Qarmat Ali Vets Ribbon

Hey Mainstream Media

Hey Mainstream Media
That Picture You just had to take could be Al Qaeda's next recruiting poster!!

17 September, 2010

Kurt Schrader For Congress (5th) District November 2010






My Fellow Vets from 1/162, With election time fast approaching, it is time to think about who has your back when it comes to our needs as disabled vets and Human beings in general. I usually do not get on a political soap box, I prefer to let my pen do my talking on election day. These last few years I have learned some hard lessons regarding the political party I once was affiliated with. For those of you who remember me from our trip to the big catbox, I had grey hair and you guys called me old man and gramps and stuff like that. That I thought was great, because even though in some cases I was twice your guys ages, you still accepted me.
Now, to show you how old I am... I voted Republican since Reagan, Does that tell you how long I had been drinking the Republican Kool-aid?... Now, I bought off on the Iraq mission like we all did and now I come home from that mission with some problems.

I tried going to my local State Representative Kevin Cameron who is a Republican and his office would not even return my phone calls. As a matter of fact Republicans in general take the road that it is ok for you to be exposed to a chemical that will kill you years down the road even though a contractor working for the government was in charge of the site and let it happen unnecessarily... I guess that way you die sooner and they do not have to pay out so much on your worthless soul. I believe the Iraqi People needed help, but did we go there to help them, or ourselves to their oil? I am beginning to think the latter. The reason I say this is because the first priority was to get the oil flowing, not stabilization of the country. Saddam was not leaving and the U.S. wanted that Iraqi Oil on the global market, so we had to go kick him out.

Now the Republicans complain about the cost of having to foot the cost of healthcare for disabled combat veterans..If they would stop making them unnecessarily, this would not be an issue. Look at all the time , money, equipment and most importantly the human cost. Hell look at Vietnam and the thousands lost there, those men and women did everything their country asked of them and more. Just think of the waste of American Resources there...How many potential Congressmen and Women and or President's, scholars, scientists and just plain good people who could be making America a better place today but never got the chance...God bless them for serving their country. That's the human Cost I am talking about...The part the Republicans refuse to acknowledge.

I myself am voting for Kurt Schrader for my Congressional District here in Oregon (5th) He worked hard to make sure that us Oregon veterans are getting help with jobs when we come back from deployment and help with reintegration into civilian life and also for soldiers to be immediately notified if they have been exposed to dangerous chemicals. Do not get me wrong, I am all for a balanced budget and fiscal responsibility, but is losing over 4000 lives in Iraq for no clear objective fiscal responsibility?... Think, along with that gasoline we are putting in our cars, does it also contain some of the blood of our servicemen and women? Yes, I even did a commercial for him, and I did it because I believe in him and I meant every word I said!! I do not want to tell you how to vote...but to think about who has your best interests at heart before you vote!!
Kurt Schrader is committed to us Veterans and he has my vote!! :D
Here is the Link to the commercial

02 August, 2010

Contract Negotiation 101...Use a Gun!




The following is an attempt to manipulate facts uncovered by Julie Sullivan of the Oregonian. My Response to this editorial is below.

This was written on KBR's web site by Mark S. Williams,


Editorial Response
to Hexavalent Chromium Suit Against KBR
by Oregon National Guard Goes Forward"
By Mark S. Williams, President, KBR Infrastructure, Government and Power

Many of the statements and assertions in Ms. Sullivan's article are incorrect and KBR would like to set the record straight on a few of the issues raised.

The medical evidence provided by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine (USACHPPM) directly disputes the plaintiffs' allegations in the Oregon National Guard lawsuit. The USACHPPM evidence establishes that the symptoms alleged are not consistent with long-term exposure to hexavalent chromium. This may explain why plaintiffs and their contingency-fee lawyers thus far have refused to provide evidence of the amount and duration of their alleged exposure to hexavalent chromium, refused to detail the injuries each plaintiff claims was caused by the unproven exposure, and refused to provide any scientifically reliable evidence showing that such unproven exposure actually causes the injuries alleged.

KBR is entitled to defend itself against plaintiffs' unproven, incorrect and baseless allegations.

The article goes beyond the lawsuit and mischaracterizes KBR's work in Iraq as "synonymous for poor performance: serving spoiled food, using contaminated water and burning trash in pits." We suggest that Ms. Sullivan check the facts. The U.S. military consistently and officially has given KBR's work "good" to "excellent" award ratings for our work that includes food, water and trash service. These high ratings are on record and directly dispute the article's inaccurate commentary about KBR's work.

Based in part on KBR's track record of high-quality performance, the U.S. military earlier this month notified KBR that it will continue to provide life support services to U.S. bases in Iraq under the current contract, LOGCAP III. While Ms. Sullivan's article incorrectly called this a "no-bid" award (LOGCAP III was competitively awarded to KBR in December 2001), in fact, this continuation results from the Army's decision to cancel the solicitation of Basic Life Support (BLS) services under LOGCAP IV, in which two other contractors participated. In addition to KBR's proven work history, the Army also based its decision on input from military commanders in Iraq and the projected costs savings of the LOGCAP III extension.

Under the LOGCAP III contract, KBR employees have served more than one billion meals, delivered approximately 440 million pounds of mail, produced nearly 23 billion gallons of water, issued more than 8 billion gallons of fuel, hosted more than 170 million patrons at MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) facilities, logged more than 701 million miles transporting supplies and equipment for the military, and laundered 78 million bundles of laundry all in an effort to support U.S. troops as they carry out important and dangerous missions.

KBR is proud of its work in Iraq and is honored that the U.S. military repeatedly has chosen KBR to perform the important work of supporting U.S. troops overseas. KBR remains committed to providing the U.S. military with the high-quality service for which we have consistently have been recognized. The company also remains committed to conducting its business with transparency and integrity. For the article to suggest otherwise is inaccurate, and is a disservice to the more than 50,000 employees who work in Iraq at great sacrifice to themselves and their families.

As KBR's LOGCAP III work progresses, we look forward to a continued fact-based dialogue when issues are raised.


MY RESPONSE!!

While the Logcap III may have been awarded competitively, the RIO contract was not, and that is the "No Bid Contract" Julie Sullivan is referring to... RIO is Restore Iraqi Oil. As I sit here looking at a copy of the contract itself, it says on the front page...Dated February 28 2003 at 7:23 pm and was considered "Secret", but since has become "Unclassified"

SUBJECT: "Justification and Approval for Other Than Full And Open Competition For The Execution Of The Contingency Support Plan"

I Have Approved The Enclosed J&A for Other Than Full And Open Competition for Execution of the Contingency Support Plan for Repair and Continuity of Operations of The Iraqi Oil Infrastructure. I am Returning The J&A For Implementation"

This was signed by Claude M. Bolton Jr.
Assistant Secretary Of The Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology

YES INDEEDY FEED THE NEEDY!! There it is there in black and white. I just wish there was a way to post the PDF form of the contract on here so everyone could read it for themselves. So...Mr. Williams just from reading the front cover sheet, you didn't win that contract..America got it crammed down their throats or up the exhaust pipe!!

Oh, if you visit my favorite blogger Ms Sparky Tell her Larry sent you!!
You can read the RIO Documents HERE

Now, lets talk about my experiences with KBR. I sent my laundry in to be cleaned ONE time and then never again. My Uniform came back smelling worse than when I sent it in to be washed. It smelled like someone had wiped a Camel's ass with it!! After that I bought soap at the PX trailer and 2 plastic tubs and washed my own clothes.

My friends called me "Vanilla Hadji Laundry Service" And as far as the few KBR workers I came in contact with, I found that the TCN's were usually more friendly than the American workers, especially some of the rude ones at Qarmat Ali I was supposed to protect with my life.

I will say the Food was good at the chow tents in most places. Now lets talk about your comments about our refusal to provide proof of our injuries. Your arrogant attorneys who come to Oregon and do not even have the courtesy to stand when addressing a Federal Magistrate had asked for a "Lone Pine Order" which was "DENIED" by the Federal Magistrate.
Here...I will even make it easy and put you up a link so you can look it up.



So, see Mr. Williams There are two sides to every story and yes you talk about facts..but be careful which ones you neglect. And you have to play by the rules, but I guess KBR is above the rules. Especially seeing how since KBR was given the RIO Contract NO BID!! and then came back and demanded total immunity or they wouldn't do the job. Tsk Tsk Tsk and you call yourselves Americans.

23 July, 2010

To The V.A.... "We Won't Get Fooled Again"




Today I would like to write about the V.A. and their decision to add a subsection to the Gulf War registry for environmental issues such as Sodium Dichromate. Now, That is all good and everything, but what about our brother veterans from Vietnam who got Agent Orange and other crap dumped on them. When I joined The service in 1982, they were still giving out this bug repellent that they had used in Vietnam, and anything plastic it came in contact with...it literally melted. Yeah, those guys literally had to use it or get eaten by some big ass bugs, not much of a choice huh.

Now, I know alot of Vietnam Vets have a dislike for current vets, even saying, they "Chose to fight" and "They knew what they were getting into" so they got what they deserved. And the reason they give these type of opinions is because we were not drafted. I am sorry guys, I was born during the very early part of your war and had nothing to do with you being drafted. I am truly sorry for that, but what has been done cannot be undone and we need to work together.

I know what alot of you people are thinking, this guy is a whiner. I had no problem doing my job as an infantryman. And yes, while bullets and bombs will kill you, at least it happens pretty quick and you are not left to suffer. Then you do not come home and procreate and your offspring look like their DNA was strained through a tube sock. This all happens because some cheap Contractor S.O.B. uses the cheapest materials available to get the job done and Humanity be damned.

To the Gulf War I vets, these poor men and women have been jerked around so many times it is crazy. The V.A. never seems like it can settle on what if anything they can do for them.

Now, I have been to the Portland V.A. Hospital for the Gulf War Registry Screening, this was March 24th 2010 and saw Dr. Grebenow. Before hand they had sent me a large packet of paper to fill out regarding my exposure and my symptoms. I took considerable time filling it out with great detail and took it with me to my appointment. Now I was NOT AT ALL IMPRESSED!! with this Dr. or the exam, it appeared to be an appeasement process so us veterans would shut up. The reason I say this, is because he never once looked at all the paper work I filled out. He then would ask me questions, and instead of letting me answer them, he would finish my answers his way. What the hell was the point of driving 110 miles round trip for nothing? Now, I am not trying to be mean or anything, but this needs to change!!

Then at the end of the appointment, he asked me "What do you know about Sodium Dichromate?" kinda as if to find out with what type of B.S. answers he was going to be able to get away with telling me. So I told him "I know it's a corrosion fighter"
to which he replied "we do not have any data on short term exposure to Sodium Dichromate... At least someone was finally being honest!!

I really want to be of service to my fellow veterans, but it is really hard to travel for long distances for me because my bones and joints ache all the time and my left eye is real sensitive to too much sunlight.

So to the V.A. if you read this, I am willing to help, but you must put forth a earnest effort to help all veterans and Educate your Doctors and Staff, they are there to help veterans, if they do not like their job, maybe they need to look elsewhere. And please, if you are going to make us fill out a whole bunch of paperwork for a exam, have the doctor go over it with us during the exam. I listed all my symptoms on that damn paper packet, but we did not even talk about half of them.

Better yet, I think I am going to start showing up to my appointments with a micro tape recorder and a sign hanging around my neck saying "This Appointment may be recorded for quality assurance purposes"

Let's talk about the V.A.'s claim process.. It has done a 180 degree from what I can tell. V.A. Training letter 10-03 lays it all out and has straightened alot of stuff out. And I gotta give Mr. Shinseki MAJOR props for that!! YOU ROCK!!

19 July, 2010

The Pillars Of Justice? Yeah Right








Those of you that have read my blog know that I have become disenfranchised with the Republican Party and know that it will be a frozen day in you know where before they earn another vote from me. Now, take a look at the top picture on this particular blog. Abraham Lincoln in 1864 warned this country of the growing cancer called big business and we have chosen to ignore it. It now permeates every facet of our lives!! While Sitting in court listening to KBR lawyers argue about why us former soldiers should not have our day in court, I began to realize that even the court system is pretty much on auto pilot, save for a few judges who have the Intestinal Fortitude to listen to cases based on their own merit.

Some judges are not even willing to listen at much length before giving in to big business on some of these cases. I mean some of the cases that KBR was spouting were from when Moses was a Cub Scout!! Are they really applicable to the complex way society is today? If your case is going to be decided by somebody's case who might have been similar, even though 50 years prior, what is the point!! Why then do we need judges today who we pay large salaries to?, we could have law clerks look up cases in the books that are similar to yours and decide them that way.

Or, we can do things the right way and ALL Americans should get their day in court! The excuse "That's the way we always have done it" is crap... It doesn't mean it is right or fair. I am thinking that the reason that lady Justice is blindfolded and has a set of scales, she does not care what you look like, but whether or not your wallet is fat!! The fatter and heavier your wallet, makes you more equal and I guess the reason for the sword is for us indigent folks who cannot afford justice..She just smites us with it. Big Corporations seem to be the biggest abusers of the court system and behind them are the Republican Party purporting to be looking after your best interests.

I am thinking that KBR means Killed By Republicans!!

13 July, 2010

Fantasy Island.. It truly exists!!




Well, I attended U.S. District Court in Portland OR. Yesterday, relating to the motion to dismiss filed by KBR. Now, I have seen pictures of KBR's Attorneys on their Mckenna firm website and I am sorry, but it is looking like these Sodium Dichromate and other cases are sucking the life right out of them. Kinda like the Sodium Dichromate has sucked the life right out of me. Money isn't everything and it wont give you your health back..remember that!!

But I guess a whole lot of money can buy you a firm of attorneys willing to try every trick in the book (legally) to get their client off the hook. When Judge Papak came in, I was surprised that KBR's Attorneys chose to remain seated while they made their oral arguments. Their main attorney Mr. Biagini went on and on and on citing cases that should be taken into consideration regarding their motion to dismiss this case.

I thought he was going to deplete all the oxygen in the room as several people started to nod off from boredom. He did make a few valid points, however they were lost in his repeated attempts to school the judge on case law and at times even shaking his finger at Judge Papak like a parent scolding a misbehaving child in a condescending fashion.

When the Attorney for the Guardsmen Mr. Sugerman made his presentation, he stood and was very courteous and directly to the point. He did not waste the court's time and was respectful of the Judge. Now I had heard that KBR's legal team acted arrogant, and after watching this episode..I kinda agree. If this case is allowed to go forward..I cannot wait to do my part to set the record straight on what happened at Qarmat Ali during those days in 2003 in Iraq, because KBR isn't telling anyone the whole story.

If nothing else comes of this, I hope and pray that American taxpayers do not ever find themselves held hostage like this again. This whole situation reminds me of the lyrics of a favorite Heavy Metal Band Sacred Reich, the song is called

THE AMERICAN WAY

Truth and honor faith and pride all convictions surely died honesties
time has passed time for lies is here at last truth is false I'm so fed up
how did we come to be so fucked? hate fear pain death all our country
has got left

Talk to children hear them say daddy left again today brother steals and
mommy lies future lost before their eyes the sun was lost behind the
clouds they rapped it up and blacked it out acid rain fell today it came
and washed our hopes away

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Don't look past your t.v. all of us are what you see a looking glass into
our lives what we watch is what we buy priorities are out of whack
who is next to stab our back doesn't it make you mad to have lost all that
we've had

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

Doesn't it fill you with disgust that there's no one left to trust is this
happening is this real my body numb I cannot feel are you happy are you
sad are emotions a thing of the past I have no tears I cannot cry no one
mourns for a world that's died

This was once the land of dreams now these dreams have turned to
greed in the midst of all this wealth the poor are left to help themselves
a capitalist's democracy no one said that freedom's free lady liberty rots
away no truth, no justice the American way

(Sacred Reich- American Way 1990)

04 July, 2010

Freedom and Democracy, what does it mean to you on this 4th of July 2010?



Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy



One of the best things I can remember about celebrating the Birthday of this magnificent country, is watching fireworks. More and more communities are having to do away with celebrating our country's birthday because of budget cuts. Hmm, Americans are suffering starvation and homelessness and other things while we give billions of dollars in aid to countries who could give a flying rat's ass about us.

That money would be better spent here on education, infrastructure and the well being of America first. I know that sounds selfish, but you gotta have your own house in order before you go trying to help others. Give some of the money to the communities to celebrate 4th of July like a big birthday party if you will, like the old time fair!! Those were fun!!

Anyway, Democracy to me means I have a voice in my government, Freedom means, I can move to any state in the U.S. I want to and I don't have to get permission first (this does not apply to you that are on parole or probation) I can marry whom I choose (within legal limits) and I can choose the profession of my choice..(also within legal limits) Sure, the U.S. is not perfect, but damn it, it is one of the best places on earth to live. And another freedom we all have, is if we do not like it here, we are free to move to another country of our choosing.

But on the other hand, the U.S. Government should not be given Carte Blanche to do what ever it deems fit. My personal belief is that no one company should be favored above another in private contracting, especially during wartime (Iraq Invasion).

Ok, you are the only contractor given the job and your company needs an indemnity clause as well before you will go to work. I think the U.S. Government acted in gross negligence with our tax dollars here. In my personal opinion it is one of the biggest cases of waste, fraud and abuse ever seen. And it is only going to get worse. You can still be a good American and not completely trust your Government. Although I do not always agree with the government's position, I would never sell America out to another country.

Think About It, the next time someone tells you "We have Always Done It That Way" Does not make it the right way!!

30 May, 2010

America Needs More Self Reliance



On the eve of Memorial Day 2010, I find myself reflecting on how things have changed just in just the 45 years I have been alive... America who once proudly depended upon herself to provide her citizens the basics, can no longer do so. Or, should it be phrased in the form of a question? Are we AmeriCAN's or AmeriCAN'Ts?

When I say American's...I do not just mean Anglo-Saxon American. I do not care if you are white, Brown, Red, Yellow or any other color. In the Army, you are either Light Green or Dark Green...But you're still just part of the big green machine. If you are here in the U.S. legally and pursuing a better life for you and your family I am happy to have you here.

We all need to work together to put America back to work, stop building damn cheap apartments and strip malls on our farmlands. We need our agriculture for alternative fuels. http://www.ethanol.org/ Instead, we get oil companies who constantly pocket billions of dollars in profits...because they hardly ever pay to do correct maintenance, Is it me, or is this a Republican trait? Do they horde all the money and sit on it until something catastrophic happens, then only do a half ass job fixing it?. Is the President of B.P. next batch of deep fried gulf shrimp gonna taste like they were deep fried in SAE 90 weight oil? and he will whine..Oh hell yes, and that is about the extent he will suffer too. The ECO system is screwed pal...you hurry your butt up and figure out how to fix that.

I want to switch gears here and send a salutation to all veterans for Memorial Day, and Please remember to bow your heads in a moment of silence for the veterans who are no longer with us and the ones who lost their lives in the most hellish places on earth for you and for me and for a lot of people in the world, who maybe are not as grateful as they should be for their freedom.


All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones.
..................................... Benjamin Franklin

28 April, 2010

Where are the Republicans?


Today I am having a horrible migraine..I can barely see out of my left eye, and have it covered up like I am some damn pirate. Having been to the V.A. Hospital, I see the big campaign signs along I-5 for the upcoming elections. Now, my problem is that I have been a registered republican since I was old enough to vote. Now, after being sent off to war by a Republican Presidential Administration I come home with a bunch of problems which I need help with.

Where are the people from the Republican Party? Not one Republican office holder has contacted me, even on a local state level and I am talking about you Kevin Cameron!
My Local State Representative (Republican) I have not heard a word from you...neither have my fellow veterans!

We have been helped tremendously by Chip Shields and Suzanne VanOrmand, both are Democrats...and neither from my area. I am beginning to think that if you do not have anything to offer the Republican party in the way of being able to help make them money, then you are not a person they care about. What a sad realization this has become for me. I guess G.O.P. stands not for Grand Old party, but more like Gas Oil Petroleum. It seems like the party that freed the slaves in the 1860's wishes to create another class of slaves by stomping on the back of hard working and hard FIGHTING Americans to make more money for themselves.

I do not agree with the Tea Baggers and their philosophy and the only people who will help ordinary folks are the Democrats, so I guess I am going to have to do what my conscious tells me and disavow the Republican Party. Sometimes you just have to recognize a poor investment and cut your losses. I am now an INDEPENDENT that leans Democrat!!

I borrowed the pic from www.mssparky.com
I Love Ms. Sparky, she can write a hell of a blog!!

14 April, 2010

Overwhelmed? Hug a Pug!!


This blog entry is about one of the people in my life..That's right, I said people, but he is really my Pug, or I am his human... I think he owns me!! His name is Emperor Xuanzong and he is a fawn Chinese Pug. I just call him Frank after the "Frank from Men in Black movies" I received him as a gift for my 40th birthday shortly after I got home from Iraq/Kuwait.

I seemed to be having a hard time adjusting to life, and my wife had read about how the Ancient Chinese nobility would keep Pugs because of their great companionship. I always have had big dogs, but figured if I had to have a small one that a Pug would be Ideal. Boy was I in for a shock.... Frank turned out to be a 1 & 1/2 foot tall Marmaduke. If you have not seen a Marmaduke comic...you are missing out.

From 8 weeks old, he was into everything!! No kitty at my house was safe and even my older dog Dryfuss was at his mercy!! Dryfuss was a good sized Shepard & Lab mix dog with a super temperament. Frank would basically attach himself to Dryfuss's neck and Dryfuss would just drag him around. Frank always seems to know when I have not taken my medication or something is not right with me. He has stood on my chest, pinning me to the bed and barking in my face to alert me if he thought something is or was wrong.

He always knows if I am worried and or depressed and he will bark at me and incessantly lick my face to try to calm me down, I am not sure how he knows, he just knows. The Ancient Chinese knew a winner when they chose the Pug as a companion animal, and Frank is definitely an angel in a fur suit..he has not earned his Halo yet, but he is working on that...Just don't take your eyes off him while you are eating next to him, he may be pudgy, but he is fast!!

So this weekend I turn 45 and my wife will bake Frank a couple of plain vanilla cupcakes with dog treats in them because he celebrates his birthday with me. It is always so much fun to watch him enjoy those cupcakes. I hope to Have many more years with Frank, Lord knows I need someone to keep me out of trouble.

28 March, 2010

Friends, Who needs them, when you have Battle Buddies!!


Did you ever notice that the word "Friend" is just the word "Fiend" with the letter "R" thrown in for camouflage? Since I have been home, a lot of people I have thought were my "Friends" have turned to be just "Fiends" Even family members, when they call, ask stupid stuff of me like "Are you sick enough that you're dying?"...Yeah, like I got a big pot full of 100 dollar bills that I use as toilet paper, and I am saving the big bills to leave them in my will....NOT!!

Some Upper Command soldiers I worked for for have even told me, when you have time, YOU call me and we can set up some time to visit, like the phone doesn't work both ways. Well, when you are sick and in bed half the time what the heck are you supposed to do, I'm not out partying every night and getting laid every day!! And then you have the fair weather friends, the ones that only treat you fairly only if you do what they want you to do.

The friends I like the best are the ones I served with overseas, the ones that were my Battle Buddies...They are the ones that call me up and ask "Hey you old grumpy bastard...ya still kicking? You know they mean nothing but the best and in their own way are reaching out to hug you. It is a lot for these guys to pick up the phone and it means a lot to me. Of course there is no way in hell I am going to meet a group of these guys at a restaurant for dinner. You ever see a bunch of guys with PTSD try to all sit in the back seat of a booth in a restaurant? That would quickly escalate into a full fledged game of rock, paper, scissors, revolver...

And Speaking of PTSD, Remember, Please don't laugh at me or other veterans when some hammerhead tosses 3 large firecrackers on the street and I immediately drop to the ground for cover and roll behind something. And when you try talking to me, I am breathing and sweating so hard that I can hardly talk, like my sphincter has just jumped up and choked off my windpipe. That shit is not funny!!. When we finally die,we will come back and haunt your asses for the rest of your lives...so if you don't want to be hearing creaking and chains and stuff like that in your attic every night, don't make fun of Veterans. And to leave you with a quote from one of my favorite Clint Eastwood Movies "Gran Torino" from
Walt Kowalski "GET OFF MY LAWN"

05 March, 2010

It's On..The internet that is!!

Alright...What the hell is wrong with this country. Ok, don't answer that question, I dont have eternity. I am talking about KBR. The government didn't give them their 25 million dollars in bonus bucks because they supposedly did not meet standards. So what do we do next...we reward failure with a multi billion dollar contract?

Who is the dork in Washington DC who signed this contract? he or she needs to be looking for a new job, because they obviously are not qualified to do the one they are at now. Why KBR? With the withdrawl from Iraq only a short time away, it is time to kick KBR's keister to the curb and say good riddance. The Military has always been able to take care of it's own and needs to start doing so again.

It makes me sick to see KBR always blaming the Army for everything it does wrong...kinda like that saying "The Devil Made Me Do It" I read the stories about the truck drivers who get blown to hell and left to rot in nursing homes fighting AIG and KBR for benefits, all the while KBR hires retired generals to give "Expert Opinions" to try to keep them from having to pay out money. This makes me all kinds of sick...How do you bums sleep at night?

Cool that the search engines finally picked up my blog.
Be back later

26 February, 2010

How did I end up here? Part 2

I now realized that anywhere I had gotten that stuff on me that had a sore or was naturally sensitive, like my eyes mouth and such were burning. Where the stuff was stuck to my skin and uniform, I looked like a damn giant Cheetoh. So I started brushing the stuff off me, because I knew I had to get into the KBR contractor's SUV, and I am sure they wouldn't want that stuff inside.

After I had most of the stuff off of me, I thought I had better go see just what I had gotten myself into. I went over to where the bags I was sitting on were, and noticed that they said "Sodium Dichromate" I was puzzled...why the hell would there be big bags of salt stacked all over, and some strewn about..I know damn good and well it doesn't freeze here. Anyway, some of the Iraqi workers came over to my location and started telling me that they were happy that the Americans had come and that they were a little upset that we let them suffer so long under Saddam after the first war. When I took off my Kevlar to make them feel more at ease, they were shocked to see that my hair was greying.

One Iraqi told me "You're too old to be in the army" I told him the reason my hair was grey, was because my wife made me crazy. They all burst into laughter. I was surprised to learn that most of them spoke English pretty good. One gentleman totally freaked me out when he started talking, he had a perfect British accent. I asked them why their hair was not grey, I asked "Don't you all have 4 wives each?" Again, they started laughing, they told me that 4 wives would eat too much. They were interested in how the U.S. was going to make their country better, I told them when we catch Saddam, he won't be coming back, and that seemed to make them real happy.

Then they wanted to trade money...I am pretty sure I was fleeced real good, but I figured what the heck, I had a good interaction with the Iraqi workers and they were just folks like me.

well, I am getting a migraine, so I will have to continue later..can't look at the screen anymore...ouch

25 February, 2010

How did I end up here? Part 1

Well, I am wondering how and why I ended up in the situation I am in. All I wanted to do is find a shady spot to try to eat my chicken patty MRE real quick and literally ended up biting off more than I could chew. The wind was blowing a little and it all the sudden blew this dirt and orange crud up into my face, mouth and my left eye. and my chicken patty was all nasty with the same stuff all over it.

Now, anyone who has ever eaten a MRE Chicken Patty, knows what I am talking about....the clear gel that covers the damn thing is like a glue. I am not sure what that stuff is, but it is really slimy, probably because the chicken is pretty dry, maybe it is a lubricant so it doesn't tear your bowels out when you go to crap. Well after I get covered in that stuff...I try to wipe my face and eye out...all the while swearing up a storm. My eye was burning and my mouth was on fire and the damn wind kept blowing that stuff up everywhere.

Now, as an infantryman of quite a few years, I have chewed my share of dirt, but this was no dirt like I had ever tasted. It had this horrendous metallic taste and I wanted to barf real bad. Some of the crap I ended up swallowing and I could still taste it in my mouth. I swished some water around and washed my mouth out, but could still feel the stuff at the back of my throat. I drank some of my water to wash it down, figuring the stomach acid would do it in, NOT...up it came, it burned going down and coming back up. I was stunned...what the hell was this about? I looked up into the sky and asked G-D "Was that really necessary?" anyway, I left the area and stood by this big tank and tried to clean myself up. The Iraqi workers were laughing at me, they were wearing shemaghs and other things to protect themselves from breathing in the sand and debris..I guess they would know better. while I was washing my eye out and rewashing my mouth out, I realized that I had tasted that before while being at the plant on a previous occasion.

While trading MRE components with the British Contingent, there was a hint of the same metallic taste in the air..and I thought that was weird. The British soldiers I was trading with were sleeping outside on cots with mosquito nets covering them and they had dirt with orange colored stuff all over. Now for the folks who were not there, when you think of Iraq and places like that, you think of sand...I would say it is more like talcum powder and sticks like glue to anything moist. Anyway, after my encounter with the orange dirt crap, I was hungry from barfing and looked at my chicken patty, it was dirty and had orange stuff on it, so I washed if off as best as I could with my canteen water and figured that I should not waste it if it could be salvaged. I had a really strange sensation in my stomach, I couldn't tell if it hurt or I was hungry. So I ate it, well some of it managed to stay down, but I threw up again, but not as bad as the first time.

I also realized that were my fingers were cracked from the dry heat, they started to bleed and it stung bad. I cleaned them up with water and took some super glue out of my combat lifesaver kit and glued the cracks shut. My eye still burned and was red, but I just continued on with the mission.

Stay tuned for part 2


WYVAA65MM5FE

Note to the V.A. and to the U.S. Congress



On my website, qarmat-ali-vets.com, I left this post for members of congress and the folks from the V.A. to read if they visit my site.

Honorable Mr. Shinseki, if you read this, I am the soldier from Oregon who worked for Xerox Corporation, I am the one who gave you a MFO coin from our deployment in December 2002 at dinner in Sinai Egypt. During that dinner you told us we would find ourselves in places that we would not want to be...and that you hoped it would be for the better of the country. Well, you were right, we did end up in bad places, and we did what was asked of us like any other generation of soldiers in war. We held up our end of the bargain...why does it seem that our country will not hold up it's end of the bargain? It seems we fought one war, only to come home to fight yet another one with our own government to get basic help. To me you seem like a man among men, and I know you cannot do it all yourself, but please do as much as you can.


To The U.S.Congress

A bird that flies primarily using only it's left wing or right wing, flies only in circles. It is only when both wings are used in unison does the bird fly straight and reach it's intended destination. So too is the fate of a country.
(Author Larry D. Roberta)

Please do what is right by these and all veterans who need help.


Respectfully Submitted,

Lawrence D. Roberta

I even included the photo just in case Mr. Shinseki did read it, my photo might jog his memory...probably not, all G.I.'s look the same, but...one never knows.

I did not leave the note to them because I think I am better than them, or to scold them. I wanted them to know how I feel and I am sure many more veterans feel the same way. Well, now on my stats page, where I can see the traffic that comes to my site, the U.S. Senate and the V.A. have been really checking out my site. Even been visited by the U.S. court system... Hmmmm Interesting. I guess what I am trying to ask myself is, will they listen...or just write me off as insignificant. Or, will someone want to use me and veterans like me to further their own ambitions.

Well, I do not dance with the devil and not expect some 3 degree burns, but if it helps other veterans, I guess a few burn scars are nothing. If you are a veteran...and I do not care from which war...ask yourself if you have done all that you can to help your brother and sister veterans. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars now have been the 2nd longest wars this country has fought...and is poised to quickly become the longest. The V.A. needs to revamp itself and better meet the needs of these new veterans and will need your input.

24 February, 2010

Just Little Ol' Me

Hello world!! this is my first blog!!, I never thought I would have a reason, let alone need a reason to have one. I would have to say, I have found out that I have been very naive thinking that if you treat people the way you would want to be treated, they would treat you the same way.

Boy was I wrong on that one!! Big business and , government and lots of other folks love people like me...easy to take advantage of. And the reason for that is they all come disguised as your friend wanting to help you. And when they have gotten all they can out of you, they kick you one last time to make sure there is not one last shred of dignity left to your name...and then they go out and find another sucker like you.

Some of you may know my name from seeing me in the news because of the Sodium Dichromate exposures in Iraq in 2003. I started www.qarmat-ali-vets.com to try to help the other soldiers like me who were also exposed in Iraq, get help from the Veterans Administration, I have to say, it does not seem like people want to take responsibility for their own actions...or inaction's. It is always somebody's fault other than their own. I always try to take responsibility for my actions, but lately I have been wondering why the people of the United States seem to be turning on veterans again. Saying, "They knew it was dangerous" and saying we are responsible for merciless killing of unarmed civilians, like we are some rabid dog who broke his chain and is now loose doing as it wants. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

People say President Obama once mentioned the idea that veterans pay for their own health care from service connected disabilities? Really? That would be a super dumb thing to do. This country seems to be forgetting about it's citizens and worrying more about their bottom line. In the military, the mission comes before people, but what happens when there are not enough people to carry out the mission. Anyway, I have so many things swirling around in my brain that I need to get out, I hope this blog will help me decompress and find some peace of mind.

Self...I will chat with you later!