Ms Sparky » Politics

Contracting Time Out for Booz Allen Hamilton

Forseti — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:14:28 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" NEIL GORDON – (POGO) – February 8, 2012 – The Air Force has just suspended from federal contracting a unit of global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton and recommended it for debarment. The notice was posted in the Excluded Parties List System on Monday. The EPLS [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Iraq wants to limit private security contractors

Forseti — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:19:36 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" (AFP) – February 8, 2012 – Iraq deeply mistrusts private security companies and wants to limit their operations here, officials say, while the contractors themselves have faced bureaucratic delays and detentions. This mistrust stems from perceived arrogant behaviour by employees of these firms in the past [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Some top military brass making more in pension than pay

Forseti — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:34:35 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" From 2004 through 2008, 80 percent of retiring three- and four-star officers went to work as consultants or defense executives, according to the Globe analysis. That compares with less than 50 percent who followed that path a decade earlier, from 1994 to 1998. ~Bryan Bender – [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Pentagon can’t account for nearly $2 billion in Iraqi funds

Forseti — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:13:46 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Sara Sorcher – (National Journal) – January 30, 2012 – A federal audit that found the Defense Department cannot account for nearly $2 billion in Iraqi funds is likely to fuel Baghdad’s interest in pursuing a claim against Washington for failing to handle its money responsibly, [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Security contractors face challenges in Iraq

Forseti — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:36:12 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Problems mount after U.S. troops withdraw from country Fred Pleitgen – (NECN/CNN) – January 24, 2012 – It’s getting harder for private security contractors to do business in Iraq. Government officials say the contractors simply have to follow the requirements for any foreigners. The American Iraqi [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

You’ll pay for that & other news

Forseti — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:09:25 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" “When I served four years in the military, it wasn’t so that Bechtel, KBR, Halliburton and all the other corporations could make money and buy politicians to further drag out the war and create policies that support all that,” Bodell said. “I fought for the Constitution, [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

DoD unveils new initiatives to combat sexual assault in the military

Forseti — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:25:26 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" While praising some of the new steps to combat sexual violence that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Wednesday, critics say the Pentagon isn’t going nearly far enough. ~ DoD sex assault prevention efforts fall short, critics say – Stars and Stripes By msnbc.com staff and news services [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Flexing Muscle, Baghdad Detains U.S. Contractors

Ms Sparky — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:42:33 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT and ERIC SCHMITT Published: January 15, 2012 BAGHDAD — Iraqi authorities have detained a few hundred foreign contractors in recent weeks, industry officials say, including many Americans who work for the United States Embassy, in one of the first major signs of [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Thinking about working in Iraq, think again… Don’t go there!!!

Forseti — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:57:07 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" The U.S. Embassy is aware of cases where discrepancies in permits or paperwork have resulted in legal action, including detention, by Iraqi police and other entities. Detentions often last 24-96 hours or more. The Embassy’s ability to respond to situations in which U.S. citizens are arrested [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Dealing: Even Ex-Federal Watchdogs Are Doing It

Forseti — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:09:10 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Dina Rasor – (Truthout | Solutions) – January 12, 2012 – Several years ago, I pushed for a revival of the old “Truman Committee” in the US Congress to look at war fraud and profiteering in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I had just written a [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Charging forward and other news

Forseti — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:51:52 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Michael Riddle once served as a senior employment manager for Dyncorp International, Incorporated (“Dyncorp”). He alleges that Dyncorp contracted to create a database for the United States government, but took no meaningful steps toward fulfilling its obligations. He further alleges that when he protested Dyncorp’s inaction [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Afghan police arrest 2 GardaWorld employees accused of illegal arms transport

Forseti — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:54:54 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Afghanistan arrests British contractors with guns AHMAD MASSIEH NESHAD – (Associated Press) – KABUL, Afghanistan – January 5, 2011 – Afghan police arrested two British private security contractors and two Afghan colleagues and ordered their company closed down after finding a cache of weapons in their [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Not so fast and other news

Forseti — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:15:18 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Contractor linked to mistaken deaths After deaths of 15 Afghans in 2010, Army learned that U.S. civilian played a role using drone video feeds. David S. Cloud – (STL Today) – WASHINGTON – December 31, 2011 – After a U.S. airstrike mistakenly killed at least 15 [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Fraud Fight Has U.S. Seeking to Ban Record Number of Suppliers

Forseti — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:46:37 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Wishing the Government Accountability Office and the agencies in charge of oversight, a banner year of suspensions and debarments in 2012. Here’s hoping the DoJ grows a set in the new year and prosecutes those who have “gotten away with it” for far too long. Honestly Eric (Holder) you can’t possibly [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

$40 Billion in Contracts Tied to Republican Security Advisers

Forseti — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:49:43 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Roxana Tiron – (Bloomberg) – December 22, 2011 – National security advisers to the Republican presidential candidates have links to defense, homeland security and energy companies that have received at least $40 billion in federal contracts since 2008. Five of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s 41 [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Pentagon Watchdogs Rarely Side With Military Whistleblowers

Ms Sparky — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:11:38 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" More Investigators, New Policies May Improve Grim Substantiation Rate Part Two of a series on military whistleblower protections NICK SCHWELLENBACH – (POGO) – December 14, 2011 - There are many anecdotes suggesting that military whistleblowers have a particularly tough time seeking justice for alleged retaliation—for instance, take the story [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Marine general defends Dakota Meyer Medal of Honor; You got a problem with that?

Ms Sparky — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:59:13 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Andrew Malcolm – (Investors Business Daily) – December 19, 2011 – OK, civvies, listen up. There has been a recent suggestion in some newspapers that fellow Marines may have padded their accounts of the heroism displayed by Sgt. Dakota Meyer during an ambush and six-hour battle in [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

U.S. Army protects KBR from willfull misconduct in Iraq

Ms Sparky — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:12:05 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Indemnification clauses are nothing new in defense contracting. Many defense contractors now have or have had in the past, contracts with the Pentagon containing indemnity provisions. These provisions potentially immunize the contractors from legal accountability for harm caused during the implementation of their contracts. Indemnification clauses [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Lawmakers Secure Provision in NDAA to Bring Transparency to War Contracting Process

Ms Sparky — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:03:43 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Blumenauer, Wyden, Schrader, Merkley Secure Provision in NDAA to Bring Transparency to War Contracting Process Thursday, 15 December 2011 17:57 Amendment A Legislative Response To Classified Immunity Deal For Contractor KBR That Exposed Oregon National Guardsmen To Toxic Chemicals In Iraq WASHINGTON – Today, Congress sent [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Filling ‘er up on your dime & other news

Forseti — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:37:14 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" According to a recent Bloomberg report, a single agency within the Pentagon – the Defense Logistics Agency – wasted $7.1 billion over three years by double ordering parts. It would take 10 years of food stamp fraud to match that amount. Meanwhile, the government has squandered [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky: