Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 > Our bill of rights > Sun, 5 Sep 2004 00:42:40 -0700 (PDT) > PLEA FOR HELP FROM AN AMERICAN > SOLDIER IN BAGHDAD > > > A Plea for Help > Posted by: Spiros D - Baghdad, zz (8/31/2004) > http://straighttalk.ourfuture.org/dsp_fact_story.cfm?blog_ID=1 & bge_id=72 > > I am a soldier stationed in Iraq concerned about the > role of private contractors in this war, and would > like to ask for your help. How can you who are way > over there help me way over here? Well, let me tell > you how. > > For those of you not aware, the US military is not > the only US organization that is functioning over > here in Iraq. A large US contractor called KBR > (Kellog, Brown, and Root), a daughter company of > Halliburton (once run by VP Dick Cheney), is > operating on every US base in Iraq. > > KBR manages many of the solider services that we > have here on the base; things like running the food > service, waste disposal, pumping the latrines, > laundry services, movement and control, and the > central distribution center. KBR is also scheduled > to take over all fuel hauling and freight hauling in > general. When things started to heat up earlier this > year KBR put a hold on taking over hauling > operations. Now that things are seeming to come back > under some control KBR is looking at taking over > again. > > Now I know you are asking yourself what in the world > this has to do with you. > > Let me explain... KBR is now requesting, and the > army is allowing, US soldiers to ride " shot gun " in > KBR convoys hauling KBR goods all over Iraq. KBR is > afraid to be out on the roads alone and want our US > soldiers to risk their lives riding shot gun for > their missions. > > KBR is currently staffed by mainly non US > international personnel along with a growing number > of Iraqis. Most do not speak English, none have had > military training on defensive driving, proper > convoy operations, avoiding ambushes, navigating > around IED's [hidden roadside bombs], proper > procedure for calling in support or medivac or fire > support, procedures to follow after taking enemy > fire, the list goes on. These drivers are simply > paid drivers that are making roughly 5 -8 times our > wages and get paid whether the freight arrives or > not. > > KBR is requesting that US soldiers risk their lives > at the hands of inexperienced and improperly trained > individuals to provide them with security. Now there > is no doubt that we need to protect KBR's missions > but we have suggested and to date have been denied > the opportunity to run the convoys with properly > modified and equipped military vehicles. > > We have suggested that we run in the convoys with > every third vehicle being a US Army gun truck with > proper drivers and fire support. With this > arrangement KBR can still haul the freight in their > vehicles but we would run the mission and deal with > any situations as they develop the way we have been > trained to. This is the only way that most of us > want the missions to be run, the others are just > afraid to be opposed to the decisions our leadership > is making. > > Here is where you come in. Out of a desire to honor > the oath we took upon entering the army we do not > want to disobey a direct order if and when the order > comes for us to ride with KBR. We do however want to > make all the lawmakers and politicians aware of the > danger we are being unnecessarily exposed to on > these missions. > > Our hope is that each of our friends and loved ones > back home will take a few minutes and send out > emails to any local, state, and US congressman and > senators and demand that they require the US > military to stop this practice of allowing US troops > in KBR vehicles. > > The only ones who have the power to force the > military to honor the wishes of the people are the > lawmakers and politicians. So please take a moment > and send a letter or email to one of your senators > or congressman and ask or demand that they inquire > into this matter and demand that it cease. > > As of this writing, 3rd Platoon of the 283rd TC (my > unit) is currently running these missions. We have > been warned that it is only a matter of time and my > whole unit will be running these missions. If > nothing is done back home then more soldiers and > myself in particular will be placed in unnecessary > danger. > > Please help. > > Thank you for your time and help. I miss you all and > look forward to seeing you all again upon my return. > > (NOTE: For additional on the ground stories from > American servicemen and women, please check out > http://www.optruth.org) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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