DoS wants a slice of the LOGCAP pie?

Posted on: June 16th, 2010 at 11:30 am — by Forseti
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

Senator presses State for details on Iraq

By RICHARD LARDNER (AP) – June 16, 2010

WASHINGTON — A U.S. senator is demanding that the State Department tell Congress what role contractors will play in a combat-ready force planned to protect diplomats in Iraq after American military forces leave.

The Associated Press reported Monday that the department has asked the Pentagon for Black Hawk helicopters, bomb-resistant vehicles and other heavy gear to outfit its own protection force in Iraq.

Without the equipment, the department says it won’t be able to safeguard its diplomatic staff when U.S. troops exit in December 2011. Contractors will be required to help maintain the gear, according to the department’s plans, outlined in documents sent to the Pentagon in early April.

But Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., wants to know if the private sector will be doing more than upkeep. In a letter sent Wednesday to , the State Department’s undersecretary for management, McCaskill asks if contractors will be at the controls of the aircraft and vehicles.

She also asks what measures the department will put in place to ensure that the gear, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, is not misused by hired hands.

McCaskill chairs the Senate’s contracting oversight subcommittee. She has been a harsh critic of the federal government’s reliance on companies such as Blackwater Worldwide and Inc. for support work in war zones.

In the letter, she also asks Kennedy if any individuals or companies outside the department contacted State officials about the need for combat equipment.

McCaskill says the answers should be delivered to her subcommittee by July 1.

The State Department wants 24 of the Army’s Black Hawk helicopters, 50 bomb-resistant vehicles, heavy cargo trucks, fuel trailers and high-tech surveillance systems, according to the documents. The State and Defense departments are still discussing the request.

The military gear sought by the State Department would be controlled by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. During the Bush administration, the bureau came under fire from McCaskill and other members of Congress for its management of private security firms used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

State is also seeking to use an existing Defense Department contract in Iraq to support these posts and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad with essential services, including meals, mail delivery and laundry.

If State can’t use that contract, known as “,” the department “will be forced to redirect its resources towards developing, implementing and overseeing a massive new life support infrastructure throughout Iraq,” the documents state.

The LOGCAP contract in Iraq is held by KBR. McCaskill says the department needs to explain whether its plans to allow other companies to compete for the work. (Click HERE for original article)

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, LOGCAP III - KBR, Politics, Reports & Investigations, Security Contractors. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments »

Suit claims KBR fired employee Swanita Taylor after claims of sexual assault in Afghanistan

Posted on: June 15th, 2010 at 8:05 am — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

Another Sex Assault Alleged at Overseas
By CAMERON LANGFORD
Tuesday, June 15, 2010

HOUSTON (CN) – Another woman has sued Kellogg, Brown and Root, claiming she was sexually assaulted while working in Afghanistan, and was fired after she reported it. And she claims that KBR had the brass to accuse her of “creating a hostile work ” by reporting a on another woman in the workplace.

In her federal complaint, the plaintiff, S.T., says she started working for KBR as a logistics warehouseman in November 2008 at the Jalalabad Base in Afghanistan, then was transferred to Kandahar Base.

After she reported that her supervisor was “discriminating against foreign employees and minorities and was forcing employees participate in illegal activities” her boss tried to increase her workload, she says.

She was transferred to Bagram Airfield, and worked in the laundry department, she says. A co-worker there reported that she had been sexually assaulted by an Afghan local working for KBR, and S.T. provided a written statement confirming the assault, according to the complaint.

“Despite plaintiff’s complaints, no action was taken,” she says. “Instead, KBR and its employees falsely alleged that plaintiff was creating a hostile work environment.”

Then, S.T. says, KBR employee , a defendant, came up behind her while she was alone in the break room, pushed her face down into a table with one arm and reached up and grabbed her vagina with his other hand.

She says she filed a complaint with the EEOC and informed KBR of the assault and the complaint, and she was fired less than a month later.

She demands damages from KBR, from Service Employees International, and Elias, alleging retaliation, negligence, assault and battery, sexual assault, negligent hiring, direct corporate liability and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Click HERE for Case 4:10-cv-02043 v KBR

She is represented by Todd Slobin. (click HERE for the original article)

WELL DONE KBR!!! (sarcasm) Every day that you (KBR) continue to allow these unqualified managers to manage in an incompetent illegal way helps every single victim that has filed suit or is getting ready to file suit against you! On behalf of every KBR and assault victim….THANK YOU for being so damn stupid and arrogant! I do have just one question. Did you report this assault to the Army?

Ms Sparky

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, LAWSUITS, Lawsuits Against KBR, LOGCAP III - KBR, Rape, Hazing, Discrimination & Harassment, Swanita Taylor vs KBR. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

US State Department wants to form mini-army for Iraq security

Posted on: June 14th, 2010 at 3:09 pm — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

By RICHARD LARDNER (AP) – June 14, 2010

WASHINGTON — The State Department is quietly forming a small army to protect diplomatic personnel in Iraq after U.S. military forces leave the country at the end of 2011, taking their firepower with them.

Department officials are asking the Pentagon for heavy military gear, including Black Hawk helicopters, and say they will also need substantial support from private contractors.

The shopping list demonstrates the department’s reluctance to count on Iraq’s army and police forces for despite the billions of dollars the U.S. invested to equip and train them. And it shows that President Barack Obama is having a hard time keeping his pledge to reduce U.S. reliance on contractors, a practice that flourished under the Bush administration.

In an early April request to the Pentagon, , the State Department’s under secretary for management, is seeking 24 Black Hawks, 50 bomb-resistant vehicles, heavy cargo trucks, fuel trailers, and high-tech surveillance systems. Kennedy asks that the equipment, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, be transferred at “no cost” from military stocks.

Contractors will be needed to maintain the gear and provide other support to diplomatic staff, according to the State Department, a potential financial boon for companies such as the Houston-based Inc. that still have a sizable presence in Iraq.

“After the departure of U.S. forces, we will continue to have a critical need for logistical and life support of a magnitude and scale of complexity that is unprecedented in the history of the Department of State,” says Kennedy’s April 7 request to Ashton Carter, the Defense Department’s under secretary for acquisition and technology.

Without the equipment, there will be “increased casualties,” according to attachments to Kennedy’s memo detailing the department’s needs.

The military equipment would be controlled by the department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, according to the information Kennedy sent to the Pentagon. During the Bush administration, the bureau was heavily criticized by members of Congress for its management of Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms working in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The military has about 7,500 of the bomb-resistant vehicles — known as MRAPs — in Iraq. So shifting 50 to the State Department could be easily handled as the troops depart.

But handing over two dozen Black Hawks, which cost between $12 million and $18 million depending on the model, would be more problematic. The aircraft are in short supply and heavily used by military forces in Afghanistan, where the primitive roads heighten the need for transportation by air.

The Defense Department has not formally responded to Kennedy’s memo.

Spokesmen for both departments said the two agencies are discussing the request. “Both agencies recognize the importance of a smooth transition,” Brian Heath, the State Department spokesman said.

About 90,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, and that number is expected to fall to 50,000 by the end of August under Obama’s plan to remove all combat troops from the country. All American forces are scheduled to leave by the end of 2011.

Departing, too, will be key crucial missions they performed, such as recovering downed aircraft, convoy security, bomb detection and disposal, and the ability to counter rocket and mortar attacks.

By September 2011, the 22 U.S.-led reconstruction teams spread throughout Iraq will be replaced by five “Enduring Presence Posts,” according to the documents Kennedy sent to the Pentagon. The State Department will be responsible for all the costs of operating these stations, including security, until at least 2015.

State wants to use an existing Defense Department contract in Iraq to support these posts and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad with essential services, including meals, mail delivery and laundry.

If State can’t use that contract, known as “,” the department “will be forced to redirect its resources towards developing, implementing and overseeing a massive new life support infrastructure throughout Iraq,” the documents state.

The Black Hawk, manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn., is designed to carry a crew of four and 11 fully equipped infantryman. The helicopters are armed with two machine guns.

The MRAPs — pronounced M-Rap — the State Department wants are called Caimans. The vehicles are nine-feet tall, weigh 19 tons and are made by BAE Systems in Sealy, Texas. Each Caiman costs more than $1 million. The vehicles have a special armor designed to deflect the most potent roadside bombs. (click HERE for original article)

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, Security Contractors. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

The DoD turns Iraq into toxic waste dump-Updated

Posted on: June 14th, 2010 at 7:21 am — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

Battery in Iraq

America leaves Iraq a toxic legacy of dumped hazardous materials

Oliver August, Baghdad – Times Online – June 14, 2010

American troops going home from Iraq after seven painful years are leaving behind a legacy that is literally toxic.

An investigation by The Times in five Iraqi provinces has found that hazardous material from US bases is being dumped locally rather than sent back to America, in clear breach of Pentagon rules. (Read the rest of the story here…)

Posted in CHEMICAL AND OTHER EXPOSURES, GOV. CONTRACTORS, Reports & Investigations. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

KBR LOGCAP IV Iraq transition update

Posted on: June 13th, 2010 at 6:47 am — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

Below is a recent email outline the progress of ’s IV transition progress in Iraq.

From: Timmy Doster
Sent: Sun 6/13/2010 1:02 PM
To: DL_KBR All Hands ME
Subject: CTP Task Order Monthly Update

TO: LOGCAP III Middle East Employees  

FROM: Jeff Rock, Chief of Staff, LOGCAP III Middle East  

SUBJECT: LOGCAP IV CTP Task Order Monthly Update  

DATE: June 13, 2010

This is the monthly progress report as the Senior Leadership Team continues its promise to keep the LOGCAP III workforce updated on the transition to the LOGCAP IV CTP task order.  

CLSS and ice plant operations

The to the CTP task order began with the transfer of the Corps Logistics Support Service and ice plant services to the new contract, resulting in more than 750 direct-hire employees signing LOGCAP IV employment agreements. The services at each site are undergoing an evaluation period that includes two audits from a DCMA Quality Assurance Representative and one audit from a Contracting Officers Representative. If the service successfully meets the standards in these audits they will enter a period of Interim Operational Capability. When a service enters the IOC period, they perform normal operations under normal performance and evaluation conditions.   

Iraq Postal Mission

As CLSS entered its evaluation period, the Iraq Postal Mission began property inventories and personnel processing. This will culminate on June 13, 2010, when IPM will enter its evaluation period. Postal operations will receive the same evaluations that CLSS received, and we anticipate – following successful evaluations – the postal operations will enter the IOC period on July 12.  

Theater Transportation Mission

With IPM entering their evaluation period, emphasis now turns to the transition of the Theater Transportation Mission to LOGCAP IV. In fact, some activities have already started, such as inventories and personnel assessments. And in the coming weeks, contingency job offers will be given.   The process for TTM employees will be the same as the CLSS and IPM employees. The employee transition process starts with an employee receiving a contingency job offer. The contingency job offer allows the individual to take a prescreening physical, which will identify potential changes in an individual’s health. Concurrently, the individual’s Department of Defense Common Access Card is checked for the expiration date. If a CAC is near expiration, an extension will be requested from the U.S. government. The individual will then complete national agency check paperwork and fingerprints, which are LOGCAP III and LOGCAP IV requirements.  If the individual has a clearance it will be transferred to LOGCAP IV. Once successfully past these steps, the individual is offered a formal employment agreement.   

Body mass index

I have heard much discussion on the body mass index requirements, and I want to reiterate what was discussed in last month’s letter. One of the new requirements to be employed on the LOGCAP IV contract is to have a body mass index of less than 40. The body mass index is determined by your height and weight. You can check your BMI by using this link, which is the same as what the KBR medics use to determine employees BMI:

Displaced LOGCAP III employees

LOGCAP III employees with the necessary qualifications and skills who are displaced by base closures will continue to have an opportunity to apply for CTP openings. These positions will be filled through the Personnel Alignment and Reduction process, or will be announced as an in-house job placement.   

Bahrain task order update

It was also announced that KBR was awarded a LOGCAP IV task order in Bahrain, which will provide base life support for a small contingent of U.S. Army and Navy personnel. Roger Singleton was named the task order manager for the Bahrain project. Roger leaves the LOGCAP III project from his position as a Deputy Project Manager at Joint Base Balad, and many of you may also remember him from his previous assignments in the H Sites or Afghanistan. Unfortunately, while KBR was providing on-site coordination and planning, a competitor filed a protest which resulted in a stop work action. We are now in a waiting period for the protest to be resolved.   The LOGCAP IV transition team will provide more information as it becomes available, and the LOGCAP III Senior Leadership Team will update the project as needed, or during the June LOGCAP IV CTP task order monthly update.   Thank you for quality work you provide the Warfighters on a daily basis, and please remember to continue doing that work in a safe manner.

Jeff Rock
Chief of Staff
F1 #43382
APO AE 09344
281-669-XXXX
DSN 485XXXX

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, LOGCAP III - KBR, LOGCAP IV - KBR. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

Gulf Coast Catering (GCC) employees not being paid

Posted on: June 12th, 2010 at 2:40 pm — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

Companies like GCC hire 1000's of SE Asian workers to prepare and serve the 1.1 billion meals to US troops and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Photo Credit: US Army)

At the General Assembly (Annual Stock Holders Meeting) in Kuwait City Agility’s Chairman & Managing Director totally sidestepped any questions regarding the indictments and suspension of Agility’s contracts with the US Government in Middle East.

While Sultan was strutting his stuff in Kuwait,  Gulf Coast Catering employees in Iraq are very unhappy. Because of Agility’s suspension, all of the Agility contracts are being canceled including Taos, PWC and GCC. GCC has/had the contract to run several Dining Facilities (DFAC’s) in Iraq. GCC is transitioning out so the new contractor can transition in. Allegedly within the last few days, there has been rioting  at the GCC camp because GCC employees are being terminated and not being paid before leaving the country.

This is just another in the long list of examples of why The US Government should not do business with and not allow their subcontractors to do business with these third world contractors like Agility, Najlaa and PPI who profit by exploiting those less fortunate and when there is no money left in it for them, they toss these people aside like a bag of trash.

It makes me sick that companies like sits and allow this to happen. And the fact the DoD allows this to go on is even more disturbing.

US tax dollars supporting !

Ms Sparky

Posted in Agility/PWC/GCC, GOV. CONTRACTORS, Iraq Human Trafficking. Tags: , , , . 10 Comments »

L-3 Faces Criminal Probe Over E-Mail, Air Force Says – Updated

Posted on: June 11th, 2010 at 3:53 pm — by Ms Sparky
FacebookStumbleUponRedditDiggLinkedInYahoo BuzzShare

By Anthony Capaccio and Susanna Ray

June 10 (Bloomberg) — An Holdings Inc. unit is facing a criminal probe into use of a military computer network to conduct e-mail surveillance of its workers and those of the government and other contractors, the Air Force said.

The unit, which managed the network, copied and stored e- mail traffic without the knowledge of the government or the workers, helping the company collect information relevant to competitions on which it wanted to bid, according to a June 3 memo by the Air Force deputy general counsel’s office.

L-3 “admitted to conducting the surveillance,” according to the memo, which was provided today by an Air Force spokeswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Karen Platt. The company checked e-mails “willfully and deliberately in an attempt to discover whether its employees had shared its information with another contractor,” the memo said.

The memo detailed why the Air Force acted last week to temporarily bar L-3’s Special Support Programs Division from new federal contracts or orders. New York-based L-3 disclosed the suspension yesterday in a filing that cited “inappropriate use” of an e-mail system without mentioning the criminal probe.

L-3 “is cooperating fully with the government and has no other comment at this time,” Jennifer Barton, a spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.

L-3 rose 72 cents to $79.88 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have gained 7.9 percent over the past year.

‘Penny or Two’

The suspension of new contracts means “a penny or two” of 2010 earnings per share may be at risk at the maker of airport scanners and military-aircraft surveillance cameras, wrote Joseph Nadol, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst in New York who has a “neutral” rating on the stock.

The Special Support Programs Division will have revenue of about $400 million this year, and the suspension doesn’t hurt the company’s ability to conduct — and be paid for — business that’s already under way, Nadol wrote.

L-3’s ability to compete in new bidding in January on a contract for the unit is a “concern,” Nadol wrote. There’s also a risk that the inquiry may expand to cover the unit’s parent, Integrated Systems, which is “a significant business” for L-3, according to Nadol.

Secret Audit

Evidence of the surveillance was uncovered by a secret audit by the U.S. Special Operations Command, which was working with L-3, the Air Force said.

L-3’s actions weren’t “appropriate under the terms of its contract or the standards of ethical business conduct” and are under an “ongoing federal criminal investigation,” the Air Force said.

The surveillance by the Special Support Programs Division was to assist the unit’s “own private, commercial interests,” the Air Force said. The L-3 division is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Unauthorized access of electronic communications is a crime under the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, said Matt Zimmerman, senior staff attorney at San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, an online privacy advocacy group.

L-3’s other businesses include making video-surveillance systems used in police vehicles, and it’s the largest supplier of translators to the U.S. Army. Chief Executive Officer Michael Strianese told analysts at a conference in December he is seeking to add sales in commercial avionics as well as defense. (click HERE for the original article)

Here’s interesting additional information.

Remo Butler was ’s III Deputy General Program Manager from 2004-2007 then went to work for L-3 Communications.

was KBR’s VP and Program Manager for LOGCAP III from Jul 2004-July 2005; in May 2006 Cerjan was appointed president of L-3′s Government Services; in July 2008 Cerjan became president of Agility’s DGS group.

Notice how these Managers just go from one company to another? And all these companies are in trouble!! Coincidence?

Posted in GOV. CONTRACTORS, Reports & Investigations. Tags: , , , , . 1 Comment »
« Older posts «
Newer posts » »