KBR Awarded Major Task Order Under Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) IV Contract
Houston, Texas – March 2, 2010 – KBR (NYSE: KBR) today announced it has been awarded a task order by the U.S. Army Contracting Command under its current Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) IV contract. KBR will execute the LOGCAP IV Corps Logistics Support Services (CLSS), Theater Transportation mission (TTM), and Postal Services Task Order in Iraq. The Period of Performance is one base year plus four option years. The award represents KBR’s first major Task Order under the LOGCAP IV contract.
There is so much more to blogging than just typing your opinions and observations onto a blank page and clicking the “Publish” button. If you’re not doing the necessary behind the scenes networking and research, your post will get lost with the billions of other posts in the blogoshpere that are never read.
One of the most important aspects to the success of blogging is linking with “like minded” bloggers. They link to your posts, you link to their posts and that many more people become aware of the issues that are important you. When bloggers work together more topics can be published. For example, I depend on the DBA Comp Blog to stay up to date on laws, legislation, and personal injury stories of soldiers and civilians. Therefore I will link to what they publish and I refer injured or ill contractors to them. I rely on Qarmat Ali Vets to keep me up to date on the personal and legal stories of the National Guard Troops exposed to sodium dichromate in Iraq. Jill Wilkins runs a facebook page entitled Burn Pits who is doing an amazing job of promoting the issues and concerns of Burn Pit victims. David Isengerg has linked to several Ms Sparky posts in his articles he publishes at the Huffington Post and other sites. (Read the rest of the story here…)
A resume is similar to gourmet cooking which is defined as “Good food prepared simply”. Ask any chef in the world, and they’ll tell you the same thing – it’s all about presentation.
Similarly, when applying for a LOGCAP position, you may be the most qualified applicant within a field of candidates, but if you don’t showcase your experience in a manner that fully communicates your qualifications, you will quite often be passed over in favor of an applicant who may be less qualified, but has a prettier resume.
As every blogger and website owner knows, the secret to getting visibility for your articles is links to other sites. MsSparky.com is now averaging between 500,000-600,000 page views per month and we are working hard to make sure that continues to rise. MsSparky.com has a 130 (today) authority on Technorati.
Here at MsSparky.com we don’t pay for links to other blogs and sites and we don’t charge other blogs and sites to link here. Hence the name Link “Exchange”.
We are implementing a new Link Exchange Program and are looking for quality blogs and sites who share common interests to exchange links with. If you would like to link to a particular post(s), category or tag or add MsSparky.com to your blogroll, send me an email so we can reciprocate. We will add a direct link to your post/site to the top of this list (click HERE and scroll to middle of page). If your site or blog fits into what MsSparky.com is all about we will add it to the BLOGROLL or one of the LINK sections in the sidebar as well. (Read the rest of the story here…)
Ill wind blows, some in Houston Guard unit believe
Baghdad burn pit operated by KBR said to cause migraines, breathing problems and rashes
By LINDSAY WISE and LISE OLSEN
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Feb. 1, 2010, 12:01AM
A front-end loader moves trash to a waste-burning pit at Camp Taji, about 100 yards from where ?soldiers of Houston's 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team are assigned. Photo by Mayra Beltran Chronicle
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — One night in mid-January, a shift in the wind sent a sudden flurry of white flakes into a detainee internment facility guarded by soldiers from Houston’s 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
The Texas Army National Guard troops weren’t witnessing a rare Baghdad snowfall. The flakes drifting from the pitch-dark sky were ash and bits of charred trash belched from an open-air burn pit about 100 yards from the outer walls of the internment facility.
Operated by Houston-based contractor KBR, the pit consumes 120 tons of garbage a day here at Camp Taji, a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. On calm days, noxious smoke billows upward and dissipates into a smog-like haze. When the wind blows, the acrid-smelling fumes pour into towers and yards where about 800 Texas troops from the 72nd keep watch. (Read the rest of the story here…)
Along with the sight's stock number, there are coded Bible passages from the New Testament engraved on the sights.
Thursday, January 21, 2010; 2:40 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Michigan defense contractor will voluntarily stop stamping references to Bible verses on combat rifle sights made for the U.S. military, a major buyer of the company’s gear.
In a statement released Thursday, Trijicon of Wixom, Mich., says it is also providing to the armed forces free of charge modification kits to remove the Scripture citations from the telescoping sights already in use. The Marine Corps has purchased more than 200,000 Trijicon sights and the Army has bought about 100,000.
The references to Bible passages raised concerns that the citations break a government rule that bars proselytizing by American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, which are predominantly Muslim countries. (Read the rest of the story here…)
A New Job for Cast-Off Soviet Pilots and Planes: Global Arms Trafficking
By Simon Shuster / Kiev Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009
It was no ordinary smuggling bust. On Dec. 11, an old Russian plane landed in Thailand to refuel after taking off hours earlier from Pyongyang, North Korea. In its hull, police found 35 tons of explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, all being transported from North Korea in breach of U.N. sanctions. The captain and his crew were promptly arrested and charged with illegally transporting arms. But according to experts, they were only tiny cogs in a global network for arms trafficking that feeds off the castaway pilots and planes of the former Soviet Union. Suspected smugglers like Russian Viktor Bout have used the system to transport weapons, as have huge U.S. military contractors like Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), though not for illegal purposes. And while the flight crews like the one stopped in Thailand face the prospect of long prison terms, the people behind this global arms-shipping service remain hidden in the shadows. (Read the rest of the story here…)
By JENNIFER A. DLOUHY
Houston Chronicle
Dec. 16, 2009, 7:39PM
WASHINGTON— Prompted by the alleged rape of former KBR employee Jamie Leigh Jones, Congress is poised to pass a measure banning defense contractors from forcing employees to use arbitration to resolve claims of discrimination and sexual assault.
House and Senate negotiators agreed to include the no-arbitration provision in a $636 billion defense spending bill that passed the House 395-34 on Wednesday. The measure now heads to the Senate, which is expected to pass it before Christmas.
Employers and other potential lawsuit targets generally prefer binding arbitration because it keeps disputes out of the court system, where juries can inflict damaging verdicts. (Read the rest of the story here…)
A US Air Force C-17 aircraft takes off from Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Each and every meal prepared for US soldiers at the sprawling Bagram military base in Afghanistan costs about 28 dollars a head — more than most Afghans earn in a month.
The enormous financial outlay of the eight-year war is brought into sharp focus at Bagram Airfield, where warplanes roar into the skies to the battlefields but where off-duty soldiers can buy burgers, massages and motorbikes.
And it is at Bagram that many of US President Barack Obama’s 30,000 extra troops will get a first taste of Afghanistan.
With its maze of Soviet-era architecture and plywood huts, Bagram is the biggest US garrison in Afghanistan and boasts a dazzling array of fast-food joints and a Harley Davidson dealership for those away from the frontlines.
Already home to more than 25,000 people, the man responsible for its day-to-day running, Lieutenant Colonel Troy Joslin, says the base was on track to grow another 15-20 percent in the next year even without the extra troops.
Colleagues describe Joslin as “mayor of Bagram”, in charge of a base he says has grown 30 percent over the past year in a bustle of expansion that has seen disused land de-mined to make way for new buildings.
“I don’t see us going away in the immediate future,” Joslin told AFP in the two-storey Soviet-built block that serves as nerve centre of the 2,100-hectare (5,190-acre) compound outside the Afghan capital Kabul.
The passenger terminal is being upgraded to accommodate 1,000 personnel a day, up from its current seating capacity of 250, says the US Air Force.
“This is especially important during surges in passenger movements during an increase in force levels and unit deployments,” said Captain David Faggard, a US Air Force spokesman at Bagram.
On a busy day, the terminal strains to cope with around 1,650 inbound and outbound passengers, he said.
Many of the new troops are likely to take-off or land on Bagram’s three-kilometre (two-mile) runway en route to battle the Taliban militia.
Sending in the extra troops will cost the US military 30 billion dollars this year, Obama said — or one million dollars for each deployed soldier.
There are at least 5,000 civilians on base working for companies contracted by the military, such as Kellog, Brown & Root (KBR) and Presidential Aviation, whose pilots still lounge around with “Blackwater Aviation” marked on their jackets — a name laden with controversy since its operations in Iraq.
Multi-course meals are cooked up by KBR costing what a US military spokesman said is 28 dollars per head per meal, more than most Afghans earn a month.
Some nights the fare includes steaks and crab legs, with most of the food flown in more than 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) from the United States.
KBR employees also collect the trash, clean the toilets, provide a laundry service and supply fuel to aircraft — doing just about anything that needs to be done without the use of a weapon or military equipment.
Under the supervision of KBR managers, Afghans do most of the menial work. There are also Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indians, Kyrgyz, Nepalese, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Tajiks and Uzbeks, working as labourers and service staff.
Bagram’s main thoroughfare is Disney Drive, named after a US serviceman who died in a welding accident in 2002.
With all the construction work and military operations, the road is prone to traffic jams, clogged with mine-proof vehicles and cement trucks.
“Traffic is the biggest headache,” says Joslin. “There are approximately 2,000 vehicles on the base, double that if you count construction vehicles and Gators (a vehicle resembling a golf cart).”
Alcohol may be banned, in keeping with US military policy, but there is no shortage of recreation.
Special guests are flown in — the actor Gary Sinise and his band played a concert recently — while Kyrgyz women offer soldiers eight-dollar haircuts and full-body massages at 20 dollars an hour at a popular beauty salon.
The PX facility — a sort of shopping mall built out of shipping containers and plywood — has a supermarket, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Green Beans coffeeshop open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Other shops sell sports clothing, jewellery, “Afghan apparel” and souvenirs and cell phones. The Harley Davidson dealership says it sells around four motorcycles a month to US servicemen.
To counter the shortage of space, Joslin says, most of the mines have been cleared to make way for barracks, particularly on the eastern side of the base, where a new detention facility and cement factory are located.
The old prison will be reassigned and the former Soviet-built control tower has been converted into offices for the US Air Force.
The US military has built a chapel on site and is also restoring three Bagram mosques, including one named after Ahmed Shah Massoud, the Northern Alliance leader assassinated two days before September 11 attacks. (click HERE for original article)
For those who may not be aware, Bagram Airforce Base (BAF) is in the processing of transitioning from KBR to Fluor. From what I’m being told from KBR and Fluor employees, there is quite a bit of confusion and a lack of housing at this stage of the transition.
If Bagram is the US nerve center for Afghanistan, then this chaotic transfer from KBR LOGCAP III To Fluor LOGCAP IV must be “un-nerving”. Sorry….I couldn’t resist! Any input from Bagram readers would be great!
Indianapolis – An Indiana national Guard soldier was laid to rest Tuesday. He died of cancer after being exposed to a toxic chemical in Iraq. His death raises new questions about a hidden enemy that over 100 Hoosier soldiers faced in a war zone.
It was a final salute Tuesday to Lt. Colonel Jim Gentry, who lost his battle with cancer the day before Thanksgiving.
“I lost my best friend, so it is a tough, tough loss,” said Paul Grube, soldier.
Gentry was eulogized as a friend, husband and father. But most of the people at his funeral were fellow soldiers, including some who served under Gentry during his two tours of duty in Iraq. During one mission, they protected an Iraqi plant with a substance on the ground identified as sodium dichromate. Experts say the chemical can cause nose bleeds and even cancer.
After returning from Iraq, friends say Gentry was diagnosed with lung, bone and brain cancer. He attacked the disease like a military operation.
“His mission was never surrender to the disease. To the very end, Jim never surrendered,” said Lt.Col. Dan Colglazier, Indiana National Guard.
“In our conversations, he believes that the chemical not only affected him but his soldiers,” said Grube.
Some of the soldiers who served with Gentry sued KBR, the American contractor overseeing the plant. KBR has denied deliberately exposing the soldiers to the chemical.
“Jim and his men just did what their nation asked them to do. They went to a site and did their job without any knowledge of any type of contamination. And I pray to God that if the allegations are such and found to be true – that there would be accountability,” said Major General Martin Umbarger, Indiana National Guard.
Those who knew Gentry say he would not complain and instead dedicated his remaining days to his final battle.
Lt. Colonel Gentry is one of 48 Indiana National Guard soldiers suing KBR for knowingly exposing them to sodium dichromate. The trial is scheduled for September 2010 in Evansville.
Attorneys say Gentry was the second Indiana soldier who died from exposure. KBR denies any wrongdoing. (Link to Original)
A Sample Common Access Card (CAC) from www.cac.mil
I have received countless emails from former KBR employees claiming they have received the email below which states they didn’t turn in their Common Access Card (CAC). But, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get the same email after having demob’d (not fired) almost 3 1/2 years ago. Like I told the person who sent me the email, I left Baghdad on July 28, 2006 and turned in my card to a KBR representative at the Baghdad Transit Center (BTC) when asked to do so.
For those who aren’t familiar, a Common Access Card (CAC) is in essence your ID badge for the military. The card is issued to a person who needs access to a military facility such as a military base, PX, dining facility etc. KBR was responsible for issuing and controlling these cards for KBR employees. This is not rocket science, and yet according to a DoD Inspector General report, their claim is KBR can’t seem to get it done and has put our troops and civilians at serious risk in the mean time.
So now what? I say I did turn it in, KBR says I didn’t turn it in. I am interested to see how KBR responds. I’ll let you know.
I removed the name and contact information for the person who sent me the email. She is just doing her job, no need to inundate her with unwanted emails and phone calls.
************************************
Kellogg Brown & Root
From: Name Removed (name removed@kbr.com)
Sent: Tue 11/10/09 12:17 PM
To: Name Removed (name removed@kbr.com)
Common Access Card (CAC) Recovery Plan
Due to a recent audit by the Department of Defense (DOD), it was determined that your Common Access Card (CAC) has not been recorded as being returned when you demobilized / medical leave from the LOGCAP Project.
In an effort to update the DOD’s records, please complete form below and email back so that we may be advised of the status of your CAC ID. If the CAC ID is still in your possession a self-addressed, stamped envelope will be provided for your convenience at your request or you may mail it to the following address. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via email or at the below phone number.
Kellogg Brown & Root 713) 753-XXXX
4100 Clinton Dr. 3/778E
Houston, TX 77020 name removed@kbr.com
KBR LOGCAP III
Attn: (Name Removed)
Name: ______________________________.
Badge #: ____________________________.
Please choose one of the following options: _____________________________ .
(Example: “#1, Turned in, in Baghdad, Iraq 06/06”), (“#4, <company name employed with>”).
- 1. Card turned in. (Please explain when and where)
- 2. Card has been lost.
- 3. Will return the card to KBR. (Indicate if self-addressed self envelope is needed and current address to send envelope).
- 4. Currently employed overseas. (Please indicate which company employment is with).
US LAW GOVERNING IDENTIFICATION CARDS
“United States Code: Section 701, Title 18”
“Whoever manufactures, sells, or posses any badge, identification card, or other insignia, of the design prescribed by the head of any department or agency of the United States for use by any officer or employee thereof, or any colorable imitation thereof, or photographs, prints, or in any other manner makes or executes any engraving, photograph, print, or impression in the likeness of any such badge, identification card, or other insignia, or colorable imitation thereof, except as authorized under regulations pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.”
(Name Removed)
CAC Recovery Team
4100 Clinton Dr. 3/778 E
Houston, TX. 77020
(713) 753-XXXX
name removed@kbr.com
This e-mail, including any attached files, may contain confidential and privileged information for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient (or authorized to receive information for the intended recipient), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and delete all copies of this message.
Lieutenant Colonel James Gentry, Indiana National Guard
(See Funeral Notice update below)
Sadly, I have learned Lt. Col James “Jim” Gentry has lost his battle with cancer and has died in Indiana at the young age of 52. Gentry was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. A cancer he felt was caused by his exposure to the deadly carcinogen known as sodium dichromate at the Qarmat Ali water plant in Southern Iraq in 2003.
A retired Indiana National Guard lieutenant colonel, Gentry was the commander of the 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry, which, at about 600 soldiers strong, was in Iraq from February 2003 to February 2004.
This Indian National Guard unit was responsible for protecting US civilians working for KBR at the Qarmat Ali water plant in Southern Iraq. Returning this water plant to full operation was essential to restoring Iraqi oil production and KBR had the contract to do that.
Unfortunately, upon retreat, Saddam loyalists sabotaged the plant by cutting open bags of sodium dichromate, a yellow-orange powered rust inhibitor, and spread it everywhere. Not being informed by KBR management what this powder was, soldiers and civilians alike took few precautions to protect themselves. People started experiencing symptoms of chronic nose bleeds, headaches, skins lesions. Even after countless complaints KBR did not test the substance and inform anyone as to the hazards. Click HERE for five short (18 min total) deposition testimony videos of KBR management putting their spin on why soldiers and civilians weren’t informed of the inherent health risks of this “yellow-orange” powder.
Gentry, even after being retired and diagnosed with cancer, led his soldiers with strength and dignity. He became an outspoken advocate demanding investigations and VA coverage for illnesses believed to have been caused by the toxic exposure.
Jo Frederiksen is a construction manager who worked with Gentry during his second tour in Iraq. She said,
“He was the consummate leader and professional who always put others first before himself.”
“Jim’s courage and selflessness continued even after he was diagnosed with a devastating disease and given a terminal prognosis.”
Because of Lt. Col. Gentry hundreds if not thousands of US National Guard soldiers from the states of Indiana, Oregon, West Virginia, British troops and US and Iraqi civilians are now aware of their potential exposure. Congressional Hearings have been held, Department of Defense Inspector General Investigations have been initiated. Lawsuits have been filed. Click HERE for everything I have on the sodium dichromate exposures at Qarmat Ali.
Senator Bayh (D-IN) said,
“I promised Lt. Col. Gentry I would use my position to get them the care they deserve and to make sure we protect our soldiers from preventable risks like this in the future.”
Frederiksen said,
“Jim came forward to speak out on behalf of the troops he commanded. … I hope that his country and its people will give Lt. Col. Gentry and his troops the honor and respect they deserve for their sacrifices, while serving our country with valor.”
My most sincere condolences to Lt. Col. Gentry’s family and friends, both in the private sector and military.
As for KBR, I would think in this case, they could be charged with treason. They knowingly exposed out soldiers to a chemical that is killing them.
Updated Nov 30, 2009 - The original article in the Times Mail stated that Lt. Col Gentry was not a part of the suit against KBR. He in fact did join the other litigants earlier this year after he saw more of the documentation and testimony about what KBR’s managers knew and when they knew it.
Ms Sparky
UPDATED Nov 30, 2009 Funeral Notice:
Lt. Col. James Gentry
52; Iraq War veteran
Funeral service for Lt. Col. James Gentry, 52, of Williams, will be at noon Tuesday, Dec. 1, at the Kraft Spring St. Chapel with burial with Full Military Honors in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Starlight.
He was retried from the Indiana Army National Guard after serving as commander of the 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry and two tours of duty in Iraq. He was a former resident of Indianapolis and was a native of Mitchell.
Survivors include his wife LouAnn Grube Gentry; children Sarah Clark (Will), of New Albany, Jason Newman, of Indianapolis, Emily Gentry, Bloomington, Jennafer Newman, of Santa Anna, Calif., Ellen Gentry, of Georgetown; parents George and Brenda Sue Gentry, of Mitchell; brother Sanford Gentry (Valerie) of Williams; and sister Carolyn Hodges (Franks), of Mitchell.
He was preceded in death by his brother Randy Gentry.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Kraft Funeral Service, New Albany.
Expressions of Sympathy can be made to Uplands Hospice, 1500 West Main St. P.O. Box No. 9, Mitchell, Ind., 47496.
Military officials say the suspected shooter at Fort Hood was a psychiatrist
07:45 PM CST on Thursday, November 5, 2009
Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan
Major Nidal Malik Hasan - Alleged Shooter - New Reports Say He is Wounded Not Killed
WASHINGTON — Military officials say the suspected shooter at Fort Hood was a psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for six years before being transferred to the Texas base in July.
The officials had access to Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s military record. They said he received a poor performance evaluation while at Walter Reed.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because military records are confidential.
The Virginia-born soldier was single with no children. He was 39 years old.
Federal law enforcement officials say the suspected Fort Hood, Texas, shooter had come to their attention at least six months ago because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats.
The officials say the postings appeared to have been made by Hasan, who was killed (CORRECTION: Hasan was not killed and has been hospitalized) during the shooting incident that left least 11 others dead and 31 wounded. The officials say they are still trying to confirm that he was the author. They say an official investigation was not opened.
One of the Web postings that authorities reviewed is a blog that equates suicide bombers with a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades.
Hasan is a graduate of Virginia Tech University, where he was a member of the ROTC and earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 1997. He received his medical degree from the military’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001. At Walter Reed, he did his internship, residency and a fellowship.
Sen. Jay Bailey Hutchison said Hasan was to be deployed to Iraq, and there were indications he did not want to go. (Link to original article)
Thursday’s Fort Hood shooting rampage that left 13 dead and 38 injured, of which 30 needed to be hospitalized.
13 slain in soldier’s Fort Hood ambush, Army says
06:34 AM CST on Friday, November 6, 2009
By CHRISTY HOPPE
FORT HOOD, Texas – The bloody scene might have been drawn from the scarred memories of Iraq war veterans assigned to this Army outpost in the hills of Central Texas: 13 dead and 30 wounded, gunned down in a sudden ambush.
But Thursday’s bloody assault at Fort Hood was committed by one of the Army’s own. As night fell across the nation’s largest military outpost on Thursday, investigators sought to explain why Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a 39-year-old Army psychiatrist, reportedly turned a pair of pistols on his comrades.
Late Thursday, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone and Col. Ben Danner gave an account of the chaos and carnage that began about 1:30 p.m. inside two buildings that house psychiatric, medical and dental units:
Officials say Hasan used two handguns, including a semi-automatic, to fire at fellow soldiers. Neither of the guns was military-issue.
As Hasan fired, an unidentified female civilian officer managed to shoot him at least once before being shot herself.
The gunman was finally felled by four bullets and airlifted by medical helicopter to an undisclosed hospital where he underwent surgery. Early reports said the gunman was dead, but Cone later said Hasan was in stable condition under guard at a hospital and “his death is not imminent.” He was on a ventilator and unconscious, officials.
Life-saving actions
The general said that many of the military personnel used life-saving skills learned as part of their training. He described a scene where people were “ripping their uniforms and taking care of each other.”
Still unexplained Thursday night was the motive for the attack.
Asked whether it could be considered a terrorist attack, Cone replied, “I couldn’t rule that out” but said the evidence does not point to that.
At one point, officials detained and interviewed three suspects, But they now think that there was a single shooter.
Apartment searched
Late Thursday night, Killeen police had cordoned off Hasan’s apartment at the Casa del Norte Apartments and had evacuated the neighborhood. They were concerned that Hasan might have booby-trapped his home and were cautiously moving in with a bomb squad.
Family members said Hasan, a native-born Virginian and 1997 biochemistry graduate of Virginia Tech University, had been distraught over an impending overseas deployment.
Hasan had been posted to Fort Hood in July, after serving for six years at Water Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He was unmarried, authorities said.
Nader Hasan, a cousin of the major, told Fox News that Hasan had suffered harassment from comrades over his Middle Eastern heritage.
“He is a good American,” Hasan told the news channel. “We are shocked.”
While wounded were being transported to hospitals around the area, authorities ordered the massive post closed. About 40,000 military personnel are based at the post, one of the country’s largest military installations.
“It’s a terrible tragedy. It’s stunning,” Cone told reporters gathered outside the vast facility northeast of Austin. “Soldiers and family members and many of the great civilians who work here are absolutely devastated.”
‘Stay put!’
At the Military Personnel Center, where arriving soldiers are processed and records updated, civilian employee Poi Shaffer was updating records for a soldier when she heard sirens on Battalion Avenue – about a mile away from the scene of the shooting.
“I heard sirens, ambulances, fire trucks, all kinds of stuff,” said Shaffer. “At first I thought it was a wreck, but I kept hearing more sirens. It kept going on.”
When she finished processing the soldier’s records, she checked her phone and saw that her husband, who works on the base for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, had been trying to call her. He phoned again and said urgently: “Where are you? Stay put!”
Her husband was close enough to the scene of the attack to hear the gunfire, said Shaffer.
Wife, baby on base
Spc. Joshua Branum, just back from his second long tour in Iraq, was at the Killeen courthouse taking care of a minor traffic issue when he heard of shootings and death at Fort Hood.
Three months back and now it was his wife and 1-year-daughter in harm’s way. “I went into combat mode – autopilot,” he said.
He immediately called his wife and told her to lock the doors and windows. “Keep yourself and the baby down at all costs,” he said to her. “And then I started on my way.”
For almost two hours, Branum paced outside the main gate at Fort Hood in his desert fatigues as he and more than a dozen active military personnel waited for the post to lift a lockdown so they could see their loved ones. Phone lines were jammed, and some were having trouble getting through.
He said he wanted to patrol the perimeter in his truck, to feel he could help in some way.
“In a situation like this, any soldier feels that I should have been there. Maybe there wouldn’t have been so many dead, maybe there wouldn’t have been so many wounded,” Branum said.
He said he was angered to hear that it was a soldier who fired at colleagues.
Having defused bombs and cleared roadways during his first two-year tour in Iraq, Branum said he knows all about post traumatic stress disorder and has suffered from it the past two years.
“If they blame this on PTSD, I’ll lose my faith,” Branum said. “PTSD does not cause you to organize and carry out a shooting.”
The lockdown was finally lifted about 9 p.m.
‘Texas family’ tragedy
In Austin, Gov. Rick Perry issued a statement that read in part: “The Texas family suffered a significant loss today with the tragedy at Fort Hood. Along with all Texans, Anita and I are keeping those affected by today’s incidents in our thoughts and prayers.”
Perry ordered that all Texas flags be lowered to half-staff until Sunday.
The FBI and Texas Rangers joined with military investigators in the search to determine how and why the attack occurred.
Around the country, some bases stepped up security precautions, but no others were locked down.
“The bottom line for us is that we are increasing security at our gates because the threat hasn’t yet been defined, and we’re reminding our Marines to be vigilant in their areas of responsibility,” said Capt. Rob Dolan, public affairs officer for the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.
After nightfall at Fort Hood, the religious gathered to pray, the patriotic gave blood, and doctors and nurses worked to save the lives of the wounded.
Sirens continued to sound, but traffic once again rumbled along Battalion Avenue and speakers blared, “The emergency no longer exists.”
President Obama called the shootings “tragic” and “a horrific outburst of violence.”
Texas Gov. Rick Perry ordered that all flags in the state be lowered to half-staff until Sunday as a tribute to the victims.
“We are deeply saddened by today’s events but resolve to continue supporting our troops and protecting our citizens,” he said.
In the aftermath of the incident, Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas, posted an online appeal for blood as it began receiving victims.
“Due to the recent events on Fort Hood, we are in URGENT need of ALL blood types,” it said.
Fort Hood is the Army’s largest U.S. post, with about 40,000 troops stationed there. It is home to the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division and elements of the 4th Infantry Division, as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 13th Corps Support Command. It is near Killeen, Texas. The Headquarters Unit and three brigades of the 1st Cavalry are deployed in Iraq.
The fort is home to the Warrior Combat Stress Reset Program, which helps soldiers returning from war with combat stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
In June, Fort Hood’s commander, Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, told CNN that he was trying to ease the kind of stresses soldiers face.
He has pushed for soldiers working a day schedule to return home for dinner by 6 p.m. and required his personal authorization for anyone working weekends. At the time, two soldiers stationed there had committed suicide in 2009 — a rate well below those of other posts.
Nearby Killeen was the scene of one of the most deadly shootings in American history 18 years ago when George Hennard crashed his truck into a Luby’s cafeteria and then began shooting, killing 23 people and wounding 20.
Hennard’s spree lasted 14 minutes. He eventually took his own life.
I will update this as more information becomes available. Please keep these soldiers, their families and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The poisoning of our US troops and civilians at Qarmat Ali is a clear example of KBR’s total disregard for the safety of their employees and their client.- Ms Sparky
(WHAS11)–Russ Kimberling has nearly 2,000 images from Iraq on his computer. They chronicle his duties there as a captain in the Indiana National Guard.
Kimberling now pours over the pictures wondering why he and other soldiers weren’t warned about a yellowish substance in thesand at Qarmat Ali, a water injection plant near Basrah.
Kimberling recently told me, “If it came up they would say don’t worry about it. It’s a mild irritant. It’s not a big deal. You may get a bloody nose. It’s not a problem.”
He says he got that “don’t worry” message from workers with KBR, an American contractor headquartered in Houston, Texas and at the time owned by Halliburton.
KBR was restoring Iraqi oil fields. The guard members were protecting the private contractors.
Clinton Hammack is a retired National Guard soldier from Tell city who says he wasn’t too concerned about what he calls “dirty sand.” He says “You know I didn’t worry about it. I did what I was there to do – take care of the contractor.”
The yellow substance in the sand was later confirmed to be sodium dichromate. The Environmental Protection Agency calls it a human carcinogen.
It was used as an anti-corrosive at the Qarmat Ali plant before the Americans arrived. It may have been spread by Iraqis to sabotage the site at the beginning of the American invasion.
Currently 51 Southern Indiana National Guard members have filed a federal lawsuit against KBR claiming the company knew about the chemical and endangered the soldiers’ health.
Kimberling says one day in Iraq he realized the yellow substance might be more than a mild irritant.
He says, “I remember that day when we jumped out, jumped out of the vehicle. I’m kicking the ground around. I’m kicking the ground and everyone’s in chemical gear all protected but not me or any of the soldiers.”
He says the people in the protective gear were managers from KBR. He remembers thinking at the time, “They know something we don’t and it can’t be good.
Mike Doyle the attorney for the National Guard Members who have filed suit says, “That’s what’s kind of frustrating about it. You have these fellows they have every reason to expect if KBR knew — and they did — there was this poison they’ll tell them about it.” (Link to original article)
It is important to remember that to date the plaintiffs still show no signs of illness consistent with the long-term sodium dichromate exposure they allege. Medical reports by both the U.S. and British Military support this finding as well as findings from the plaintiff’s own doctors.
KBR engineers learned around June 1, 2003, that sodium dichromate was previously used at Qarmat Ali by the Iraqi state-owned Southern Oil Company. The Southern Oil Company had used sodium dichromate as an anti-corrosive agent in the chemical injection process, but it was no longer being used and the water plant was not operational. The June 21, 2003 memo attached to your email reflects KBR’s first awareness that the sodium dichromate used in the past may have contaminated some of the soil surrounding the plant.
As KBR’s efforts at the Qarmat Ali facility continued, it notified USACE about the potential contamination of the soil by sodium dichromate in late July 2003. KBR subsequently worked with the military to conduct air and soil testing to confirm the presence and extent of the contamination. Once contamination was confirmed, KBR received authorization from the military to commence remediation efforts, which it immediately began.
In addition, KBR initiated a medical surveillance program for its workers. The U.S. military and the British military initiated a similar medical surveillance program for military personnel who had been at the plant. The results were negative for signs and symptoms of exposure to sodium dichromate or hexavalent chromium. Regardless, out of abundance of caution, the U.S. Army and KBR decided to discontinue all work at the plant pending additional air and soil testing. The plant subsequent was closed and remained closed until mid-October 2003.
Statements from Attorney for Indiana National Guard members
Mike Doyle, Attorney for Indiana National Guard members in Federal Lawsuit:
“Having spent time recently with Jim Gentry and knowing what the VA has recently confirmed for the US Senate about the health affects of soldiers exposed to hexavalent chromium at KBR’s Qarmat Ali project, KBR’s claim of no ill health effects is contrary to the known facts. KBR has been continually changing its story about what it knew and did about the dangerous chemicals present, and these most recent admissions only came when the previously concealed Kimbro memo was revealed during his testimony this month. There is still no explanation, nor can there ever be, for KBR’s concealing of what it knew for months from Jim Gentry and our soldiers serving in Iraq.” (Link to original article)
Wartime commission scrutinizes contractors’ role in Iraq drawdown
By Elizabeth Newell November 2, 2009
The struggle to balance contractors with military and civilian government personnel in Iraq continues — and might be intensifying — as the military effort there tapers off.
Witnesses told the Commission on Wartime Contracting on Monday that contractors are playing a strong supporting role in the drawdown in Iraq, and the ratio of contractors to military personnel is likely to increase before it decreases. Rear Adm. Thomas Traaen, vice director for logistics for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the number of contractors will not decrease as quickly as the number of federal employees in theater, because contractors must help close forward operating bases and redeploy equipment.
According to Traaen, the ratio of contractors to military in Iraq was 1:1 for the past several years, but likely will increase to about 1.5:1 by August 2010. “As the forward operating bases close and equipment is redeployed, that ratio will also start to decrease,” he said. “These numbers will be flexible, and there will be a continual decrease in both contractors and military as the drawdown progresses.”
Commission co-chairmen Christopher Shays and Michael Thibault agreed that the absolute and comparative numbers of contractors could rise as military units move out of bases and contractors prepare for base handover or closure, but they said the general trend should move toward a decline in the number of contractors.
“We need to be clear about the role of contractors in supporting the Iraq drawdown and be sure that numbers of contractor personnel are appropriately geared to the reduction of U.S. military strength and base closures, and are being timely adjusted for that reduction,” Thibault said, also speaking on behalf of Shays. “Either way, the government needs to monitor and adjust as appropriate the contractor staffing needed to support the mission.”
William Solis, director of defense capabilities and management at the Government Accountability Office, testified that the Defense Department has not yet fully determined its need for contractors during the drawdown or the extent to which it will move contractors out of Iraq to address other needs.
The Defense Contract Audit Agency waved a red flag by reporting that contractor KBR Inc., which will manage significant portions of the drawdown under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) III contract, already is costing the government millions of dollars by ineffectively withdrawing its own staff. Outgoing DCAA Director April Stephenson said an audit performed in October showed KBR could save the government at least $193 million by improving its staff management and aligning its drawdown with the military’s.
“When the military reduced its troop levels from 160,000 to 130,000 — a 19 percent reduction — KBR’s staffing levels remained constant,” Stephenson said. “At the time of the audit, KBR did not have a detailed, written plan to reduce staffing levels in consonance with the military drawdown.”
DCAA estimated that without significant action, the ratio of KBR staff to troops would shrink from 1:9.4 before troop drawdown began to 1:3.6 by August 2010.
Under LOGCAP III, KBR will be responsible for providing logistic services in support of the withdrawal of theater transportation equipment, the retrograding of supplies and equipment, and other logistics such as packaging equipment for shipment.
In addition to discussing contractors’ role in the Iraq drawdown, the commission noted the difficulties the Defense Department and other agencies face as they track the number of contractors working in contingency zones.
“How can contractors be properly managed if we aren’t sure how many there are, where they are and what they are doing?” Thibault asked.
The commissioners also followed up on the relationship between DCAA and the Defense Contract Management Agency, which panelists called dysfunctional during an August hearing. Officials from both agencies and Shay Assad, director of the Defense Procurement Acquisition Policy Office, said they were working to improve cooperation and take a more uniform, compatible approach to contractor oversight. (click HERE for original article)
We can’t seem to get an indictment against Bill Utt, Bruce Stanski (former KBR), Bill Bodie, or any other KBR executives, including that damn Heather Browne. Indictments for their part in the fraud and corruption that is LOGCAP III. But we got the next best thing. WE hit them in the wallet. Because of YOU…yes YOU… the YOU who continued to report wrongdoing. The YOU who would not accept the “it’s a war zone-it’s good enough” response. The YOU who chose to do the right thing to protect our soldiers and civilians….YOU made a difference. Because of the reporting and the testifying and the increased Congressional scrutiny, the DoD appears to be backing away from their favorite “fair haired” contractor….. KBR! KBR now has to compete for contracts when eligible to bid. And they don’t seem to be winning a lot of major contracts.
I’m positive that Bill Utt and others were all doing the “KBR happy dance” at KBR HQ upon the announcement of DCAA April Stephenson’s “reassignment”. She was worthy adversary against KBR’s alleged government fraud. (click HERE for my version of the KBR Happy Dance. Do not click if you are easily offended!)
Now I can tell you there is at least one person (me) out there doing the “happy dance” that KBR profits are down 14% and their stock prices are responding accordingly. I don’t want to hear about all the people who’s retirement accounts are affected. That’s what happens when you dance with the devil or invest in KBR! I run the daily and annual KBR stock quotes in my right side bar or you can click HERE to see what’s going on.
KBR 3Q falls with less work in government, Iraq
Associated Press, 10.29.09, 11:05 AM EDT
HOUTSON — Engineering and construction company KBR Inc. said Thursday its third-quarter profit fell 14 percent as revenue declined in its biggest business, government and infrastructure, and in its military work in Iraq as the U.S. has fewer projects there.
Net income of $73 million, or 45 cents per share, was down from $85 million, or 51 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of 41 cents per share.
Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was $2.84 billion, down 6 percent from $3.02 billion in the same three months of 2008.
Analysts expected revenue of $2.92 billion.
Revenue at KBR ( KBR - news - people )’s government and infrastructure business fell 28 percent to $1.38 billion from $1.76 billion.
Bill Utt, chairman, president and CEO, said revenue for the Army’s Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, or Logcap, was down 15 percent in the quarter, “consistent with reduced activity levels in Iraq.”
On Monday, Stifel, Nicolaus downgraded KBR to “Hold” from “Buy” on an assessment that profit could decline significantly this year as the U.S. military becomes less active in Iraq.
Backlog at the end of September was $13.5 billion, up 9 percent from the second quarter with “no material project cancellations” during the quarter, KBR said.
Shares of KBR slipped 8 cents to $21.13 in morning trading.
Back in April I published a post entitled “How About A Hire American Act“. I have always been a staunch believer that US taxpayer dollars should go to support the US first and that all projects funded with US taxpayor dollars should hire US citizens before hiring local nationals and then other foreign nationals. To me it has always been black and white…I’ve never really been much of a “grey” person.
Below is an email I got from a reader. I can honestly tell you I have no idea who sent me this email. But I can say that even though I’m an electrician and not an economics major, they wrote it in an easily understandable manner.
They went to a lot of effort to TRY to get me to think outside my perfectly square little box (because that’s the only kind of boxes there should be-LOL) to see things from a different perspective. The amount of effort and thought in itself deserves mention. Many thanks-whoever you are!
Believe me when I say I do understand and respect your “Hire Americans Act” blog which I read some time ago and therefore like everyone else the following blog is simply an “opinion” and not meant to procure sarcasm or smart remarks from any of the other bloggers.
This excellent site if I am not mistaken was originally focused on for very good reasons I might add the reported widespread abuse of the policy and procedures, safe working practices and code of ethics of a certain US based (Houston) aka “Cayman Islands” company or at that time “Companies” before they split up for legal reasons (Law Suits).
Moving on I take my hat off to the continued hard work and effort put in by “DC” aka “Ms Sparky” in order to uncover many of the disgusting activities carried out by various US DoD contractor companies. We have since seen this site develop into an extremely informative and often tragic source of information for many expatriates around the globe.
It did however surprise me to read one comment written by a blogger who asked “What do these people do for the American Economy” which I believe was directed at Foreign Nationals. Where are we going with this verbal diatribe? Why is it some folk cannot see past their nose?
Has anyone heard of KBR International, Halliburton, Bechtel, Parsons or perhaps BAE Systems the UK’s largest arms producer who recently pleaded guilty to bribery allegations and dishing out millions of Euros to win lucrative defense contracts in a number of countries?
Hello!! Are these other giants corrupt? Hell Yes! But no more than most other military or civilian contractors around the world who are just as adept at Fraud, Waste and Abuse as the next guy but they do employ thousands of hard working people from All over the world who All contribute to the “Global Economy”.
Should they be allowed to get away with it? Of course not my gripe is an economic one rather than a criminal one at this point, but do not go off on a tangent beating me up I do care greatly about the ethics side of the house but that is not what this blog is about.
If there are issues then they are probably leadership issues and unfortunately you will never clean house as long as the senior management of these influential companies are ex Generals Etc.
We have to face the facts that hopefully law makers such as but not limited to Sen. Dorgan and Sen. Franken will continue to kick ass and publicly expose the corrupt practices of certain companies and individuals who must be held accountable for their actions and prosecuted accordingly. However, we all know none of these corporations are going away anytime soon therefore team players such as Ms Sparky can only persist in chipping away at their armor and hope others take notice.
Having said this I believe it would be in everyone’s interest to take a few steps back and look at the broader economic picture rather than simply focus on pointing fingers or firing off negative statements regarding the so called Foreign Nationals employed by US DoD contractors in various locations.
We all have our part to play in the “Global Economy” I’m sorry but this is not just about jobs for US citizens. There are hundreds of International companies based all over the world employing a multi-national workforce from oil fields and aerospace to Medicare and the Auto Industry many of whom employ a great number of Expat American citizens within there workforce and each of us in some way contribute towards each others national economy one way or another.
Please take time out to read the information below but I would ask that we do not start “Nit Picking” about each others economy or why X countries makes more than Y… it is simply a random example of bilateral trade figures which every country needs to survive especially in today’s economic climate.
There can be anywhere up to 500,000 US citizens in the United Kingdom at any one time these are government statistics and proven facts which is common knowledge and has nothing to do with a security issue just in case anyone wanted to chime in there… the numbers alone speak volumes and indicate contrary to popular belief just what an outstanding relationship both these nations actually have with each other regardless of the otherwise ignorant statements from some minority groups.
Furthermore approximately 5.25million Americans live/work in 160+ countries around the world NOT including US military for obvious security reasons.
The estimated figures by region are:
• Africa: 109,600
• East Asia and Pacific: 754,000
• Europe: 1,488,000 If all these Americans were placed in one state it would be the 17th most populous state in the US!! More or less…let’s not split hairs folks.
• Near East: 586,000
• South Central Asia: 97,000
• Western Hemisphere: 2,222,000
• For a total of 5,256,600
Where is the outcry from these areas demanding all Americans go home and give the positions to host country nationals? Probably little or nothing which is a good thing because I have to admit a lot could be attributed to the need for technical expertise and overseas experience especially when it involves working to Code where there can be NO substitute for that. Nevertheless there are a lot of well qualified candidates out there who deserve the same chance as anyone else in the job market regardless of nationality and I am not talking about the inevitable deadwood that always manages to float onto the scene on most overseas contracts.
Here are a random number of average US/EU/UK bilateral trade figures and other relevant information past and present if anyone cares to mull over covering an approximate 3 year period:
Please bear with me Ms Sparky I really am on your side I just want other people to see the bigger picture.
EU Membership: The EU has prioritized membership for the Western Balkans, Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey they are all formally acknowledged candidates.
The United States strongly supports Macedonia’s aspirations for full integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. Today, Macedonia and the United States enjoy a cooperative relationship across a broad range of political, economic, cultural, military, and social issues.
In the first five months of 2008, total trade between Macedonia and the United States was $37.6 million. U.S. exports accounted for 1.2% of Macedonia’s total imports. U.S. meat, mainly poultry, and electrical machinery have been particularly attractive to Macedonian importers. Principal Macedonian exports to the United States are tobacco, apparel, footwear, and iron and steel.
The U.S. economic relationship with the European Union (EU) is the largest and most complex in the world, generating trade and investment flows of about $2.7 billion a day and supporting 14 million jobs. This enormous volume of transatlantic trade and investment promotes economic prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and in the dozens of other countries that trade with the transatlantic partners. The United States and the EU continue to pursue initiatives to create new opportunities for transatlantic commerce.
The EU countries with the largest FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in the United States are the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.
Investment: U.S. and EU investors together owned roughly $2.7 trillion in direct investment in each other’s economy in 2007.
Sales of services in the EU by majority U.S-owned affiliates were $402.5 billion in 2006 (latest data available), while sales of services in the United States by majority EU-owned firms were $336.0 billion. Intrafirm trading – trade that takes place within the same company – accounts for approximately one-third of total U.S. trade with the EU.
US – UK TRADE AND INVESTMENT STATISTICS
Trade in goods
The United Kingdom is the United States’ sixth-largest trading partner overall and second-largest
trading partner in the EU (after Germany). The United States is the UK’s top export destination and
Its second-largest trading partner overall (again after Germany).
Annual bilateral trade volume has increased steadily, reaching a record $112 billion in 2008 ($58.6
Billion from the UK to US, $53.8 billion from the US to the UK). The US-UK trade relationship in goods is remarkably balanced.
Trade in services
The United Kingdom is the United States’ largest partner for trade in services. Total services trade
between the two countries was worth $110.5 billion in 2008: from 2007 to 2008, trade in services
between the US and UK increased by 4.5%.
Jobs
•?In 2006 American affiliates of British companies supported an estimated 908,800 American jobs
providing an average compensation of $71,803.48.
•?Top 5 states by employment (with corresponding investment figures*) were:
•?California (98,200 jobs; $16.5 billion invested)
•?New York (74,500 jobs; $15.8 billion invested)
•?Texas (69,000 jobs; $19.2 billion invested)
•?Illinois (49,700 jobs; $7.4 billion invested)
•?Pennsylvania (49,600 jobs; $6.1 billion invested)
*Investment figures measure total property, plants and equipment owned by British companies in these
states.
I spent 31/2 years in Iraq so I know where you guys are coming from my point is we all need to learn to work together regardless of our nationality or ethnic background and of course I agree there needs to be a huge weeding out program and a solid process to regulate these companies in order to stem the continued dollar generated practice of hiring unqualified cheap TCN labor which can ultimately and in fact has resulted in the loss of military and civilian lives.
Here is a novel idea, why not implement some serious oversight at the pre-hiring level by placing “Qualified” recruiters at the desks to screen and hire “Qualified” people rather than the “good old buddy system” where a journeyman might be overlooked in favor of a wallflower who actually knows jack about the trade but I guess that would be just too easy right!!
“I’m just saying”….
Thanks for your time and keep up the great work ma’am.
“Observer”
Hmmm. That definitely gives me something more to think about!!
From: Stephenson, April, Ms, SES DCAA
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 1:08 PM
To: DCAA ALL DCAA Distribution List
Subject: New Director DCAA as of November 9, 2009
To All DCAA Employees
Below is an email message from the Honorable Robert Hale, Under Secretary Defense (Comptroller) announcing my reassignment to a senior executive position in the Comptroller’s office effective November 9th. Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald, Director of the Army Audit Agency will be appointed Director, DCAA effective the same day.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the employees of DCAA for their tireless efforts in auditing contractor costs. As Mr. Hale mentions in his email below, DCAA plays a critical role in the acquisition process. Without the efforts of all DCAA employees, billions of dollars of contractor overpayments and unallowable costs would go undetected.
FY 2009 was a challenging year with the implementation of many improvements across the Agency. I appreciate the dedication and can-do attitude of the DCAA workforce. The many employee suggestions received throughout the year were essential in developing new initiatives and refining prior processes.
Although I will be moving on to new challenges, the employees of DCAA will always be in my heart.
April G. Stephenson
Director, DCAA
E-MAIL TO DCAA EMPLOYEES FROM MR. HALE
I want to announce that Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald, currently the Auditor General of the Army, will be taking over as the new DCAA Director. Mr. Fitzgerald is a CPA and has almost 30 years of audit experience. He has an excellent reputation as a successful manager of large, geographically diverse audit organization. He currently heads the DCAA Oversight Committee, a group that I set up to help me provide oversight. I believe that Mr. Fitzgerald is particularly well qualified to guide DCAA during this period. He will take over as DCAA Director effective on Monday, November 9, 2009.
I want to thank Ms. April Stephenson for her service at DCAA, mostly recently as its Director. During her tenure as Director, Ms. Stephenson implemented a number of changes that will provide the foundation for improvements at DCAA. After leaving DCAA effective November 8, 2009, Ms. Stephenson has accepted reassignment to an SES position on the staff of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).
DCAA remains a critical part of the acquisition process. The strong and capable staff at DCAA, coupled with hard work from all of you, helps DoD acquire the best goods and services for our warfighters at reasonable prices. We must carefully address the concerns raised about DCAA in recent reports issued by the GAO and the DoDIG. I want to work with Mr. Fitzgerald and the Agency’s employees to address those concerns in ways that strengthen the organization and permit it to continue performing its important role.
Thank you for your continued service.
Robert F. Hale
Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
Embattled Defense Contract Audit Agency Director April Stephenson was removed from her post Monday, the Defense Department announced.
Stephenson, who has spent her entire 22-year career at DCAA, was reassigned to “an executive position” on Defense Department Comptroller Robert Hale’s staff, said Navy Cmdr. Darryn James, a Pentagon spokesman. Hale, who oversees DCAA, replaced Stephenson with Army Auditor General Patrick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who leads the DCAA oversight committee Hale established earlier this year, takes over Nov. 9.
Stephenson’s 21-month tenure as DCAA director has been dominated by the fallout from two Government Accountability Office reports that found auditors cut corners, changed audit findings to be favorable to contractors without good cause, and rushed audits to completion to meet cost and management pressures.
Stephenson “implemented a number of improvements to address issues cited in recent GAO reports of DCAA shortcomings,” James said. But he said Fitzgerald is being named the director “because DoD leaders feel he is the best-qualified person to continue making improvements at DCAA. This reassignment is intended to bring in a new leader at DCAA, with a fresh perspective and ideas.”
DCAA performs audits of contractor billing, accounting and management systems to ensure that the companies are accurately charging the government for the work they do.
At a hearing earlier this year, numerous lawmakers on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee expressed concern over whether someone with a long history inside DCAA could effectively reform it.
In a statement Oct. 26, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., the committee chairman, said, “I hope that the DoD comptroller as well as the incoming DCAA director will continue to bring outside auditing expertise into the agency, strengthen quality control, improve training at all levels of DCAA, and prioritize audits based on the risk of contractor over-billings as well as waste, fraud and abuse.”
James said the decision was not the result of pressure from Congress.
In an Oct. 26 e-mail to DCAA staff, Hale told DCAA’s employees that Fitzgerald “has an excellent reputation as a successful manager of a large, geographically diverse audit organization. … I believe that Mr. Fitzgerald is particularly well qualified to guide DCAA during this period.”
In her own e-mail to the staff Monday, Stephenson wrote: “[Fiscal] 2009 was a challenging year with the implementation of many improvements across the agency. I appreciate the dedication and can-do attitude of the DCAA workforce. The many employee suggestions received throughout the year were essential in developing new initiatives and refining prior processes.”
During the last year, Stephenson halted practices that based employee performance evaluations on the number of audits produced and the time they were produced in. She stopped the agency’s practice of allowing contractors to continue using flawed accounting systems. She also ended DCAA participation on contractor evaluation boards with contracting officers and other Defense officials to avoid the appearance that DCAA lacked independence, a key finding of GAO.
The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight, which has been following the DCAA management scandal, said that removing Stephenson won’t fix the problems at DCAA.
“Contractors have been on a rampage fighting new requirements being placed upon them by DCAA for the past year,” said Danielle Brian, POGO’s executive director. “Removing the director of DCAA does not address congressional and taxpayer concerns that this agency lacks the independence and clout necessary to serve taxpayer interests. It would be unfortunate and ironic if congressional inquiries into the independence and strength of DCAA ultimately serves to strengthen the hand of contractors.” (click HERE for the original article)
I too hope this is not an attempt on the part of the DoD to protect their favorite contractors!! Only time will tell. I think April Stephenson did a great job of starting to reform the DCAA. I’m not sure what Congress expects from an organization that really has no authority or power to do anything more than make recommendations and fraud referrals.
The DCMA, contracting officers and contractors see the DCAA as nothing more than an “mild irritant”. The DCAA should be empowered with more authority. Unlikely that is going to happen so I have to wonder what the true agenda is for replacing April Stephenson.
KBR employees also collect the trash, clean the toilets, provide a laundry service and supply fuel to aircraft — doing just about anything that needs to be done without the use of a weapon or military equipment.
We can’t seem to get an indictment against 
Embattled Defense Contract Audit Agency Director April Stephenson was removed from her post Monday, the Defense Department announced.