Ms Sparky

Doyle said the agreement may mean a taxpayer “bailout” for KBR. “It’s basically saying that no matter if we’re guilty of — willful misconduct, poisoning soldiers — taxpayers have to pay to cover us as well as whatever we decide to pay on lawyers at whatever rates and all these fees,” Doyle said. “That’s a pretty good bailout.” ~Huffington Post

Greta McClain – January 9, 2013 -Portland – After being found guilty of negligence in the  poisoning of at least a dozen US soldiers deployed in Iraq, KBR is insisting  that US tax payers foot the bill for damages.

In November of 2012, an Oregon  Federal Court awarded $85  million to twelve Oregon National Guard members who stated they were exposed to  a known carcinogen at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq in 2003.  The  National Guard soldiers were stationed at the facility to guard against attack  from insurgents.

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The obituary photo of LTC Jim Gentry, who died of lung cancer in 2009

For KBR not to have informed him and his men directly of the hazards at Qarmat Ali, he said, made him “very disappointed.”

“Why?” asked his questioner.

“I’m dying now because of it,” he replied.~ Testimony of LTC James Gentry – Indiana National Guard Commander

Two Oregon soldiers take the stand for the first time in KBR case
Mike Francis – (The Oregonian) – October 15, 2012 – After more than two years of legal motions, objections, depositions and pretrial hearings, Oregon National Guard soldiers suing defense contractor KBR Inc. got their day in court Monday.

Guard veterans Jason Arnold of Redmond and Rocky Bixby of Portland took the stand for the first time to describe their experiences at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in southern Iraq in the spring of 2003. The two are among 12 Oregon Guard soldiers or veterans who accuse the contractor of negligence and fraud in exposing them to a carcinogen chemical compound when they provided security at the plant. Others are expected to testify in the coming days as the trial enters its second week.

Arnold said he entered a damaged building at the water plant to check for security threats and saw damaged equipment and paper strewn about the floor. He said he picked up some papers and kicked up some dust as he did so. (Click HERE for article)

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April Baer – (OPB News) – October 8, 2012 - This week, the case pitting a small group of Oregon Guardsmen against one of the giants of military contracting gets underway in a Portland courtroom.

Soldiers assigned to patrol the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq are suing the contractor KBR. They claim they weren’t told of contaminants at the plant, including hexavalent chromium, that put their health at risk. Some claim their health has already suffered.

Have the soldiers developed health problems?

A: Yes. One Oregon soldier stationed at Qarmat Ali, Sgt. Nicholas Thomas, died of complications from leukemia at age 21. One of the Oregon plaintiffs, Larry Roberta, has been weakened by a variety of debilitating respiratory and digestive problems. Others have complained of symptoms including nosebleeds, rashes, lung problems and immune system disorders. And an Indiana National Guard commander stationed at Qarmat Ali, Lt. Col. James Gentry, died of lung cancer.   (Setting up the case of Bixby, et al. vs. KBR – The Oregonian)

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War profiteering has never been so profitable for the wrongdoer and so dangerous for our troops and the taxpayer.  Please sign my petition (SIGN HERE)

More than 200 soldiers are suing KBR for knowingly exposing them to toxic chemicals in Iraq, whose effects started with nose bleeds and could end with cancer. KBR says that didn’t happen. But even if it did, the company isn’t responsible. Taxpayers are.

Craig Malisow – (Houston Press) – February 15, 2012

Basra, Iraq: July, 2003

Oregon National Guardsman Larry Roberta says he went to Iraq fit, and came back barely able to breathe.
Larry Roberta, a specialist in the Oregon National Guard, sat on a stack of sacks brimming with one of the most carcinogenic chemicals known to man and chomped on his chicken patty.

Unsuccessful in his mission to swap his rations with any of the British soldiers, who were stocked with heavenly corned beef hash and chocolate pudding, he braved the mystery meat’s gooey coating while keeping an eye on the contractors’ trailer a few yards away. While the Kellogg Brown & Root guys ate inside the trailer, Roberta could’ve taken lunch in one of the vehicles, but he figured vehicles were prime targets for any insurgents or Saddam loyalists who might be scouring the area. Better to suffer the hundred-plus-degree heat.

In the ongoing legal battle being waged by several State National Guard Units, this video is pretty typical of what I’ve seen of KBR testimony about the role they played in exposing US and British soldiers, US and local civilians to deadly hexavalent chromium at Qarmat Ali. You can watch more disturbing deposition testimony HERE. I am listing the people giving depositions in the order they appear in this DoyleRaizner video.

As far as I’m concerned, someone or several someones need to be going to prison for murder, assault and treason!
1. K.T. Tseng – KBR engineer who led team conducting April 2003 environmental/safety assessment of Qarmat Ali – Testimony from :53-2:29 of video
2. Ralph Stephenson – Former Corporate Health Safety & Environmental (HSE) Manager – Testimony from 2:45-3:16 of video
3. Mary Wade – KBR Chief Contract Negotiator – Testimony from 3:20-6:08 of video
4. Chris Heinrich – KBR Contract Attorney – Testimony from 6:09-7:00 of video
5. Jack Alvarez – KBR Head of Security – Testimony from 7:19-8:03 of video
6. Young Lee – KBR Environmental Engineering Manager – Testimony 8:08-8:42 of video
7. Mary Wade – KBR Chief Contract Negotiator – Testimony from 8:49-9:46 of video
8. Lt. Col. James Gentry – Former Commander of the Indiana National Guard – Testimony from 9:47-10:52 – Lt. Col James Gentry, 52 died on November 25, 2009 of his illness contracted from exposure to hexavalent chromium at Qarmat Ali.

Yes, this is a re-post “back by popular demand.” I want to personally thank McKenna Long & Aldridge for introducing me to the website ChangeDetection.com, what a great web tool, thanks for sharing!

~ Ms Sparky