recently by DynCorp. Remember also that all the DIFZ employees (the every 28 day pay cycle employees) were actually paid out of DynCorp in Dubai NOT DynCorp in Fort Worth. While many of us DIFZ employees had contacts in Fort Worth none of us knew anyone in Dubai. The only point of contact we had was Dan Rowland. While Dan had not been answering any e-mails sent to him regarding the missing pay I do not believe for one second that he was 100% responsible for this fiasco. Dan was simply the man who took the blame. I saw him after he had been told that he was being terminated. Dan told me that he didn’t know why. He said that no one would tell him. Typical Scott Mount, Leesville mafia tactics once again. When we would ask HR at KAF about the back pay issue we were told bluntly that “this was not their problem and we should contact Finance”. Funny how being stranded halfway around the world and not being paid is somehow not an HR issue? I did hear that one guy sent an e-mail to Dan Rowland about his back pay and he CC’d just about everybody in the free world. We hear that he got paid every cent he was owed BUT he also got an e-mail from Scott Mount telling him to” keep these issues between HR, Finance and himself from now on”. All I have to say is that his method worked and maybe we should all do what he did. Could it be that DynCorp doesn’t want word of this leaking outside of KAF? Could it be that you are 100% correct and that DynCorp is billing fraudulently? I think that you nailed it on this issue and DynCorp is hoping that the word doesn’t get out. I mean, wouldn’t it be great to hire up a boatload of people, bill out 100% for their services, receive payment for all of them (plus your markup) and then hold ALL the money? How much money are we talking here? How much interest is earned in just 2 months on this money? Who gets the interest? Not the men and women needing their pay for mortgages, food for their families back home. I guess DynCorp management didn’t think about that part. Or is it that they just don’t give a sh*t about anybody but themselves.
You can be sure that Hank Miller, Scott Mount, Conrad Cannon, Angie Ham, Brian Waller, etc. never missed a paycheck. But what they do comes with a price tag of its own. The price is a complete lack of integrity. For these people to idly sit by and do nothing shows just how little integrity they have.
Well, enough of my rant for now. I do appreciate your letting this cat out of the bag. I really hope that word gets around to ALL DynCorp employees that they are not alone. If we stick together we can prevail. Power in numbers, watch each other’s backs, stand up for what is right, simply have an opinion and do not be afraid to state it out in the open. You may go home but you will be able to look yourself in the mirror. (PS: Is it true that Scott Mount had all the mirrors removed from his room?)
Thanks again Ms. Sparky
Several say DynCorp misled them about jobs in Qatar
..Now, after working for two years in Qatar and ultimately suing DynCorp over its promises, Bates says he and others were misled.
The company, Bates says, juggled pay rates and conditions. “The more you work, the less you get paid per hour.” In practice, Bates says the $51,000 figure was a cap on earnings…
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/12920442-1.html
I worked with Mr. Bates in Qatar. He was a wonderful employee on our team. But our supervisor was intimidated by him. Well anyone with a brain intimidated Jon Martin. Anyways Jon got his job the old fashioned way. He kissed lots of BUTTS. He continued to complain about Michael Bates on daily basis, until he finally got Michael to move to another team, but Jon had friends on the team he was moved to and they deliberately made his days miserable. Shame on the people who participated in this activity. Shame on you Kelly.
I have agree with all the pay issues that were raised. They paid me a nice healthy check 18 months after I was there because they was paying incorrect overtime, holiday time and working our day off. Alot of the issues are with the supervisors also. They intimidate, harass, belittle and anything else that goes along with keeping the guards in line. Jon Martin tried his best to keep us from addressing those issues. I kind of thought he was getting kick backs from management.
But in any case Michael did come home with a nice bonus. Congrats to you and your wife Michael.
W
I have accepted a job with DynCorp and will be flying to Ft. Worth for outprocessing on January 10th. Reading the article and the comments make me fearful that I am going to go over there and not get paid. Before I give notice at my job here and work for DynCorp, I would like to know if the pay issue is going to get resolved soon.
Does anyone know what the latest status is and will we be getting paid on time?
If your going to Qatar I have a friend who is there and he has mentioned just a few minor problems with the 1st check, but nothing major.
i have applied for so many jobs of which i qualified for with dyncorp and have not gotten a call yet, can you please send me a recruiters name, nawtawde@yahoo.com, thanks
I am considering applying with AECOM for an electricians position in Afghanistan and would greatly appreciate corresponding with anyone working for them in Afghanistan.Thanks
All i can say is i am glad i did not take that job with Dyncorp. They were doing the same thing in Kuwait, they were actually mailing there paychecks to there home of record LOL. I hear so many people preaching about how good dyncorp is. Well i guess the truth is really coming out now i see why Fluor got extended in the south for another year.
Mailing checks to the home of record? Half the guys that work in the middle east don’t even have a real address. It’s a UPS store or a storage unit. Although I loathe KBR…..they NEVER screwed up my check. I have to give them that.
Yes i have to admit at least i got paid on time or when i demob i did not have to pay for my own ticket. OMG Sparkie we agreed on something
OMG you’re right…..I won’t tell anyone if you won’t!
checking to see if yall might know who is hiring master electricians in iraq or afghanistan and what kind of salarys are they offering.
They don’t need you if can’t spell “electrick” So why don’t you head on back to the farm and finish your favorite movie, “Deliverance.
My my my my my!! A little intolerant this morning? As an “elektreeshun” myself I thought it was mighty enterestin’.
Maybe you want Dyncorp to hire only Nobel Price winner…like you.Maybe English is second language for this guy.What is your second language …idiot.
That’s “Prize” winner!! Now who’s the idiot!
First of all i was replaying Baboo…second English is not my first language…only one of many languages i can use…what about you Baboo…I`m sure you can write your name on two or three languages
…sorry sparky but this guy is a way to intolerant…
Sheldon,
I’m not the elitist snob you might think. I do have intolerance to those who take the cash and run and abuse people and call it business. So if your one of those experts who hosed things up or haven’t been there maybe you should go and find out what it’s about or stop on by a VA center and see what the true cost of war is and then kiss the ground they walk on.
Socrates: The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world, is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find, that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice of them.
Sheldon,
You think I’m Intolerant? Can you say Nigerian Terrorist? Of course his so-called “legitimate banker” Nigerian father reported him to the authorities, his son was bad for business.
By the way old chap, speaking a second language doesn’t mean a different dialect such as Italian, French or Castilian Spanish… all of which are Latin based.
One more brief comment, DynCorp is threatening it’s employees already? DynCorp needs to fire that punk asap! And if they don’t, go crap on his desk. Merry-Xmas DynCorp jerk off!
Welcome back Baboo! I have missed your acerbic wit and biting comments
Which punk would that be?
I work for KBR in Afghanistan and have also heard that Agility, Dyncorp’s primary subcontractor has just been thrown off 4 bases and that DynCorp has been banned from those sites for TIPs. Supposedly they hired a bunch of Filipinos, took their passports, issued them fake ones and then didn’t pay them at all up to and past the time that they were removed from those sites. Can you get any more information on this. I believe charges are being filed and Agility has been banned from working government jobs in Afghanistan. I heard this from some co-workers in the Kandahar area. p.s. thanks for saying something. I noticed that the mainstream media hasn’t picked up on the DynCorp story yet. By the way i believe TIPs was the same reason DynCorp lost LC II.
I am going to forward this to media and Congressional contacts to sort out. Any additional information on this would be great!
Any Agility, Dyncorp, Fluor or KBR employees want to add to this?
The plot thickens!!
well i think agility will not destroy his good nameand reputation serving and feeding the forces in iraq,the truth will come out and we are optimistic that cpmpany can able to settle the problem..
According to this DynCorp has been involved with the following:
1. Use and Possession of Military Passes with the Intent to Defraud
2. Overcharges in Providing Fuel to a Police Academy in Amman, Jordan
3. Human Trafficking in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Ben Johnston)
4. Human Trafficking in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Kathryn Bolkovac)
One has to question the logic in allowing them to bid. let alone win a piece of LOGCAP IV
http://www.contractormisconduct.org/index.cfm/1,73,221,html?ContractorID=59&ranking=37
Get your facts straight. Fuel overcharges, DoS was running the Camp, DynCorp build the Camp, DynCorp employees were seconded to work under DoS direction. DynCorp employees are the ones that pointed out to DoS leadership about fuel issues. DynCorp put into place a tracking mechanisim so that the stealling by delivery trucks would stop. DynCorp reimbursed the USG over $600K for their incompetence.
I cannot speak abou the others, but I know this to be true.
I know for a fact that at Herat “Camp Stone” no one has been paid yet. I will try and find out the names of the bases that Agility/DynCorp was thrown off for TIPs.
Paid on time? Correctly? Benefits start on time?
Fuggedaboudit.
Especially if you’re a TCN.
Also, expect to be deployed into AFG without an LOA or a CAC. Yes, you read that correctly.
There are some good people working for DI, but they’re outnumbered and overworked. I hate to be on a losing team, and every day this one looks to be just that.
Agility and CH2M Hill can’t grab their asses with both hands, either. CH2M Hill is especially disappointing. Whomever runs that company needs to jerk them out of this deal before their reputation is ruined.
Monkeys at the Helm! Monkeys at the Helm!
Can you email me with more specifics. I am still getting complaints that US expats are still not getting paid as well as 100′s of TCN’s. Do you know anything about the Trafficking in Persons (TIP’s) issues and which camps those are at. I am trying to help get this issue publicized and elevated to a higher level. Just keep that info coming. Please make sure it it accurate.
I am very surprised that CH2M Hill is allowing this to happen. They are from my neck of the woods and have a great reputation. You’re right. They need to cut the chord with Dyncorp and Agility.
We have roughly 560 ExPats and TCNs in Southpark. Of the 500+ TCNs, as of December 5, 2009, approximately 250 had some sort of pay issue. The pay issues ranged from improper handling or completion of timesheets (a supervisor and finance issue), absence of employee I.D. numbers (an HR issue), incorrect names on bank accounts (a pre-hire HR issue), to pay rates did not match FSAs (a finance and/or HR issue). The majority of the issues were timesheet issues, most of which had either been “misplaced” or outright lost by either supervisors or finance. It took coordination from the lowest ranks of management to back-door the TCNs over to the finance office to get timesheets corrected, as well as a new 3 person timesheet team and a visit from the Director of Finance. Now things are starting to smooth out, but there are still people with problems. Two gentlemen have not been paid since September because they weren’t given employee I.D. numbers until I pitched a hissy-fit to HR and the Dir. of Finance for three solid days. The main problem is that nobody takes personal responsibility to help anyone else here, and if they do, then the other 90% take advantage of their work ethic and dump their load on them. Also, most problems are in the cluster-fuck between Ft. Worth, Dubai, and Kuwait….many problems that our staff can solve in 5 minutes takes 2 or 3 days to come from Ft. Worth, Dubai, and Kuwait…..and forget about getting finance issues solved from Thursday to Sunday.
As far as the pre-hire issue with HR and Recruiting. Kenyans were told by their recruiting firm that they would be supplied with DynCorp uniforms, and to not bring many clothes. They were also not warned about the extreme cold relative to Kenya. Most of them don’t have coats. The Indians were told by their recruiters that they didn’t need to bother setting up bank accounts because they would be issued two DynCorp debit cards–one that they could send home to their family for paying bills, and one to use here.
We have had people sitting in Southpark for over two months who haven’t met their supervisors except to turn in timesheets that are then misplaced or lost or not turned in on time or not proof-read. Conversely, we have had people show up to camp without employee I.D. numbers and promptly shipped to other camps without those numbers, paychecks, or proper cold weather gear.
This goes well beyond human-trafficking, although that is a part of it. This dips into the realms of basic human rights not being protected. And, I won’t go into the rationing of communications to 30 phonecalls per day out of over 500 TCNs. That means, they get to make a five minute call every two weeks….and the horrible part is that most of them showed up with cell phones that have been confiscated and are sitting in a box that isn’t even in the HR office.
Get real.
I don’t know about any actual TIPS violations, especially any as egregious as taking away passports and such as that. I sincerely hope that’s not happening. To be fair and accurate, I don’t think it is.
TCN’s are simply not getting paid, and that will morph into all kinds of allegations and PR problems for DI.
I think DI is suffering from a lack of talent, leadership, planning, etc. I don’t think they’re doing anything illegal on purpose or as part of some evil plan. It’s much more basic than that LOL. AFG is a bitch! It has a history of frustrating the hell out of Western ambitions, and it’s doing it right now. AFG will expose your flaws and weaknesses if they exist.
I continue to get e-mails from DynCorp employees in Afghanistan (KAF) that have reached their limit and are quitting. They cite the same issues that we are reading about in this blog. Not being paid or being paid but the amount is completely wrong. This goes for both DIFZ employees (paid every 4 weeks) and DI employees (paid every 2 weeks). How long can this continue before someone with authority (and intelligence) solves this problem? One would think that someone in the US Government might take exception to this long term problem. Many employees have complained about the same issues and the same people responsible for long enough for something to have changed by now. That leads me to ask the obvious question: Why hasn’t something been done? Could it be that this problem goes higher up then we thought? Is the DCMA complicit? Aren’t they supposed to be the ‘watchdog’ over there? They must be aware and yet the same problem happens pay period after pay period.
It is going to take a lot more people complaining before anything positive happens. Those of you who have been reading this blog and are suffering from the same issues we are discussing must stand up and be heard. You cannot continue to remain silent in the hopes that the few of us who have chosen to write can get it done. You all have the option of using a fake name on the blog. At this point your individual stories must be posted. Do Ms. Sparky, and the rest of us, a favor and contribute.
Change doesn’t happen without people stepping forward. Be part of the change. Stand up for your fellow workers. Stand up for yourself.
I got this comment on another non-Dyncorp post, but I want to make those following the Dyncorp issues saw it.
George said:
The transition is on in Kandahar.
Going smooth.
KBR MOVING OUT
Dyna took over warehouse, MWR, O&M,
Provider, motor pool, etc.
G
who has the postal mission in afganistan now, please send recruiter infor. thanks
Agitato: So what is CH2M-Hill doing wrong. CH2M-Hill has an excellent reputation. Don’t tell me they trust DynCorp and Agility? By the way CH2M-Hill does check your employer references and 7-year background check in your state. They tend not to hire the personality types unique to KBR, Flour, DynaCorp and the rest of them.
CH2 just isn’t getting anything done, at least where I am, and every time they interact with the Client, things go downhill. Could just be personalities of the people involved, but I think there’s some technical competence / common-sense issues, too. All big companies are essentially the same, and when they step into the LOGCAP arena, they become even more alike. The idea that any one of them is any better than the other is wishful thinking.
Agitato; Interesting comment regarding CH2M-Hill. Planning and Design and CPM are three issues everyone likes to take credit for and never agree on.
It always comes down to “means and methods” of the people performing the work verified by building officials and third party inspection. 95% of all A-Stan building plans were “dummied down” with the minimum information because someone always said, We don’t do it that way back home and never followed design standards or practice quality assurance principles and always blamed the other guy.
This usually directly translated too, I can’t read a set of prints and I will build it the way I want. “I seen it with his eyes” one too many times as bubba would say.
Agility and GCC were dismissed by DI this morning, according to reports. Not sure what this really means. Just reporting the news as I hear it.
Dismissed, as in Dissed and not Missed.
It is true…The crap has hit the fan…The new KBR Red is DynCorp Blue and they are by far the worst company in contracting, so I thought, until Taos aka Agility, DGS came to town.
Agility (TAOS) has abandoned over 100 EXPATS in Kuwait (LOGCAP IV) and DynCorp is engaging in a hostile takeover of their employees…The HR Director from Agility (another X-KBR Flunky)sent a email today on behalf of the CEO (another X-KBR high ranking retired General)and stated in a nutshell,
We were blind sided by Dyncorp and if they offer you a job then take because we do not have anything for you.Oh, by the way, if we sort things out then we will offer you your job back..HUH? Really!! This sound like a bad Batman episode starring the Riddler however no one is laughing but DI all the way to the bank… Dissed and not missed is right.
That is a very valid point. I had been focused on Afghanistan and forgot about Dyncorp’s LOGCAP IV task orders in Kuwait. If they are leaving American’s stranded what in the hell are they doing to their employees they brought in from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. Dyncorp should be made to be responsible. Agility was their subcontractor.
Ms Sparky,
This goes back to your article on Is DoD asleep on the job in Kuwait too?
They have been asleep and DynCorp is getting away with murder. The current Agility EXPATS are at their mercy and Project Management, led by Toney Haskett aka Cyclops (another X-KBR Flunky) and his HR henchman Henry Lee aka Mr. Kool-Aid Man is having a field day discarding employees for Christmas. So much for Happy Holidays! BUH HUMBUG!
DynCorp, Mr. Kool-Aid Man, told everyone “DynCorp is not responsible for any Agility employee working for them on this contract.” On a better note, Agility (Taos) is going to pro-rate vacation pay and they will provide the discarded employees a plane ticket home. In addition, those employees from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. working under the LOGCAP contract will be rolled over.
Nevertheless, we will have to monitor and see if they suffer the same no pay debacle as the employees in Afghan. We will keep an eye out.
Is it a coincidence that all these embarrassments and misfortune are lead by X-KBR Flunkies? Which by the way, were run off because of similar unethical and unprofessional conduct? Is it just me or is this what they call, Deja Vu?
I’ve heard from several reliable sources that Joe Cosumano, President & CEO of Agility DGS Inc. (Taos) has resigned or taken an indefinite leave of absence. Can anyone confirm this?
Wow…that didn’t take long. I will try to confirm that. Any Agility people out there who are in the know!!
yes im working in agility for 4 years and all i can say is that the company treat his employees base on the rules or as stated on our contract..
Hasket (Cyclops)in Kuwait has his daughter working for him under her married name. More money going into the family account
Doesn’t CSA have a nepotism policy?
For anyone considering working for DynCorp you should know this:
1. They have the worst reputation(deserved)for treating their employees than any overseas contractor. They don’t give a sh-t about their people.
2. The Afghanistan Police Training contracts are written out of Dubai which means you are employed by a company located outside the US. (They did this so they can screw you at will)
3. You can be fired at any time for no reason and they do not have to give you a reason. If you are fired you have to pay your own way home and they keep your bonus.
4. You can’t sue them unless you do it in Dubai (good luck with that).
5. The people running this program have absoulutely no ethics or integrity. That means they will “screw” you at the drop of a hat. The big bosses in Kabul were fired in April’09 by DoS due to several deaths associated with an illegal drug operation. Now there is another group of “big bosses” who are likely as corrupt and unscrupulous as the last crew.
6. Good news is that DynCorp has lost the Police Training contract in Afghanistan now that the program has transitioned over to DoD.
According to the grapevine, CH2M-Hill had sent company design team staffers to A-Stan theatre instead of new hires. This had made sense due to the fact they were familiar with their own company culture and protocol. This epic adventure could be described as where cultures clash or “Let’s have build a still and get er’ done vs. Let’s twist one up and watch the stock market tumble.
Ah,good sweet gentle DynCorp…you SUCK! All the burn-outs and f_ck-ups from the DynCorp UNMIK cops languished awhile with us in Kosovo,trying to figure out what to do with their Albanian girlfriends and all their relatives,too…
What no visa for Albanian girlfriend and family! DynCorp gets the boot. Nothing like being kicked thru the goal post of life to meet sweet baby Jesus. Now maybe they will send all those Nigerian scam artist back home.
I am one of the fools in a volunteer status here and keep getting the run around regarding WHEN I will get paid. My immediate supervisor tells me to ask the manager and the manager says he can’t do squat. I will go see one more moron and then go to the DCAA. Those pet Indians in the finance office at camp hicks are IDIOTS. They asked me today if I remembered being told that I was not going to get paid until the next cycle on 24 DEC (A F***ing LIE). I told them to tell me what day they told me this and that I must be some kind of fool to come back then and to please forgive me for not remembering their lie. I plan go to go officially complain to the DCAA as soon as the next idiot on the chain tells me he cannot do a thing about my pay.
I wouldn’t wait for that. Just go talk to the DCMA. I think have more authority in current contract matters. DCAA audits after the fact, for the most part I think. What the hell. Tell them both. If there is a DCAA or DCMA employee assigned to the Dyncorp contract in Kuwait please contact me. I have information for you!
Is Finance still operating out of room 305 at Camp Hicks? If so, do they still have the same 2 TCN’s running it that replaced Dan Rowland?
Wait.
What the hey! I’M in Room 305 at Camp Hicks!
j/k
Sorry, where is Finance located then?
^^^LOL… The very small world of overseas contracting.
It’ sad to hear about this type of crap regarding pay issues and expiates losing work because managers can’t manage. It’s even worse to hear to KBR rejects have somehow made to management. I’m sure Dyncorp thought they got a deal with all the TCN’s performing task that should be assigned to qualified Americans. I guess they took lessons from KBR’s own Jim Lushinger who authorized all the TCN concept and devolpment in Iraq in the first place. But in his defense, after his experience with American expats in Bagram who hid out from work in the field and hid behind locked office doors and didn’t perform, It made it easy to justify his decision. But what you expect when you target demographics are pin pointed to a specific area in the country. I seen with his eyes as Bubba and Leroy would say.
My husband is an electrician for Dyncorp since Oct 09. We have not received a full check yet. They lost his timesheets and also did not give him the proper rate of pay. My husband has filled out new timesheets and said it will be on the next cycle. The rate was a change that went into effect right when he came on board. He signed the first contract with the lower rate before going to Ft. Worth and the second when he got to Ft. Worth with the higher rate. They keep giving him the run around about the second contract saying they don’t have it and asking him to sign another yet they don’t have a working scanner to scan it back to Dubai. It’s a bunch of bologna. I hope he gets his pay this week or he will be coming home and I don’t know how we can afford that either.
We really need to get an attorney involved here. Maybe one from Dubai. This is so much BS. I don’t know why the DoD has not stepped in. HELLO DCMA!!! Are you listening. I think it is time to do a post aimed directly at the DCMA! Please keep me posted on how things are going for you. I will keep hammering on them.
Today was pay day. The amount deposited into our checking account will pay the bills. It is not as much as my husband stated he believed it should be for the corrections from the prior month and this months pay. But it appears to be more than one month pay to me. So we will wait for a pay stub to investigate the difference, if any, and keep you posted.
The next ‘payday’ for DynCorp (DIFZ) is this Friday, December 25, 2009. I will know then if my ‘final’ paycheck is correct. I really want to see if DynCorp ‘backed out’ the cost of the plane ticket home even though:
1. I bought my own ticket online.
2. I checked the box on my ATO form that ‘Does not authorize DynCorp to deduct the charge of the ticket from my final check’.
3. I also wrote in by hand on the ATO form that I was purchasing my own ticket and that I ‘do not give DynCorp permission to deduct the cost of a ticket from my check’.
This was done in the HR office at KAF on my last day there. An HR manager assisted me in filling out the forms and I do have a copy of the filled out form.
I keep hoping that things will get better for those still employed by DynCorp but the opposite seems to be happening. Some important questions need to be asked. Here are a few:
Has the Finance department started to answer questions yet?
Are e-mails being answered regarding these issues?
Have the billeting issues been resolved yet?
Do DynCorp employees have a place to do their laundry yet that doesn’t require sneaking out in the middle of the night to find a military unit not being used?
Are DynCorp employees being reimbursed for ‘minute cards’ they are required to purchase for their personal cell phones so they can make ‘company calls’?
Have the TCN’s been issued 2 ATM cards and has their pay been direct deposited so that their families can pay bills (and eat)?
Has (or should I say will) anyone go into the DCMA office and sign a complaint form?
Have George Close, Pat Cavanaugh, Lanny, Hank Miller, Scott Mount, Angie Ham, Conrad Cannon, Brian Waller, Elissa Galbreath, Alton Taylor, Stuart Long, Elise Parker, and all the rest been held accountable for their actions?
Have the many ‘good people’ still there (no names for obvious reasons) stopped bitching in private and started to speak openly about what they see and think?
This thing has gotten too big to be ignored much longer. Ex-Agility employees are quitting and going home. DynCorp employees are quitting and going home. The pattern is there for all to see. The DCMA has an office just down the street from 337 (HR) and they are very aware of all of these issues so why aren’t they doing anything about it? For that matter why hasn’t anyone in DynCorp’s HR office spoken up? Everyone in that office has full knowledge of all of these issues. Do they fear the ‘flagpole’ that much? Do they feel a chill where their spines used to be? Remember integrity? That was something each of you had when you arrived. Do you remember the exact time when you decided to set that aside for the money? Enough for now.
I have sent out emails this morning asking for assistance in this Dyncorp issue. Not paying their employees on a DoD contract has got to be a contract violation. I am trying to gt in touch with the Army Contracting Officer(ACO) and DCMA who are responsible for Dyncorp’s contract in Afghanistan. If you have emails or names, some name dropping wouldn’t hurt. What Dyncorp is doing to their employees in A-stan is wrong.
Hey Truthseeker,
Before denouncing us as spineless people who sold out for money…
How’s about you pay all my bills for me? There’s a recession back home and many of us were out of work for many months before coming here. If we choose to hold on and hope…no, pray..for things to get better…that doesn’t make us spineless.
…and some of us just don’t believe in quitting.
If you are able to continue working for no pay then that is up to you. My husband has been out of work for months and months but I can tell you he would not work for free. How does staying and working for nothing help you in any way. I guess it will look good on your resume to say you supported the US troops for free. You have to stand up for yourself and demand the money that you have earned. I don’t blame anyone who quits and comes home in this situation. It would take nerves of steel and more than a little determination to stay where you are without a paycheck. I am sure that eventually you will get you paychecks straightened out. The point everyone is trying to make is that it is not supposed to work this way. If you signed on to work for DynCorp you signed on as a paid employee not a volunteer. Sometimes there are errors made that cause payroll issues within any company but usually they are just that errors. To not pay employees that have been working for months is more than an error. This is something that needs to be seriously looked into before it goes on any longer.
Truthseeker is angry and frustrated, not only for himself but for those still in A-stan who are not being paid. I think he finds it difficult to stomach that the DCMA could be so close and yet appear to be doing NOTHING to make sure Dyncorp pays it’s people as agreed to.
If you are being on time, feel grateful. I have received countless emails from employees and their families who have not been paid. Even one employee not paid as agreed it too many.
I think he is asking for assistance from those still there.
I will be contacting every contact I have in the DCMA, ACO, DoD, the CWC and Congress today.
This has got to stop!
Well everyone thougth the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. Now you see what the real dyncorp for what is. GARBAGE, i know i am an advocate of KBR but at least i get paid on time. Yes alot of BS but i don’t worry about pay. I am glad i did not go with Dyncorp. I will ride the KBR wagon until they de wheel us and now the client is rethinking what the hell have we hired!!!!!! If the ACO/DCMA cared they would issue that level 4 CAR but the politics are to big to allow that to happen. What do you think DEB?
Well….I think I am glad you didn’t go to work for Dyncorp too. I can’t in good conscience refer anyone to go to work for them. I hate to give KBR ANY KUDO’s and you know that as well as anyone. But I ALWAYS got paid on time. Dyncorp deserves a Level IV CAR for this. This has to be political for the DCMA. I am working on a post today to reprimand them in a way that only Ms Sparky can!
I hope for all involved that this issue will be resolved. Hang in there guys and maybe all of this mess will be straighened out. I know it is hard to be over there working knowing that you may or may not get a paycheck this month and even if you do it may not be right. It has to be a very frustating situation to be in but fighting among yourselves is not going to fix things. All of you must stand together on this issue. The voice of many is much louder than a voice of just a few. All of you should be contacting the same people Ms. Sparky mentioned that she was contacting. If enough racket is made someone will listen. There is something seriously wrong with what is going on. Where is the money going that DynCorp is being paid?
That is a valid point I keep asking. Is Dyncorp submitting vouchers to be reimbursed for payroll they haven’t paid. If so, this is fraud on a major level!
I am glad that you chose not to go to work for DynCorp. KBR has a lot of issue but you are right about getting paid on time. I can’t say that my husband’s paycheck was alway right but it always was straightened out in the next pay period if there was an error made. I may have a lot of complaints about KBR but the payroll department is not one of them.
Yep…I am afraid I have to agree with you. You must know how it pains me to say anything positive about KBR. But the truth is the truth!
Agitato,
You must be a DynCorp HR employee at KAF because I clearly stated the following:
“For that matter why hasn’t anyone in DynCorp’s HR office spoken up? Everyone in that office has full knowledge of all of these issues. Do they fear the ‘flagpole’ that much? Do they feel a chill where their spines used to be?”
I never said, nor implied, that any other DynCorp employee was spineless. I just limited that statement to HR employees at KAF. So I guess either you read my message too quickly
(you’re forgiven if this is the case)
or you slipped up and let us know who you are and where you work
(the label remains in this case)
And for the record, I have bills to pay as well, I was laid off for 5 months before I went and I wasn’t being paid either. I simply chose to not work for free and I said so to DynCorp. If you can afford to ‘wait it out’ power to you. Most simply cannot afford to do this. Why should they?
Hang in there TruthSeeker… I hope you get your pay.
I can’t wait to read the post Sparky! You make things happen!
Nope. Not in HR or DI Management. Just like all the other schmoes.
I just refuse to be beaten.
Also, the pay problems are NOT the fault of the HR Department. DIFZ in Dubai is where the problem is.
Can you give me some specifics on that so I can point the DCMA, the DoJ or whoever else that can get this issue resolved in the right direction. It’s still Dyncorp. Someones head needs to be on the block, maybe Scott Mount!
I don’t know if Dubai is the only problem here. My husband has a contact in Dubai that has been continuing to email him and is waiting on KAF to forward paperwork. Two weeks of timesheets got lost. Paperwork in Ft. Worth got lost. My husband approached someone in HR @ KAF about this whole mess before they even messed up his pay because he wasn’t getting the codes for the timesheets he needed. I am sure my husband was not super sweet to them but the response from the HR person was “if I had a gun I would shoot you”. Now that’s integrity.
What?? the HR person threatened to shoot him? OMG!! What in the hell is going on with Dyncorp in Kandahar? Where is the DoD?
There are a lot of decent hardworking people in theater doing the right thing. A lot of people have given up something to go there. Families depend upon that check to survive. There is nothing worse than being than not being paid. I hope your pay issues are solved soon. Good Luck.
It’s sounds like DynCorp has a bunch of deer hunting poachers waiting at the feeder.
Bad Baboo!!
(original comment deleted)
I don’t allow people (especially when they are commenting anonymously) to name names in comments until I can be assured the person they are naming is a manager who is mismanaging and/or putting peoples health, welfare or security as risk or is just a general jerk. So if you can email me information that this person you have named falls into one of those categories then I will publish your comment. Until then….
I wonder if Santa has read Miss Sparky’s naughty and nice list? I know members of Congress have.
Just a general jerk. Maybe your website is one sided and only reports negative OPINIONS about managers. If that’s the case, I have no reason to read this.
It would appear I very unrealistic expectation of LOGCAP managers. I expect them to follow their LOGCAP contract to the letter. Follow ALL US labor laws, OSHA, human trafficking and any other law that applies. I expect a manger to treat their employees with respect and dignity. If you are doing these thing, you are doing your job and there is nothing to write about.
(note: This comment was left on another Dyncorp wage issue post-so I am cross posting to this one too)
Three points:
1. Contractually the Government relies on the contractor to manage their workforce. If there are pay issues, that would be between DynCorp and the workers. The contract would not include language on how and when employees are to be paid.
2. This kind of disruption sounds like it would result in performance failures as workers quit and replacements must be hired, trained and moved into the jobs. Part of the evaluations which won the contract would have been a plan to ensure workforce continuity to avoid such disruption. The performance failures should result in contract enforcement actions, CARS by the ACO or a PCO notice that DynCorp’s failure must be immediately corrected or termination will be considered. These actions would be aimed at the performance failures, not at the pay issue per se. This is one of the points of having three contractors, so you can remove work or default poor performance.
3. If DynCorp is submitting vouchers for payment under a cost contract which include labor costs incurred and are not really incurring those costs, they have committed fraud, if this is intentional. If it is not intentional, then they must correct the system which has resulted in this overbilling. The Defense Contract Audit Agency should identify this issue and work with the ACO and PCO on corrective action. Generally this would include withholding of a percentage of payments, until the issue is resolved.
One of the problems may be Contracting Command, Rock Island. These are the same people who prospered by throwing money at KBR to resolve LOGCAP III problems in 2004-2006. I am afraid they learned absolutely the wrong lessons from this period, especially as the Army continues to deny there were any such problems.
Recent testimony by the Army, DCMA and DCAA (to Congressional Committees and the Wartime Commission, all under oath) has stated that they have sufficient staff to identify early and correct such problems.
I personally believe that this problem started at the top and all that are causing harm to those that answered your call – well, in a word are “COWARDS”.
This is a time to do things right and you are not only hurting those you are paying, but also their families who depend on the income to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table and transportation.
I have never seen so much bad happening in my life from those that call themselves supervisors, managers, and the like (not all). It’s harder to do the wrong thing, than do it right the first time.
Merry Christmas and thanks for your sacrifices.
My husband works for DynCorp. He has been there almost 6 mos. He has received a promotion in Sept & has yet seen an increase in his pay for his increase in responsibility. He was told the Gov’t had to approve his raise…..is that true????
Nope that is not true, another stall tactic if they have the position open in the BOE then it does not take a government decision to approve. Told you Dyncorp was garbage. No one believed me.
Ksniper is correct. If the position is a legitimate position it has already been approved by the DoD. Dyncorp is just having him do it for less money than they told the DoD they would be paying for it. What I suspect is that Dyncorp has either not submitted the paperwork at all and has no plans to until forced or they have lost it and will not resubmit it until forced. I’ve received endless complaints about incorrect pay on checks or no pay at all.
So how do we force it? Or what can we do?
Unfortunately at this point there is not much you/he can do. He can ask to see the paperwork that has been submitted and ask for a contact email or phone number of a person who can tell him exactly where the paperwork is. As for a copy of the paperwork. HR should have all that. If he does actually get in touch with someone ask if his pay is retroactive back to the point when he assumed the new responsibilities.
He can ask to be transferred back to his former position. That is unlikely though because they have him working at the new position for less money. Or they might give him the standard….”If you don’t like it you can go home….window or aisle, chicken or pasta” response.
He is kind of in a predicament. Keep us posted on what happens. We would definitely like to know who is at fault for not following through on the paperwork.
One….
I would recommend that you use your position as a very frustrated spouse to highlight your frustration (in a VERY PROFESSIONAL manner) to the Executive Leadership of DynCorp International and the Corporate HR department. Use facts (dates, times, names etc) to show what is wrong and carefully use feelings to describe the frustration you feel with the situation as the spouse of a deployed spouse. Focus on his/your situation only and the direct use of facts/dates will make their subsequent inquiry on their end much more expedient.
You should start by trying to call the DI main switch board in Fort Worth and ask to be transferred to the HR department. Be firm, professional and polite and keep escalating. Document dates and times of calls and who you spoke to and the reaction and details you received. Get each persons email address and immediately upon ending the call send a summary as to how you understood what was discussed on the call to them and your expectations.
This unfortunately is probably the only avenue left when your deployed spouse is left hanging by their immediate management.
CONTACT INFORMATION is at http://dyn-intl.com/contact.aspx
Here is where the list of the executive leadership is located on their website. http://dyn-intl.com/executive-leadership.aspx
Dyncorp International uses the format of firstname.lastname@dyn-intl.com for email addresses as evidenced by this public webpage: http://di-world.com/diw0508_p16.html
What wonderful advice. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Documenting and the email followup to the phone call is very very important. Keep in mind there is a person on the other end of the phone. They did nothing personally to put you and your husband in this situation….but they may be able to help get out of it. Even if they get short with you, treat them with respect.
Keep us posted!
That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard.
You’re going to get him fired.
Dyncorp, no matter what you think of them, contracted with your husband, not you. There is a good chance they won’t even speak with you because of privacy issues.
Don’t get mad. I’m just trying to help.
I’m not even going to ask “How can they fire him?” because I know it can be done. So what do you recommend they do? What if he is in a camp with limited communications? She should have his power of attorney. As his wife she has the right to act on his behalf while he is in Afghanistan.
What I would do is professionally stand my ground. I didn’t agree to go over to work for free. If they fire me they fire me. The DPM behind all this fiasco is known to have pulled the same crap in Iraq for KBR before he got fired/allowed to resign. He wasn’t actually fired so Dyncorp didn’t know about all his BS. That’s what happens when you don’t do what needs to be done.
Agitato,
I assume you are referencing my advice to One… above?
I agree with you that there is an element of risk involved any time a person stands up for what is right. The risk of negative consequences. It is up to each individual to balance that risk with the degree of frustration they have. Can they continue with things as they are? If so then maybe they just live with having been ‘wronged’, conversely if they are frustrated beyond belief then perhaps the risk is outweighed by making an active effort to professionally correct the wrong and feeling better for having made the effort regardless of the consequences.
I should have added above that her husband must decide where they stand on the situation and if he has exhausted his local chain of command options. At that point reaching out and above to executive leadership may be warranted.
I think I’d keep working and not a bust move for anyone. Meanwhile, I would be collecting Intel and contact my Senator or Rep. about the matter and let Miss Sparky grind their gears a bit. They know a lot of government people read this site.
Going to the board of directors with your name attached to the complaint as an employee, will put you back on a plane in a New York second. I would however, contact the board of directors using a third party alias. Do not use your name or personnel email address. Set up an alias email account.
Also, anyone that gave you a line of bull regardless if American or TCN is a cockroach…. don’t trust them and don’t do them any favors. Remember this, sad but true… Everyone has a story and no one gives a *&$#*%^ about yours.
I have to agree w/ Baboo. I know for a fact from my own situation w/ my own employer. Thanks for all the advice……..I’ll pray on it. Best of luck to all!
You have to do what’s best for you and yours. Keep us posted.
First, thoroughly read the Employment Agreement.
Pay close attention to anything that reads similar to this: “…and other tasks as deemed necessary by the Company.”
Like it or not, such language in Employment Agreements gives companies legal cover to put people into jobs unofficially to get the “mission” done.
It’s been said that the Fat Lady hasn’t sung until the PAN is signed.
Who out there knows what a PAN is? LOL
Baboo you are too funny!! I was hoping someone would come up with:
Personnel Action Notice (PAN)
Looking for a PAN Card?
PAN – Permanent Account Number from the Indian Income Tax Department can now be applied at a click of a button. All you have to do is to submit the following particulars, pay PAN Card charges of Rs.1200/- (or US $30.00) and PAN will be allotted to you within 6 working days. There is no charge for delivery of PAN cards within India.
For delivery of PAN cards outside India an extra $20 shipping fees is payable. So the total cost for PAN cards delivered outside India is $50.
· Full name (initials must be expanded)
· Date of Birth (in case of individuals)
· Date of incorporation or company formation (in case of companies or firms etc.)
· Father’s full name (in case of individuals). Married women should also give their father’s full name with expanded initials.
· Mailing address
Q. Who is expected to apply for PAN ?
· Individuals
· Hindu Undivided Families
· Companies
· Partnership Firms
· Association of Persons
· Body of individuals
· Trusts
· Artificial Juridical Persons
· Representative Assesses
PAN was the god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music. He wandered the hills and mountains of Qandahar, Afghanistan playing his pan-pipes as Alexzander thought about his next conquest.
TASK a: a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time b: something hard or unpleasant that has to be done.
In theory, the DPM could tell anyone to clean the latrine including finance.
Baboo,
I think that should be a job for procurement, they have been shoveling it for years, maybe cleaning it up would be a welcome change.
That task could a permanent assignment. I always liked hearing the higher ups say, “I’m not going to do that, it’s not within my job description.” I always thought if the Marines and other military service people made the ultimate sacrifice, then why not a few of those contracting managers. Asking them to clean the latrine should be a small task compared to the rest of the bull they’ve passing around as the truth. It’s time for those cockroaches to step up to the plate. I don’t see the harm in identifying with the client.
Has anyone seen the Facebook question/comment left on Senator Claire McCaskill Facebook page by Pratap Chatterjee, author of Halliburton’s Army?
He left a series of great questions, but the one I am most interested in is #8:
8. What is the status of the investigations into Scott Mount, DynCorp’s deputy program manager for LOGCAP IV for Southern Afghanistan? Mount was previously investigated in Iraq when he worked for KBR.
Here’s the facebook link:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=10895&uid=131498087618
Just so I know the whole story….someone needs to fill me in on this!!
Just wanted to comment on TIPS that DynCorp workers being deployed from Kerela state of India have to pay 2000$ as a employment fee. This info was passed on by a friend who has joined DynCorp in Dec 09 at Kuwait.
Dyncorp B..S.. is not only in Afghanistan but every where like in Qatar. They replaced Natividad Gonzalez by a duo of M…F… called Ward Kenneth and Wilcox F. in March last year. Those … started by threatening the employees of reprisals if they try to leave the contract before its end. Recently when they realized that a lot of people were leaving, they asked the employees to spy on each other and to report in house recruiting for other companies. A lot of employees got pay issues like in Afghanistan. When they complained about it, they found themselves out of job at the end of contract, rid of because they shouldn’t talk. Employees who decide to leave cannot get release letters if they want to work for another company in Qatar and find themselves banned from working in that country for 2 years. Ward told them that it is a Corporate policy. In guard mount, Ward tells the guard straight: “we don’t care about your personal problems, we don’t care about your family, all that matters to us is to make the job done…you are all expendable…”
Who would have thought there were so many jerks working for one company!! I ahttp://mssparky.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-formlways thought KBR was the worst….I am starting to wonder of there are not two that are the worst!
I’m sure they’re former KBR…
I work in Kuwait for DI, firstly when we were recruited (from KBR) we were told we got uplift, as a foreign national they don’t pay it. So I was 20% down on my check. The money offered dropped with every contract we signed (3). Now we find our R+R is less than expats, 14 days with state holidays added’ 22 days , but we have to pay our own flights as well!!!
We were billeted 6 + to apartments until they found buildings for us, that took around 8+ weeks.
Now were in place,things get no better, HR are avoiding all questions, managment don’t care about anything it seems.SCW’s hold most of the office positions and seem to be incapable of doing there jobs or making decisions.
All in all this place is fucked, The good ol boys are lining the pockets of their families and themselves, in most departments someone is related to management!!