Poor Electrical Work Puts USA Troops At Risk In Iraq

The 07-18-08 New York Times carried an article entitled, "Electrical Risks at Iraq Bases Are Worse Than Said." The first paragraphs state:

"Shoddy electrical work by private contractors on United States military bases in Iraq is widespread and dangerous, causing more deaths and injuries from fires and shocks than the Pentagon has acknowledged, according to internal Army documents.

During just one six-month period — August 2006 through January 2007 — at least 283 electrical fires destroyed or damaged American military facilities in Iraq, including the military’s largest dining hall in the country, documents obtained by The New York Times show. Two soldiers died in an electrical fire at their base near Tikrit in 2006, the records note, while another was injured while jumping from a burning guard tower in May 2007.

And while the Pentagon has previously reported that 13 Americans have been electrocuted in Iraq, many more have been injured, some seriously, by shocks, according to the documents. A log compiled earlier this year at one building complex in Baghdad disclosed that soldiers complained of receiving electrical shocks in their living quarters on an almost daily basis.

Electrical problems were the most urgent noncombat safety hazard for soldiers in Iraq, according to an Army survey issued in February 2007. It noted “a safety threat theaterwide created by the poor-quality electrical fixtures procured and installed, sometimes incorrectly, thus resulting in a significant number of fires.”

it is bad enough that our troops are at risk from snipers, suicide bombers, and improvised explosive devices. Must they also worry about being electrocuted while taking a shower? In January, 2008, Green Beret Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Maseth was electrocuted while showering. His death was caused by faulty electrical grounding.

The article also notes that "Since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, tens of thousands of American troops have been housed in Iraqi buildings that date from the Saddam Hussein era." Private contractors were hired to, amongst other duties, upgrade electrical systems before U.S. troops took up residence.

One issue is, why private contractors instead of armed forces trained electricians? Several people I know who served in the Navy, Air Force, Army, or Coast Guard praised the high quality of training they received in diverse trades. If, for whatever reason, private contractors had to be used, why wasn't their work checked and verified by our own trained military personnel before these buildings were used to house our troops?

The primary conntractor cited in this article is KBR (Kellogg Brown & Root LLC), based in Houston, which is a former subsidiary of Halliburton. KBR's official website notes that its Mission, Vision, and Values include:

- Uncompromising commitment to Health, Safety and Environment

- Best in class Risk Awareness

- Integrity in all we do

Does KBR make a concerted effort to live by these values, or are they mere platitudes trotted out on a web page because they look good?