13 June 2007: My thoughts on civilian contractors

Since I’m not really busy right now I thought I’d touch on another subject. This is one that is much maligned back home. It’s the subject of civilian contractors working here in Iraq. Unfortunately the news normally feeds right into the cliché that the contractors are lazy, overpaid, and in it just for the money. I’ve got a news flash for all of you. It would be impossible for the service men and women deployed to do all that we do without the contractors. I’ll start right off by talking about the folks from KBR (subsidiary of Halliburton). That’s the company getting the most press (normally negative) and about which circulate the most ridiculous clichés of pork-barrel spending and good ol’boy contracts. I know the most hard core believers in right-wing conspiracies believe that KBR is here because of Dick Cheney. I’ve even heard some people claim this to be Halliburton’s war. Come on folks! Did you ever stop to consider that they are here because they are one of only a few companies that can successfully carry out the tasks required of such a colossal enterprise as this? They do what they do very well. Let’s look at some of the things they do.

KBR – All of our DFACs are run by KBR. They feed excellent food in very abundant quantities. Everyone here is well fed, has choices at every meal, and eats in modern, clean facilities. A lot of people in the military will swear up and down that the best mess halls are in Iraq. I’m one of them.

Food service isn’t the only thing we can thank KBR for. All of our sanitation and garbage clean-up is handled by them. The laundry services are another service we can thank them for. I drop off my laundry and pick it up the next day (cleaned and folded). Our facilities are continually serviced and upgraded thanks to KBR. All the soldiers live in clean billets with real beds. There are modern shower facilities. Life would be very miserable in this place were it not for the contractors. I could go on and on – electric supply, fuel service, vehicle maintenance, MWR…. Get the point?

KBR and other contractors put their lives at risk every day. Truck drivers go out on convoys every day. There’s no place as dangerous to be. Yet they do it. Convoys comprised of soldiers and contractors leave the FOBs every day delivering life-essential supplies all over this country. A lot of contractors have lost their lives performing their duties. Their lives were no less valuable than the soldiers they serve alongside. There are also contractors who provide personal security. This frees up a lot of soldiers to focus on their mission.

Are contractors in it for the money? I won’t deny that many of them earn quite a lot. Yet I don’t believe it’s the money alone. I’ve met contractors who’ve worked here continually for 42 months. Most of them have spent more time here than me. They are young and old, men and women, single and married, parents and grandparents. Money alone doesn’t fuel someone’s willingness to spend so much time away from loved ones back home. There’s love of country. But more than that, they feel a sense of duty to serve the soldiers. Last night I met a KBR truck driver. He reminded me of my grandfather. I’d put his age at least in the mid-60s. He has been here driving trucks outside the wire for over 40 months straight. The guy should be back home enjoying the fruits of his labors. I asked him why in the world he was still here. His answer was immediate. He said, “Sir, as long as there are soldiers over here I’ll be here too. It may not be driving trucks in convoys. But whatever I can do to help. I’ll stay here until our job is done.” I was almost speechless. All I could respond with was a handshake, looking him in the eye and saying “sir I salute you.”

Then on a Sunday or Wednesday night you just have to go over to Green Beans on the west side and see everyone gathered around having fun at outdoor karaoke. There are no cliques. Soldiers, airmen, contractors, coalition…. they all sit together having fun. Now I’ll sound cliché – we’re all on the same team even if we don’t wear the same uniform.

Hopefully my words will resonate the next time someone starts bashing civilian contractors who are serving here. They are heroes every bit as much as those of us in uniform.