Kahn has the guts to say what we’re all thinking!

November 14, 2009 — Ms Sparky

free-pass A Free Pass
By ROBERT KAHN
Courthouse News Service
November 13, 2009

While a religious pervert’s mass murder of GIs at Fort Hood dominated the news on Veterans Day, Courthouse News’ top story that day began like this:

“A Florida defense contractor put soldiers at risk and defrauded the government by producing hundreds of ‘bunker buster’ bomb fuzes it knew could explode unpredictably, ‘often shortly after the fuze was armed,’ federal prosecutors say. Kaman Precision Products knew it was using bad parts, and charged taxpayers $2 million for it, according to the False Claims Act complaint.”

Here is how our story ended: “The military discovered the substitution and has spent $3 million in an ‘attempt to rework the defective fuzes to create usable ones,’ prosecutors say. The government wants a refund.”

Military prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty for Nidal Hasan, the religious pervert who killed 13 soldiers.

Good. I hope they kill him.

But why is no one facing jail time for selling dangerous bomb fuses to the U.S. Army?

The government spent $5 million on bomb fuses that could have blown dozens of aircraft out of the sky, and killed dozens of GIs, and the government wants a refund?

Is the government out of its mind?

Or is it – and by it I mean we – just so thoroughly corrupt and cowardly that war profiteers get a free pass?

There was not a word about Kaman Precision Products in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, or even the Orlando Sentinel, where the company is based. I checked.

Why is that?

Every one of those newspapers had enough reporters to beat us to death with coverage of a family of morons who claimed their little boy had flown away in a balloon. But not a word on a war profiteer. Excuse me: an alleged war profiteer.

People who remember history – which seems to be me and a couple of other guys – may recall that Harry S Truman became famous when he led a Senate investigation of war profiteering during World War II.

This was during a war against enemies who were as powerful as we were.

Truman turned up corruption all over the country. It was small change compared to what goes unpunished today – a few thousand dollars here, a few lousy parts there.

But people were prosecuted. People went to jail.

In the past two weeks, three dozen class actions in three dozen states have accused Halliburton and KBR of exposing more than 100,000 GIs to poison in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not to mention all the GIs Halliburton and KBR electrocuted from their cheap and incompetent wiring in Iraq. Or the women that Halliburton and its subcontractors drugged and gang raped in Iraq.

Why is no one in Halliburton facing the prospect of going to jail?

Why is Blackwater founder Erik Prince, the biggest bastard on Planet Earth, not being prosecuted? His mercenaries committed dozens of pointless murders in Iraq, occasionally when drunk or high, after which the company spirited them out of Iraq to avoid prosecution, according to at least a dozen civil lawsuits filed in U.S. courts.

After Blackwater’s mass murder of 17 Iraqis in 2007, Prince tried to bribe Iraqi officials with $1 million to let his gang of bastards stay in Iraq, The New York Times reported – on Veteran’s Day.

Why isn’t Prince facing jail time?

Why do private attorneys have to bring civil actions against these war profiteers? Why is the government not trying to put them in jail? What the hell are government prosecutors doing?

Well, here’s the top of another story Courthouse News printed on Veteran’s Day:

“Northwestern journalism students whose investigative work reignited a nationwide debate on the death penalty are being forced to defend themselves. Cook County prosecutors subpoenaed journalism professor David Protess, seeking his students’ grades, his syllabus and their private e-mails.”

That’s right; prosecutors are going after journalism students. Government prosecutors fear – fear? – that students in Professor Protess’ class might try to get good grades by claiming that people in prison are innocent. So the prosecutors subpoenaed the professor’s lesson plans and his grade book.

Maybe Professor Protess should change his students’ assignments. He should have them get drunk and kill strangers, and rip off the government, and make stuff that explodes when it’s not supposed to, and could kill GIs by the dozen.

Prosecutors would give the class a free pass. (click HERE for the original article)

I really love some of the stuff that The Courthouse News puts out. WELL DONE!!!

Ms Sparky

Cornyn & Inouye BFF’s?

October 24, 2009 — Forseti

Politics make strange bed fellows but Cornyn and Inouye - Bipartisan Friends Forever?

cornyn-inouye-luv

Apparently Government Contracting is the last bastion for snake oil salesmen to ply their trade. It appears that 30 Senators want to maintain this status quo, even if it means blocking victims of violent crime from seeking justice. The mere fact that legislation had to be drafted to protect employees from companies, that do business with the US Government, both in the US and overseas, is in itself reprehensible but the fact that elected officials voted against the amendment is even more disturbing.

Meanwhile the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight held a hearing, October 21, 2009 on “International Violence Against Women: Stories and Solutions.” How can we expect to lead this effort on a global scale when we cannot, or will not, protect our own citizens effectively? It appears that our moral compass needs to be replaced or at the very least recalibrated.

While some columnists seem to deem this as a partisan attack against 30 Senators, it is clearly a non-partisan guilt fest. The list of elected officials and government organizations that have failed to act or follow through is long. Here are a few:
Department of Defense
Department of State
Department of Justice
Former Senator now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

Here is a letter written by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) providing his version of why he voted No on the Franken Amendment:

Distortion of the facts
Re: Oct. 19 letter “Where Cornyn stands.”
The letter omitted some important facts.
I opposed this amendment prompted by the Jamie Leigh Jones case for many of the same reasons the Obama administration did.
First, the rape allegations in the Halliburton case were not subject to arbitration (according to Jones v. Halliburton, U.S. district court), so citing them as the reason for passing the amendment in the defense appropriations bill is misleading.
Second, the amendment is a blatant attempt to benefit trial lawyers. It effectively bans defense contractors and subcontractors from entering arbitration agreements. Arbitration greatly reduces litigation costs for employers and employees while ensuring victims are fairly compensated by streamlining the litigation process and limiting lawyers’ fees.
I sympathize greatly with victims of rape and have voted repeatedly to increase sentences for the perpetrators of such heinous crimes.
Liberals have claimed senators who voted no are pro-rape. That is ludicrous. Attempts to manipulate the tragic events in the Halliburton case to line the pockets of the trial lawyers are disgusting.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
R-Texas (Link to original)

Well, Senator Cornyn if this amendment is not a viable solution, what do you suggest? First before you answer keep in mind that I will be weighing your response based on these facts:

Your home state is Texas, which you were elected to represent and that includes Jamie Leigh Jones.
It was fellow Texan and Congressman Ted Poe that initiated the rescue of Jamie Leigh Jones from Iraq, while both you and Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson remained silent and made no effort to assist in her rescue. By the way rescuing a constituent from life threatening peril is not a spectator sport.
Approximately 53% of the the registered voters in Texas are women. The stats on how many you have alienated with this vote are not available yet.

Senator Cornyn, your letter also omitted some important facts about the Franken Amendment. It explicitly bars contractors that force their employees into binding arbitration for cases of sexual violence, acts of violence and where the employees basic civil and human rights have been violated, it does not ban arbitration as a means for employers or their employees to seek resolution to a dispute should both parties agree to arbitrate the issue.

In the spirit of Bipartisanship let’s take a look at Senator Dan Inouye. In recent years, Inouye has become known for his ability to bring federal money to his home state, and he even declared himself “the No. 1 earmarks guy in the U.S. Congress” in August.

“Inouye either will get the amendment taken out altogether, or water it down significantly. If they water it down, they will take out the Title VII claims. This means that in discrimination cases, they will still force you into a secret forced arbitration on KBR’s (or other contractors’) own terms — with your chances of prevailing practically zero. The House seems to be very supportive of the original Franken amendment and all in line, but their hands are tied since it originated in the Senate. And since Inouye runs the show on this bill, he can easily take it out to get Republicans and the defense contractors off his back, which looks increasingly likely. (Ms Sparky’s Original Post)

Senator Inouye will be up for re-election during the 2010 mid-terms and this would be an excellent time to let him know how the public feels about giving corporations preference over the citizens of the US.

Updated - Is this a conflict of interest?

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
In October 1992, Republican Senate nominee Rick Reed began running a campaign commercial that included a surreptitiously taped interview with Lenore Kwock, Inouye’s hairdresser. Kwock said Inouye had sexually forced himself on her in 1975 and continued a pattern of sexual harassment, even as Kwock continued to cut his hair over the years. Inouye, seeking a sixth term, denied the charges. And Kwock said that by running the commercial, Reed had caused her more pain than Inouye had. Reed was forced to pull the ad, and while many voters took out their anger on the Republican, Inouye was held to 57 percent of the vote – the lowest total of his career. A week later, a female Democratic state legislator announced that she had heard from nine other women who claimed Inouye had sexually harassed them over the past decade. But the women didn’t go public with their claims, the local press didn’t pursue the story, and the Senate Ethics Committee decided to drop the investigation because the accusers wouldn’t participate in an inquiry.

Here is the contact information for both Senators. Feel free to give them a call and inform them that they are public servants and dependant on the votes of their constituents who will not tolerate corporate puppets:

Senator John Cornyn: 202-224-2934

Senator Dan Inouye: 202-224-3934

Is Heather Browne KBR’s very own human “8-ball”?

May 17, 2009 — Ms Sparky

(Is anyone else seeing the resemblance between Dr. Bob Kelso and KBR’s Bill Utt?)

For anyone who follows the media coverage of KBR’s alleged “misdeeds”, you must be familiar with KBR’s Director of Communications, Ms. Heather Browne. Ms. Browne is the one responsible for making those ridiculous comments to the media that leave most of us who have worked for KBR wondering if she’s even talking about the same company!!

I think the Human “8-ball” theory is really the only thing that can adequately explain these crazy media statements made by Ms. Browne. Below are some of KBR’s more notorious statements gathered by myself and readers. If you have not worked for KBR you may not find the irony in them. I have made every attempt to get the quote accurate as per “googling” it. If you find an inaccurate quote please let me know.

“KBR’s commitment to the safety of all employees and those the company serves remains unwavering.”
“when KBR has discovered wrongdoing of any sort by an employee, we have swiftly reported it to the government”…
“KBR remains committed to providing high-quality service to our customer and conducting our business with ethics and integrity.”
“KBR does not in any way condone or tolerate illegal or unethical behavior,”…
“Ethics and integrity are core values for KBR”
“KBR is a leader in workplace safety, and maintaining that commitment is the company’s top priority,”…
The “company conducts its operations in a manner that is compliant with the terms of the contract.” She added that it had not engaged in any improper behavior…

Click HERE for a link to KBR’s press statements.

If your favorite Heather Browne quote is not here, put it in a comment and share it with all of us. Please make sure it’s accurate.

Ms Sparky

Pentagon Protecting KBR? Say it isn’t so!!

May 3, 2009 — Ms Sparky

Senators Accuse Pentagon of Stalling to Recover Millions From Contractor

By JAMES GLANZ
Published: May 3, 2009

The Pentagon has done little to collect at least $100 million in overcharges paid in deals arranged by corrupt former officials of Kellogg Brown & Root, the defense contractor, even though the officials admitted much of the wrongdoing years ago, two senators have complained in a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

The letter also said that the Army had almost completely failed to move away from the monopolistic nature of the logistics contract that has paid the contractor, now called KBR, $31.3 billion for logistics operations in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The New York Times obtained a copy of the letter, dated Friday, by the senators, Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri, and Susan M. Collins, Republican of Maine. Senator McCaskill is chairman of a contracting oversight subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senator Collins is the subcommittee’s ranking Republican.

Their letter is likely to revive allegations that the Pentagon has become so close to KBR, and relies so heavily on it, that there is little inclination or incentive to discipline the company, in response to either Congress or critics outside the government.

In 2007 the Army split the logistics contract, known as Logcap, in a way that allowed several companies to compete for each new need. The Army did this partly to avoid relying solely on KBR, whose pricing practices, even when technically legal, have sometimes received criticism as exorbitant. But the Army has seldom used the newly competitive arrangement.

The senators wrote that as of February, the latest date for which the subcommittee had received information, the Army had “not awarded a single task order for work in Iraq,” the biggest source of logistics work.

In pressing for use of the new competitive arrangement, the senators cited 2008 legislation that calls for competition by multiple companies on military contracts unless there is “a compelling reason not to do so.” The senators also brought up Congressional testimony by the Army’s chief of logistics that they said indicated the Army had no such compelling reason.

Reached for comment, Dan Carson, a spokesman at the Army Sustainment Command in Rock Island, Ill., which administers the work, pointed out that under the new competitive arrangement, in which KBR, Fluor and Dyncorp submit bids, Fluor and Dyncorp have received some work in Afghanistan and Kuwait. Mr. Carson said that the Army was working toward awarding work in Iraq under the new competitive arrangement.

A spokeswoman for KBR, Heather L. Browne, said all of KBR’s logistics contracts have been won competitively. She added that “when KBR has discovered wrongdoing of any sort by an employee, we have swiftly reported it to the government, and said the company “in no way condones or tolerates illegal or unethical behavior.” KBR itself has not been accused of wrongdoing in any of the cases of fraud by former employees.

Ms. Browne made clear that the company intended to continue its logistics work, saying KBR remained committed to high quality and to “engaging in a transparent and fact-based dialogue with the government.”

The letter and the Pentagon auditing documents that back up its conclusions are likely to be a point of discussion in Washington on Monday, when the Wartime Contracting Commission, a bipartisan legislative commission, is scheduled to meet on the logistics program, according to its Web site.

To the irritation of KBR’s critics, the Army has generally upheld the bills the company has submitted to the military, even when the Pentagon’s own auditors have questioned the amounts. But the argument that the Army was overcharged appears to be more clear-cut in the cases of several former KBR officials convicted of accepting bribes and kickbacks.

In those cases, the Army asked KBR to perform a certain task under the Logcap contract, like buying living trailers or building a dining facility, and the KBR officials found subcontractors in the region to carry out the actual work. The officials took bribes to steer the work toward subcontractors who were not the low bidders, or simply inflated the worth of the contracts once they had been awarded.

In the contracts handled by just one of those officials, Stephen Lowell Seamans, who pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy in March 2006, Pentagon auditors quickly found potential excess profits by a Kuwaiti subcontractor of $49.8 million, or 76 percent, “as a result of Mr. Seamans’s fraudulent activities,” the senators wrote.

Of $306 million in tainted contracts, at least $100 million of the charges appeared to be unjustified, wrote the senators. (click HERE to read original article)

Oh My Freakin’ God. Heather Browne, do you have to email those statements? You must. There is just no way that anyone with even 1/2 a KBR brain could say those absurd words without laughing their ass off. Because the rest of the world is gagging!This has to be one of the most ridiculous series of statements you have released so far. There is a special place in KBR hell just for you Heather Browne!! It’s sitting right next to Saddam’s “Baghdad Bob”! IMHO

Ms Sparky

How About A “Hire American Act”!

April 14, 2009 — Ms Sparky

There’s a Fly America Act and a Buy American Act how about a “Hire American Act“?

I’ve been listening to CNN all morning and hearing about the 5 million plus Americans who have lost their jobs in the US. The business that are closing. The States that are in a bind due to reduced revenues due to closed businesses due to lost jobs. It’s just a big ole vicious circle.

I have a “novel” idea. What if we implemented a “Hire American Act”? In a nutshell, if a job is being payed for by US taxpayer dollars, you have to hire US Citizens to work it. Or at the very least a very large percentage of the workforce should be American. This goes for work in the US and around the world. The US is spending billions of dollars building US Embassies, US Consulates and US Military facilities all over the world. Not just in Iraq and Afghanistan. At these facilities the largest group of employees, probably 75% are normally locals or third country nationals.

I understand boosting the local economy. But it’s time to boost our local economy and send that money home not to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bosnia or Mexico. Plus in many job classifications, such as electricians, there are quality and qualifications issues. Not to mention people being kidnapped and brought to other countries to work against their will for The Americans, also called “Human Trafficking”. Yes…your tax dollars do support Human Trafficking!

Also included in this Hire American Act should be the following provisions:

Only legitimate US companies can bid on US Government contracts.
No bogus shell companies like KBR’s SEII & OAS will be allowed to supply manpower. The contractor will pay appropriate payroll taxes including state unemployment taxes.
Employees will be protected by US labor laws. No more threatening to fire people for not keeping their mouth shut when fraud or crimes are committed!
Employees will be protected by OSHA (safety) protection. (SOME exceptions may apply in a war zone)
Job position qualifications will be established. Such as electricians much be licensed or have equivalent verifiable training.
A real workers compensation insurance program needs to be established. The DBA and AIG have got to go. It’s a money pit and it doesn’t work.

If an act like this were passed into law, I think it would level the playing field and make the bidding more competitive. Especially for those companies who would like to bid the work, but just can’t sink as low as KBR can.

This is my personal opinion….I think only “cleared” Americans should be making the food and water for our soldiers. Talk about a weak link in not only the security chain but health and hygiene as well!

Tell me what you think should be in the Hire American Act.

Ms Sparky

Is KBR Guilty Of Treason?

March 12, 2009 — Ms Sparky

There is a buzz in the blogosphere that KBR should be charged with TREASON. Although I’ve heard the word and was pretty sure I knew what it meant. I looked it up anyway and a few others.

According to Merriam-Websters On-Line Dictionary

Treason defined as: 1 : the betrayal of a trust : treachery 2 : the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance.

Traitor defined as 1 : one who betrays another’s trust or is false to an obligation or duty 2 : one who commits treason

Sabotage defined as: 1: destruction of an employer’s property (as tools or materials) or the hindering of manufacturing by discontented workers 2: destructive or obstructive action carried on by a civilian or enemy agent to hinder a nation’s war effort 3 a: an act or process tending to hamper or hurt b: deliberate subversion

Subversive defined as1: the act of subverting : the state of being subverted ; especially : a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within

Below is a list of just some of the crimes and acts KBR has been accused of. You decide if they fall under any of the definitions above.

Performing shoddy electrical work that has resulted in the deaths of AT LEAST two soldiers, injuring numerous others, causing 1000’s of electrical fires that killed at least two more soldiers and damaged government property. In my opinion, this is an act of SABOTAGE!
Providing unsafe food and drinking water to our troops. In my opinion, this is an act of SABOTAGE!
Knowingly exposing our troops to hexavalent chromium at Qarmat Ali water plant. In my opinion, this is an act of SABOTAGE!
Providing unqualified craft and poor qualify parts for repairs. In my opinion, this is an act of SABOTAGE!

Here’s how I see it. The above are serious acts of sabotage resulting from subversive behavior on the part of KBR’s Senior Executives and high level managers. I think they are traitors to our country and should be charged with treason.

If a hostile faction were to do any of the above, I’d say “Nuke the bastards!” Why is KBR any different? Why are they being allowed to get away with it.

Now I have to ask this question, “Who in the DoD is protecting KBR? Who has allowed these alleged traitorous acts to not only happen, but be repeated over and over?” I’m sure those Generals are not going to step forward. IMHO they too need to be charged with treason.

And….while we are on the subject, has anyone looked at Kosovo or any other locations where KBR has held DoD contracts? I’m sure this is not a new management style for KBR. I think it goes way back.

Feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment. Do you think it’s treason? Tell me what you think.

Ms Sparky

The Army Corp gets what they deserve with KBR

January 30, 2009 — Ms Sparky

Since I first read the article below….there’s been this perfect storm brewing in my head!! I’ve been trying to figure out just what in the hell the Army Corp is thinking….or are they. Especially after this weeks disclosure of specifics of KBR’s second LOGCAP Level III CAR. These Level III CAR’s are supposed to be a serious message sent to the contractor to “shape up or ship out”. In the business of DoD contracting it can’t get much worse than that.

There in lies my confusion!! I want to get one thing straight….I am no DoD contract specialist. I have never claimed to be the brightest crayon in the box!!! But I can sure tell you this, if I hired a contractor to do work for me and they kept screwing it up…I WOULDN’T KEEP GIVING THEM WORK!!

Here’s the article that has me all twisted up!

KBR wins more Iraq work

Houston Business Journal January 28, 2009

KBR Inc. has been awarded a $35.4 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for design and construction of a convoy support center at Camp Adder in Iraq.

Houston-based KBR (NYSE: KBR) will build a power plant, electrical distribution center, water purification and distribution system and other infrastructure, including paved roads.

The work by the engineering and construction services company is expected to begin in February. (END click HERE to go to the article)

I hope the DoD gets what they deserve. I hope they are humiliated publicly on a daily basis. I hope stars and stripes are ripped off uniforms. I will be disappointed if officers don’t face court martial or are forced to retire! This is stupid stupid stupid and they have no business taking care of our Soldiers!!

Here’s my analogies of the Corp giving KBR this contract…and I am damn sick and tired of hearing “NO ONE ELSE CAN DO THE WORK!!!” That’s bullshit. Did you just come up with this idea yesterday? Give someone else a chance! Plus KBR’s not doing what they’re being paid to do anyway…hence the latest greatest Level III Corrective Action Request (CAR)! Not to mention the plethora of Level II and Level I CAR’s. So let’s reward their poor performance with more contracts!

Here we go…Giving KBR the contract to build the Convoy Center at Camp Adder is the equivalent of:

1. Hiring a convicted child molester to work in a day care.

2. Hiring a rapist to work in a woman’s shelter.

3. Hiring a bank robber to work as a bank teller.

4. Hiring a shoplifter to work in Neiman Marcus.

Get my point? DoD you get what you deserve! Don’t come crying to the tax payers claiming you need more money to finish or repair the Convoy Center at Camp Adder because KBR screwed it up. If you aren’t bright enough to see the writing on the wall then we got BIG BIG problems in the DoD.

Is this a remnant of Bush’s DoD? Are these Level III CAR’s bogus? Does the Army Corp know about them? Is there some officer getting ready to go to work for KBR or what?

In the big scheme of things 35 Million is nothing. But I guarantee it will cost us at least 70 mill before it’s all over! If I managed my money like you manage yours…..I’d be living under a bridge in a week!

Ms Sparky

2008 – KBR’s 5th Year Of LOGCAP Fraud, Waste & Abuse

December 31, 2008 — Ms Sparky

When I first came up with this idea to do a recap of KBR activity for 2008, I didn’t think it would take me three days to do the research and compile all the info. I haven’t been following everything that KBR has been up to. That would take a full-time “staff”. I found out things I didn’t even know were going on. And after all that research…all I can really say is…if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck….it must be a freakin’ duck!

I tried to get my dates as accurate as possible. If I’m incorrect, send me an email and I will correct it. If I missed something, send me an email and I will add it.

January 2008

01/02/2008 – SSG Ryan Maseth is electrocuted in his shower and dies at Radwaniyah Palace Complex in Baghdad, Iraq due to shoddy electrical work. Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID) opens investigation into manner of death.
01/??/2008 – KBR employee, Dawn Leamon was drugged and brutally raped in her room at Camp Harper in Southern Iraq.
01/25/2008 – KBR employee pleads guilty to conspiring to receive bribes, making false statements and filing false claims for his part in the Bagram AFB fuel scam. He was sentenced on April 11, 2008 to 26 months in prison, 3 years post prison supervision and restitution. (added to list on 01/04/09)

February 2008

02/27/2008 -KBR employee Tracy K Barker was raped in Basra, Iraq. – Another of KBR’s rape victims to come forward

March 2008

03/09/2008 – AP Exclusive – US troops may have become sick in Iraq from contaminated water supplied by KBR
03/12/2008 – Pentagon Dismisses KBR Contaminated Water: Troops Should ‘Just Drink Bottled Water’
03/19/08 – Cheryl Harris, SSG Ryan Maseth’s mother files “Wrongful Death” lawsuit against KBR in Pennsylvania.

April 2008

04/09/2008 – Former KBR employees Dawn Leamon and Mary Beth Kineston testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about their rapes in Iraq – Closing Legal Loopholes:Prosecuting Sexual Assaults And Other Violent Crimes Committed Overseas By American Civilians In A Combat Environment
04/28/2008 – Senate DPC Hearing – Contracting Abuses in Iraq:Is the Bush Administration Safeguarding American Taxpayer Dollars? – KBR employees working in Iraq stole weapons, artwork and even gold to make spurs for cowboy boots, two former company workers told Senate Democrats.

May 2008

05/09/2008 – Former KBR employee and Jamie Leigh Jones gang rape case goes to trial instead of arbitration!
05/25/2008 – 9 former KBR employees file suit for sodium dichromate exposure.

June 2008

06/02/2008 – My first blog post about KBR and the soldier electrocutions. (It’s important to me!)
06/11/2008 – The Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID) finds SSG Ryan Maseth’s death was an “accident”. (CID reopens investigation 08/29/2008)
06/20/2008 – Senate DPC Hearing – The Exposure at Qarmat Ali: Contractor Misconduct and the Safety of U.S. Troops in Iraq Former KBR employees testify about how KBR knowingly exposed US Troops and their own employees to Hexavalent Chromium (Chrom-6).
06/20/2008 – Group demands that California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CALPERS) dump KBR Inc stocks. What a great idea!!!

July 2008

07/01/2008 – Senator Casey expresses concerns about KBR performing own electrical inspections.
07/09/2008 – Senate DPC Hearing – Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in Iraq: An Insider’s View of Questionable Contracting Practices by KBR and the Pentagon Former Chief of the Field Support Command Division testifies to personally witnessing KBR submitting over $1 billion in unsupported charges.
07/11/2008 – Senate DPC Hearing – Contractor Misconduct and the Electrocution Deaths of American Soldiers in Iraq Mothers Cheryl Harris, Larraine McGee, Soldier Rachel McNeil and Electricians Debbie Crawford and Jeff Bliss testify to shoddy electrical work done by KBR.
07/17/2008 - The H.R. HEART Act of 2008 goes into affect. KBR can no longer avoid paying millions in Social Security and Medicare taxes. To bad it’s not retroactive.
07/17/2008 – Fisher v. Halliburton – KBR Lawsuit Revived – The “Good Friday Massacre.” Friday, April 9, 2004. KBR truck drivers were sent out on convoy when KBR was told they would be attacked.
07/18/2008 – Electrical Risks at Bases in Iraq Worse Than Previously Said
07/18/2008 – Senators Want Independent Safety Review of KBR’s Electrical Work in Iraq
07/21/2008 – Larraine McGee, mother of SSG Christopher Everett file suit against KBR for his electrocution death at Camp Taqqadum.
07/30/2008 – Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hold hearings on Deficient Electrical Systems at U.S. Facilities in Iraq KBR’s Tom Bruni, the DoD and DCMA are totally humiliated by the Committee for their shoddy work and lack of oversight.

August 2008

08/??/2008 – KBR changes it’s qualification requirements for it’s electricians requiring them to be licensed. It also increases journeyman wages to $3750 base and masters to $5000 base. Finally!!!
08/12/2008 – Curtis Coffey files suit. Iraq Injury Spurs Class Action Against KBR
08/27/2008 -KBR, Partner in Iraq Contract Sued in Human Trafficking Case – Suit Alleges Slavery
08/29/2008 – The Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID) re-opens the investigation into the cause of SSG Ryan Maseth’s death.

September 2008

09/??/2008 – Task Force Safe is implemented to inspect the electrical wiring at 90,000 DoD facilities including those maintained by KBR.
09/03/2008 – Former KBR Exec pleads guilty to bribery and is sentenced to seven years.
09/11/2008 – KBR issued Level III Corrective Action Request (CAR) by the DCMA in Iraq.
09/27/2008 – Electrical Review Turns Up 3700 fires Not The 483 Reported!
09/29/2008 – IBEW Urges Electrical Safety In Iraq

October 2008

10/??/2008 – KBR claims all electrical work in Iraq was done to British Standards
10/10/2008 – Former KBR employee gets 3 years for child porn in Iraq
10/24/2008 – Pentagon Finds Company Violated Its Contract on Electrical Work in Iraq – NY Times

November 2008

11/24/2008 – Contractor (KBR) for military committed serious violations-CNN
11/26/2008 – Suit claims Halliburton, KBR sickened base – Ice tainted with body fluids, rotten food and contaminated water.

December 2008

12/03/2008 – KBR involved in Human Trafficking…again.
12/08/2008 – Indiana National Guard file suit against KBR for chemical exposure at Qarmat Ali water plant.
12/29/2008 – New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., on behalf of the New York City Pension Funds demands answers. I hope more Pension Funds SELL their KBR and HALLIBURTON shares because of the Waste, Fraud & Abuse in Iraq!!!
12/31/2008 – The last day for Contractor Immunity in Iraq

What I’d like to see for 2009

I want to know if KBR is invoicing the DoD (and therefore the American Taxpayer) for the costs associated with defending itself in the cases of “wrongful death” of soldiers, the Qarmat Ali chemical exposures, the Human Trafficking suits, the employee rape suits and any other cases that have to do with LOGCAP.
I would like to see the Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID) finalize their investigation in the Soldier electrocution cases, file criminal charges, and send out a press release on the above!!
I would like to see the Army Criminal Investigations Command (CID) open an investigation into the chemical exposure of our soldiers and civilians at Qarmat Ali. Is there one already? Send me an email.
I would like to start a “grass roots” campaign to get pension funds, retirement accounts and others to sell their shares of KBR and Halliburton stocks. Yes…they are making money now. But drug cartels make money too and we don’t invest in them…at least knowingly. I could use some help here! Email me.
I would like to see more Human Trafficking Organizations get involved in KBR’s Human Trafficking in the middle east.
I would like to see Congress demand an all out independent audit of KBR invoices and payments.
I would like to see Congress find out exactly what KBR charged the DoD for man hours worked. Did they charge more than straight time for overtime? Did they charge uplift for every hour worked and then only pay for 40 hours?
And most of all, what I would like to see for 2009 is KBR senior executives sentenced to prison for their part in the negligent deaths of US soldiers and US Civilians, human trafficking of third world laborers and the fleecing of the American taxpayer.

Happy New Year

Ms Sparky

Am I being paranoid?

November 13, 2008 — Ms Sparky

When I first saw this article, I was again infuriated by the apparent mind set of the DoD. I seems clear to me the DoD thinks there are no other contractors in the world that can carry out these contracts other than KBR. That’s completely WRONG!!! It looked like one more gift to KBR before the Administration changed. But it’s starting to look like there’s more to it.

KBR to provide power during emergencies

Published: Nov. 11, 2008 at 3:03 PM
HOUSTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has contracted KBR to provide power during emergency or disaster situations.

U.S. company KBR was awarded a $75 million deal from the Army Corps or Engineers for disaster relief services. Under the contract, KBR will supply emergency power for the Western region of the United States in case of a natural or manmade disaster.

KBR officials say during an emergency situation they will provide labor, transportation and equipment, among other services, to support power requirements for designated critical public facilities.

“This award allows KBR the opportunity to expand our capabilities portfolio in the government and infrastructure business to include emergency response, an area of growth due to recent natural disasters,” Bruce Stanski, KBR government and infrastructure president, said in a statement.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in this new area and are committed to providing the premier services the Army Corps has come to expect of KBR.” (End)

Then I recalled another article I had read in the Army Times about a month ago.

Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1

3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission. Helping ‘people at home’ may become a permanent part of the active Army

By Gina Cavallaro – Staff writer Army Times
Posted : Tuesday Sep 30, 2008 16:16:12 EDT

The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.

Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.

It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. In August 2005, for example, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed hell in Mississippi and Louisiana, several active-duty units were pulled from various posts and mobilized to those areas.

But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities. (Read More)

And then there’s this.

FEMA sources confirm coming martial law

Wayne Madsen
Online Journal
October 13, 2008

WMR has learned from knowledgeable Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sources that the Bush administration is putting the final touches on a plan that would see martial law declared in the United States with various scenarios anticipated as triggers. The triggers include a continuing economic collapse with massive social unrest, bank closures resulting in violence against financial institutions, and another fraudulent presidential election that would result in rioting in major cities and campuses around the country.

In addition, Army Corps of Engineer sources report that the assignment of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) to the Northern Command’s U.S. Army North is to augment FEMA and federal law enforcement in the imposition of traffic controls, crowd control, curfews, enhanced border and port security, and neighborhood patrols in the event a national emergency being declared. The BCT was assigned to duties in Iraq before being assigned to the Northern Command.

On April 3, 2008, WMR reported on a highly-classified document regarding the martial law scenario: WMR has learned from knowledgeable sources within the US financial community that an alarming confidential and limited distribution document is circulating among senior members of Congress and their senior staff members that is warning of a bleak future for the United States if it does not quickly get its financial house in order. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those who have reportedly read the document.

The document is being called the “C & R” document because it reportedly states that if the United States defaults on loans and debt underwriting from China, Japan, and Russia, all of which are propping up the United States government financially, and the United States unilaterally cancels the debts, America can expect a war that will have disastrous results for the United States and the world. “Conflict” is the “C word” in the document. The other scenario is that the federal government will be forced to drastically raise taxes in order to pay off debts to foreign countries to the point that the American people will react with a popular revolution against the government. “Revolution” is the document’s “R word. (End)

So…am I being paranoid? Or is it time to stock up? Your Emergency Plan

Ms Sparky

Does KBR Make Money Off Dead Soldiers?

October 31, 2008 — Ms Sparky

An Associated Press article came out this morning and I guess it makes an appropriately disgusting Halloween post.

KBR 3Q profit rose 35 pct as revenue climbs
Associated Press 10.31.08

KBR, which provides engineering services to the energy sector and the government, said Friday its third-quarter profit rose 35 percent as a newly-acquired business and work on Gulf of Mexico vessels drove sharp revenue increases.

Net income rose to $85 million, or 51 cents per share, in the three months ended Sept. 30 from $63 million, or 37 cents, a year ago. Income from continuing operations totaled 44 cents per share, including Hurricane Ike-related costs of 4 to 5 cents a share. (click HERE to read the rest of the article)

First, let me clarify, I think it’s great when companies make money. Especially in this day and age. BUT…I don’t feel the “end justfies the means”! With that said, I have a few questions for KBR, the DoD, Senator Dorgan Chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee and Congressman Waxman, Chairman of The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

#1 Under the current LOGCAP III contract, does KBR invoice the DoD for attorney fees incurred while defending themselves in suits filed by former employees and families of dead soldiers and so on?

#2 Under the current LOGCAP III contract, if KBR loses a suit and a settlement is awarded, can KBR invoice the DoD for that settlement?

#3 Under the current LOGCAP III contract, if KBR is allowed to do #1 & #2 above, are they allowed to add their 1% (ie cost plus %1)?

#4 Under the current LOGCAP III contract, if KBR is allowed to do #1, #2 & #3 above, does the DoD add these invoices in when figuring KBR’s Award Fee amount?

I guess my main question here is:

Is KBR Making Money Off Dead Soldiers and Injured and Killed U.S. Citizens?

I was wrong…I have another question. Are my tax dollars paying for KBR’s attorney’s? OMG!! Say it isn’t so!

Somebody set me straight!

Ms Sparky

I’m Calling You On Your Crap … KBR!!!

October 2, 2008 — Ms Sparky

When I first heard that KBR was claiming all electrical installations in Iraq were being done to the British Standards and not the U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC) I just about fell out of my chair laughing. This, they claim, is why the electrical installations in Iraq don’t meet US Codes. I totally disregarded this information when I first got it. It was good for a laugh but was just too unbelievable to be true.

I have since received numerous reports of this claim. They even called on the expertise of their so call “British Standards expert”, William Black to try to support it. Who in the hell comes up with this crap? Does KBR have an “Office of Bogus Bullshit” somewhere? People who’s job is to do nothing more than sit around and come up with these outrageous lies. Camp Victory Maybe? How embarrassing it must be to work for KBR and be told you have to say “We do things to the British Standards” and look like you mean it. I couldn’t do it.

If all this British Standards crap is true, then why was KBR training management on the NEC in Balad? Hmmm Shouldn’t the managers supervising electricians already know the NEC? Just a thought. And you don’t meet British Standards either.

Here’s the truth according to Ms Sparky aka: Debbie Crawford Green Zone July 2004-July 2006. I don’t want to be accused of hiding behind a pseudonym.

There were never any British Standards!
There was never any mention of British Standards!
We didn’t do work to British Standards!
We had to fight and argue to do work to the NEC!

All the electricians I have talked to recently agree…see previous post comments on Attention KBR Electricians Past & Present THERE WERE NEVER ANY BRITISH STANDARDS!! (yes…I am yelling!)

KBR, you had many many great electricians that have supported our troops since 2003. Many great electricians who wanted to do a good job and do the right thing. Many great electricians who stood up and tried to defend doing the right thing. And what did you do? You totally disregarded them. Totally disrespected them. They were labeled as troublemakers. They were threatened to be sent home. They were sent to crap jobs as punishment. If given a chance, these great electricians may have been able to prevent the deaths that have occurred.

So…KBR…I understand you don’t like my blog. Too damn bad. You made your own bed and now I’m just going to throw camel spiders in it! Don’t they have the First Amendment in Texas? I will continue to do my best to expose you. I can only hope you get what you deserve. In my opinion, that would be Federal Prison for the whole executive level and then some.

As for those in the DoD that don’t like my blog. First of all. THANKS FOR SERVING!! It is because of you that there is a First Amendment. Second, it should never have gone this far. Why did it take a civilian, Cheryl Harris the mother of SSG Ryan Maseth, to blow the lid off this thing? You lied to Cheryl Harris. You lied to Larraine McGee. Where’s the Honor? Added after published: Is there any General anywhere that can get the answers to Cheryl Harris’ questions?? I don’ think that’s unreasonable. What’s unreasonable, is after 8 months she still doesn’t have the answers.

To Major General McHale and the members of Task Force Safe. I am 100% committed to the success of Task Force Safe. Lives are counting on it. God Bless You All!! You are all heroes in my book. If I ever post anything that puts the success of Task Force Safe at risk, just tell me.

To my readers…THANK YOU!!!

To my friends and family who are worried that KBR is going to “whack” me, sue me or somehow disrupt my blogging… “So be it!” There are many others who will pick up where I leave off. And..if I just disappear…I did not run off with the “pool boy”.

Ms Sparky

KBR’s Tom Bruni & Joe Tedesco? What A Team

September 30, 2008 — Ms Sparky

UPDATED!!! SEE BELOW!! Can it be?? Has KBR hired the electrical code expertise of Joe Tedesco? The Joe Tedesco?? “Joe Almighty?” KBR must think they are in real hot water because according to Joe, he didn’t come cheap.

Joe Tedesco has been one of those names in the electrical industry that has been around since I was an apprentice ….DON’T GO THERE!! Anyways, I had always been in awe of “Joe Tedesco the God of Electrical Code”. When he contacted me a while back I was just all starstruck. The mighty Joe Tedesco had honored “little ole me” by gracing my blog with his mere presence. By commenting on my posts. The comments are still there! You know how it is …when you shake hands with someone really important you think “I will NEVER wash my hand!!” Well, I thought…”I will never delete those comments!”

He told me he wanted to work in Iraq. He said he was doing a lot of Corp of Engineer training and wanted “hands on” experience. He asked about working for KBR. Naturally, I went right into my anti-KBR speal…KBR Bad!!! KBR Bad!!! I gave him DETAILS about how bad KBR was to work for. We were talking on a daily basis. He even called from a class in Virginia and put me on speakerphone to talk to his Corp of Engineer students who were deploying to Iraq. He even sent me pics…

Then I got an email about Task Force Safe and how they were hiring master electricians to be inspectors. They would be inspecting all of the DoD buildings. Most of which are maintained by KBR. I emailed Joe and said..”Send your resume here…NOW!!” He sent his resume to Stanley Consultants. He called me a day or so later and said he had been hired, $300,000 plus a year. We started going over all the stuff he was going to need and the stuff he wouldn’t need. Chit chatting…blah blah blah.

Then he started asking me about “living” at Camp Victory. Hmmm. I knew that working for Stanley (SBH), he would probably be moving around a lot. I thought, well…maybe SBH was going to use him in another capacity, so I answered his questions.

When I hadn’t heard from him in a couple of days, I decided to give him a call. That’s when he dropped the bombshell! “I’m going to work for KBR”. “Oh My Freakin’ God” just stab me in the freakin’ heart. I couldn’t freakin’ believe it. I said “You’ve got to be shittin’ me!” I was dumb founded. It’s like when Aniken Skywalker crossed over to the dark side and became Darth Vader and Tom Bruni was the Evil Emperer. I kind of felt like this was some kind of KBR intervention reality show and I was looking around for the cameras!!

He said…and I quote “KBR offered me DOUBLE what Stanley offered!” OK-Let’s do the math. Stanley offered $300,00 plus. So that means…KBR offered $600,000 plus? Plus he said he got his own room and own office next to Tom Bruni.

So….instead of working for SBH and performing an admirable service for our soldiers and civilians. Joe Tedesco chose to work for KBR. Chose to defend KBR. Chose to protect KBR. I’ll pass that on to Cheryl Harris, the mother of Staff SGT Ryan Maseth or Larrainne McGee the mother of Staff SGT Christopher Everett.

Once I denounced him publicly, he started harassing me by calling my house. He told my husband…in a nutshell…he needed to get control of me. That I needed to “back off”. My husband just started laughing his ass off. He has called many other people in the middle of the night to tell them to “back off”.

So, I think Joe Tedesco is a perfect fit for KBR. I have one question for Tom Bruni. If Joe calls and harasses someone while under the employ of KBR/OAS… does that make KBR/OAS responsible?? Just curious.

I’m just thoroughly disturbed that my childhood electrical hero is so superficial and ______(you fill in the blank). And if you don’t believe me…check out these threads.. and these are just the ones that haven’t been closed.

UPDATE: 10-15-08 JOE TEDESCO HAS HAD HIS MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNACHI REVOKED! I can only assume it is for the vile, vulgar, disgusting, childish participation on the Forum. And the alleged stalking and harrassing of other InterNACHI members that are planning on filing suit. Every day he shows just how well he will fit in with KBR executives.

http://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/cant-we-just-get-along-33264/ Joe Starts is harrassment on about page 2.
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13681
http://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/ok-im-done-tedesco-32661/
http://www.theelectricalguru.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1221822866
http://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/electricial-inspectors-wanted-iraq-33065/
http://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/just-so-you-know-you-dealing-33200/
http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37504

Also, KBR electricians. Joe claims he was trying to track down my KBR employee commentors via KBR HR. For what… I can only imagine. So…take a good look at the photo and be careful.

OK-now you decide… I am now in need of a good electrical therapist. Feel free to refer me.

Personal message to Joe Tedesco-Don’t bother commenting your nasty vile hateful vengeful crap, that’s my job! If it’s not an apology…I will delete it. My blog…my rules. As far as the photo goes…it’s on the freakin’ internet!

UPDATE-I TAKE IT BACK. HIRING JOE TEDESCO IS THE BEST THING KBR CAN DO FOR ANYONE THAT IS FIGHTING THEM, SUING THEM OR OTHERWISE IN ANY KIND OF ELECTRICAL DISPUTE WITH THEM. MUST FORWARD THIS LINK. WHAT A JOKE. CLICK HERE TO READ JOE’S LATEST AND GREATEST INANE BABBLE.

Ms Sparky

Electrical review turns up 3,700 fires in Iraq not the 483 reported!

September 27, 2008 — Ms Sparky

Somebody hasn’t been telling the truth!! Hmmm This article is from the ArmyTimes.com I am so glad to see General McHale at the helm! The top-Notch Master Electrician’s mentioned in this article are the ones that are part of the inspection team known as “Task Force Safe”. Click HERE to see that post.

Electrical review turns up 3,700 fires

Investigation began after 7 troops electrocuted

By William H. McMichael – Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Sep 27, 2008 7:24:21 EDT

The ongoing Central Command review of electrical malfunctions that have killed at least seven troops and a contractor at U.S.-occupied buildings in Iraq has uncovered more than 3,700 fires at those facilities from May 2007 to August 2008.

The total dwarfs the 483 fires at contractor-maintained facilities reported to Congress at a July 30 hearing, which the command’s 15-member Task Force for Safety Actions for Fire and Electricity now says was the five-month figure for one region, not all of Iraq.

But not all of the 3,726 fires reported were a result of electrical malfunctions, the task force says. Only about 820 were definitively characterized as electrical fires, with about 275 of those resulting from “fluorescent light ballast” malfunctions. The causes of the vast majority of the fires were “undetermined.”

On average, 4.2 fires per day have taken place over the past five weeks at U.S. facilities in Iraq, the task force said. These ranged from power strip flare-ups to full-blown fires, Maj. Gen. Tim McHale, who leads the task force, said in a Sept. 15 telephone interview.

Most, but not all, of the 86,000 U.S.-occupied buildings in Iraq are managed by KBR Inc., McHale said. KBR and Army Contracting Command came under fire in that July hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, whose members were particularly incensed over what is now re¬ported as 18 deaths — an increase of two from earlier reports — because of inadvertent electrocutions, most of them involving U.S. troops, recorded in Iraq since 2003.

Ten of the deaths, however, were not a result of poor electrical work but occurred when four Marines, four soldiers, one sailor and one third-country national Army contractor came into contact with live power lines, according to the task force.

The other deaths, however, apparently were accidental electrocutions while working with power equipment and in two instances, most disturbing to the committee, while taking showers. A Marine, six soldiers and a Navy contractor were killed.

Two of the deaths that of the Army contractor and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a Green Beret who died Jan. 2 while taking a shower at the Radwaniyah Palace Complex in Baghdad remain under investigation, the task force said.

Government testimony cited a lack of skilled or trained personnel to perform contractor oversight.

McHale said that and other problems are being fixed.

He said the task force is assessing the probability of electrical hazards at the tens of thousands of U.S. facilities in Iraq. None have been placed off limits, but commanders can decide whether to move troops to safer facilities or have a given facility repaired. Meanwhile, inspectors are working first where the risk is greatest, McHale said.

“We are still wrapping our arms around this,” he said. “It’s going to take us several months to work our way through it.”

All of those facilities are tracked on multiple databases. McHale wants to create a joint database to make easier the process of tracking and repairing problems.

The task force also is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to contract with “top-notch” master electricians and fire inspectors and get them to Iraq over the next several weeks to bolster the ongoing facilities review.

Despite that level of expertise, they’ll be pre-tested in the U.S. and run through a seven-day training course in Iraq for certification — something all potential contractors will have to pass, McHale said.

Those efforts are part of a three-pronged plan of attack that McHale said includes:

• A safety awareness campaign.

• Development of new plans, policies and standards that include incident reporting and closing the loop on such reports, and creating a uniform electrical code for U.S. facilities in Iraq, as ordered by former Multi-National Force-Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus.

• Establishment of the training standards.

“We ask our service members to risk their lives every day combating terrorism,” McHale said. “We must ensure they’re as safe as possible when they return from their missions.”

NO….I Will Not Shut Up!

September 9, 2008 — Ms Sparky

I got this comment last night in response to “My 100th Blog Post – How MsSparky.com Evolved”. I get these responses all the time in emails and I normal just disregard them…but not today!

This is a comment from “DC”.

the testifying, I get. But the public speaking and anything remotely related to work or even specifically describing daily recreational activities was contractually prohibited….. did they change this? It used to be grounds for immediate termination. no “please remove this…” Just one question…. window or isle?

Ms Sparky’s Response:
First, I no longer work for KBR. I just read my contract AGAIN…just to make sure and it DOES NOT say anywhere that I can’t talk about mine and others experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are countless books, websites, blogs already published by former KBR employees about their experiences in Iraq. I understand operational security (OPSEC). I understand classified information. I also understand KBR’s MO of threats, intimidation and misinformation. You can’t talk about this…you can’t talk about that. This is in violation of your contract!!! Bullshit!! My contract wasn’t even with KBR, is was with SEII. People need to talk about it and remove that KBR imposed veil of secrecy and get the word out. How long has this BS been going on now?? 5 years of Human Trafficking, Waste Fraud & Abuse, Employee Abuse, Rapes, Assaults, Unsafe Workplaces, Lack of Tools and Material? THAT’S WHY I DO THE INTERVIEWS!! And will continue to do so until the damn laws are changed so that the term “window or aisle” used as a threat is illegal even in Iraq! That’s how KBR controls it’s employees, through fear, intimidation, isolation (no more cell phones) and misinformation!

I will not stop until every US citizen working for any US Government funded contractor including KBR/SEII, at ANY US facility world wide is afford the same legal protections as their Stateside co-workers…. For one, DON’T THREATEN TO FIRE ME IF I DON’T SHUT UP ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES!!!!!! (Hostile workplace) And some OSHA protection would be nice as well.

So…in answer to your question NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO I will not shut up. I WILL NOT shut this blog down. I will continue to publish peoples stories and comments. I will continue to publish information I feel is important to current and former KBR employees. It’s a free country, KBR can sue me if they want. That will just give me something more to blog about! If I’m not mistaken….my first amendment rights are still in effect here! Can you say ACLU?

The more qualified, licensed people KBR gets over there, the less they are going to be able to get away with crap!

So….DC…..comment on that! And just to clarify. I have no intentions at this time to write a book on my experiences in Iraq!

Ms Sparky

KBR’s Big Secret….Shhhh Don’t Tell Anyone In Iraq or Afghanistan!

August 31, 2008 — Ms Sparky

As you know I have been blogging about the changes in KBR’s hiring policies with regards to Electricians. They must be licensed and the salaries range from about 122-144K/year. That’s about 35-57K/yr higher than the old salaries. I am now told these changes in policy also include Licensed Plumbers and Licensed HVAC and who knows who else.

For those of us that have testified before The Senate and have been fighting for these changes this is a huge step in the right direction. But I didn’t know we were supposed to keep it a secret. Shhhh

I recently received this comment from a reader: (more…)

Move Over McCain and Obama….. It’s Maxine ‘08

August 12, 2008 — Ms Sparky

Count To 10

August 11, 2008 — Ms Sparky

“Take a deep breath and count to 10″. We’ve been taught to do this in order to calm down for as long as I can remember.

This technique was obviously developed before cell phones, blackberries and really inconsiderate people started doing everything in their cars except drive.

I have adapted the original technique to meet my needs while dealing with these inconsiderate drivers. There are only two easy to follow steps.

Step 1 – Exhale deeply while spewing vulgar words at the offending driver….repeat as necessary.

Step 2 – Count to 1 and then wave….if you know what I mean! Safety tip…Do not count to 1 and then wave with both hands at the same time.

IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DRIVE…..PULL OVER!!!

Ms Sparky

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