DU'ers spread this. Letter from Solider asking for our help

[AnIndependentTexan]

This was posted by someone at the Kerry/Edwards forum
http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=87587&hl=

I READ THIS ON THE OPERATION TRUTH WEBSITE BLOG (optruth.org). PLEASE TAKE IT TO THE MEDIA, KERRY/EDWARDS, AND YOUR US AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES. THANKS.

A Plea for Help

The following is a letter written by a soldier stationed in Iraq concerning the role of private contractors in Iraq:

Dear friends and family members -

I need your help here in Iraq. 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 month 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, 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. Please keep myself and my wife and my sons in your hearts and in your prayers.

[Indiana_Dem]

1. Done! eom

[liberal_in_GA]

2. kick

:kick:

[denverbill]

3. I appreciate what he says, but he's missing the bigger point.

The US Army could do the entire job itself, and save billions of dollars. Why pay some KBR foreigner 200,000/year to do the exact same job that a US soldier could do for 30K. Then we pay them for the supplies they are hauling and wear and tear on their trucks. We total that all up, KBR multiplies that total by .15 and that is their profit.

Why the hell should US soldiers die protecting KBR's no-risk profits and substandard service?

[Indiana_Dem]

6. Exactly.

All we can do at this moment is do what the soldier is asking. It may be a little bit at a time. This is all we can do right now, at this moment in time. The soldier probably knows this but all he wants now is for things to run as safely for his unit and himself as it can considering his circumstances.

[cheshire]

4. Of course. I wonder if K/E camps are aware of this. Human shields is what

they are asking for.

[Wind Dancer]

5. Yes, they are aware of it!