Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR – Ms Sparky

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Hearing for soldier accused in Lucas Trent Vinson’s death

By Ms Sparky | Filed in CONTRACTOR DEATHS, GOV. CONTRACTORS, Indictments, Convictions & Arrests, LOGCAP III - KBR, Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR, U.S. Army

Soldier accused in killing to have hearing Tuesday

By Gregg K. Kakesako – Feb 14, 2010

A hearing will be held Tuesday for a 31-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier accused of killing a civilian contractor in Iraq last fall.

Spc. Beyshee Velez—assigned to the 3rd Bronco Brigade Combat Team’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery—is accused of shooting Lucas “Trent” Vinson with an M-4 carbine on Sept. 13. He was on his third Iraqi combat deployment.

Vinson, 27, had been working for Houston-based KBR when he was killed.

Velez has been in the Army for 10 years and with the 25th Infantry Division since 2005.

He is charged with two counts of murder, one count of trying to elude Air Force security forces at Contingency Operating Base Speicher and three counts of assault. The Army said that although Velez has been charged with two different counts of murder, he could be convicted of only one of the two murder specifications. Read the remainder of this entry »

Tags: Beyshee Velez, Employee Issues-KBR, Lucas Vinson

Spc. Beyshee Velez charged with two counts of murder

By Ms Sparky | Filed in CONTRACTOR DEATHS, Indictments, Convictions & Arrests, Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR, U.S. Army

Soldier accused of killing contractor gets hearing date

By Gregg K. Kakesako
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 23, 2009

A 31-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier charged with killing a civilian contractor in Iraq last month will face the military equivalent of a preliminary hearing Dec. 8 in a Wheeler Army Airfield courtroom.

Spc. Beyshee Velez — assigned to the 3rd Bronco Brigade Combat Team’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery — is accused of shooting Lucas “Trent” Vinson with an M-4 carbine.

Velez, who was on his third combat deployment to Iraq, has been confined to the Ford Island brig, where he was taken shortly after the Sept. 13 shooting.

He is charged with two counts of murder, one count of trying to elude Air Force security forces at Contingency Operating Base Speicher and three counts of assault.

After hearing all of the testimony presented at Velez’s Article 32 hearing, the presiding officer will send his recommendation to Maj. Gen. Robert Caslen, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, who will determine whether a court-martial will be convened.

A murder conviction by court-martial could result in life imprisonment for Velez.

Vinson, 27, had been working for the Houston-based KBR since 2003 when he was killed.

Vinson’s family was told by Army officials that he was shot three times after picking up a soldier who flagged down his vehicle at Contingency Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit, about 105 miles north of Baghdad. A KBR manager said the shooting occurred at 8:30 a.m. near the project manager’s house.

Velez was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in 2005. He deployed to Iraq from August 2006 to October 2007 with the division’s 3rd Brigade. It made its second deployment to Iraq a year later.

The brigade returned this month from another yearlong Iraq deployment. (click HERE for the original article)

I had gotten the called from Camp Speicher approximately an hour after Lucas Vinson had been shot and killed by a US soldier. I was also told the soldier may have shot up to two other people, probably soldiers. But the DoD would not confirm that. Now I see that Spc. Beyshee Velez is being charged with two counts of murder and three counts of assault among other things. Who else did he kill?

Ms Sparky

Tags: Beyshee Velez, Lucas Vinson

Spc. Beyshee Velez charged for Lucas Trent Vinson shooting death

By Ms Sparky | Filed in CONTRACTOR DEATHS, Indictments, Convictions & Arrests, Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR

US soldier charged with murder in Iraq base death

BAGHDAD — A U.S. soldier has been charged with murder in the slaying of a civilian contractor on an American base in Iraq, the military said Tuesday.

Spc. Beyshee Velez of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, was charged Monday in the Sept. 13 shooting death of a contractor who worked for Houston-based KBR at Camp Speicher in the city of Tikrit, a military statement said.

The 31-year-old suspect faces dishonorable discharge and a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty. He is being held in Hawaii pending the outcome of the trial. He was also charged with assault and fleeing arrest.

Velez is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

The military statement gave no other details and said the investigation into the shooting was ongoing.

The slain KBR employee, 27-year-old Lucas Vinson, was from Leesville, Louisiana.

Authorities told Vinson’s family that he was shot three times after offering a ride to an American soldier who flagged down his vehicle on the base, according to his mother.

Vinson had worked in Iraq for five years before returning to Louisiana for a time. He returned to Iraq last year with KBR. He worked on the base with his father and uncle.

KBR is the primary support contractor in Iraq, providing troops with essential services, including housing, meals, mail delivery and laundry.

The U.S. military makes wide use of contractors in Iraq for security, technical support and supply functions.

According to an AP count, 1,396 civilian employees of U.S. government contractors have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003. (click HERE for original article)

Tags: Beyshee Velez, KBR, Leesville, Lucas Vinson

Camp Speicher Co-Workers Remember Their Friend Lucas “Trent” Vinson

By Ms Sparky | Filed in CONTRACTOR DEATHS, LOGCAP III - KBR, Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR

COB Speicher Family,

On behalf of the Camp Manager, I am informing you all of the Memorial Service being held for Mr. Lucas “Trent” Vinson tomorrow, 16 Sep 2009, at 1400 hours in the Main Gymnasium. Additionally, I would request that everyone please Pause for a moment of silence at (10 am) and remember what a pleasure it was to know such a humble, always caring, and lovable young man. Trent, you will always be remembered by the KBR COB Speicher Family.

lucas-trent-vinson

V/R

Feel free to leave your thoughts and condolences for Lucas “Trent” Vinson’s friends and family. Please show respect and compassion for all involved.

For other posts on this tragedy click HERE, HERE and HERE

My most sincere condolences to the friends, family and co-workers of Lucas “Trent” Vinson.

Ms Sparky

Tags: Beyshee Velez, Employee Issues-KBR, Lucas Vinson

From KBR – Death Of Employee Lucas “Trent” Vinson

By Ms Sparky | Filed in CONTRACTOR DEATHS, LOGCAP III - KBR, Lucas Trent Vinson-KBR

Update: US Soldier charged in death of Lucas Vinson.

Blue Border Communications Bulletin #9
Death of Employee Lucas ‘Trent’ Vinson – 14 Sep 2009

LOGCAP III Employees:

As many of you have heard, a KBR LOGCAP III employee was shot and killed at COB Speicher. This is a tragic situation, and the death of an employee is one of my greatest fears as the Principal Program Manager.

At approximately 08:30 yesterday, September 13, Lucas “Trent” Vinson, a Client Owned Equipment Specialist at COB Speicher, was shot by an unidentified person while operating a motor vehicle outside of the project management office. He later died during emergency surgery. The media is reporting that a soldier has been detained in connection with the incident, and you will probably hear many stories on how this happened.

Because the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division is currently conducting an investigation, at this time I can not comment further on what has happened. I can say our Security Department and project management are conducting inquiries in an attempt to determine what happened, and how to keep our employees safer on the project.

Mr. Vinson has relatives on this project, including his father. We have been in contact with the family, and our heartfelt condolences go out to them and everyone who has been affected by this tragedy. We have sent Employee Assistance Program experts to the C Sites to not only support the family, but those co-workers who need someone to talk to. There were several witnesses to the event, and there will be a lot of healing that will need to take place. If you feel you need to talk with someone about this event, please contact your Human Resources or EAP representative, they are here to help.

There is the possibility members of the media will ask our employees questions about the event, and I remind everyone of our policy requiring prior approval before talking to the media. If a member of the media, including military Public Affairs officers, approach you, please refer them to your Project Manager.

This is a time of mourning, and I ask that you join with me in remembering Mr. Vinson and his family with kind thoughts or prayer. Because this happened, I can think of no better way to honor Trent than to continue with the mission he was on – and that is to deliver an excellent product to the military we support.

We Deliver,

(SIGNATURE)

GUY LaBOA
Principal Program Manager
LOGCAP III Middle East/Central Asia

Click HERE to view the original .PDF of the Communication

Tags: Beyshee Velez, Employee Issues-KBR, Lucas Vinson