Deployed Marines face electrocution threat

Deployed Marines face electrocution threat
By Dan Lamothe
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times Posted : Wednesday May 23, 2012

Clockwise from upper left are: Cpl. Jon-LukeBateman, Cpl. Adam Buyes, Cpl. Connor Lowry and Lance Cpl. Kenneth Cochran.

At least four Marines have been electrocuted in Afghanistan since November, highlighting another hazard for ground forces fighting in Helmand province.

Cpls. Adam Buyes, Connor Lowry and Jon-Luke Bateman and Lance Cpl. Kenneth Cochran were killed in three separate incidents. Buyes died Nov. 26, Bateman and Cochran on Jan. 15, and Lowry on March 1.

Buyes was a radio operator with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, out of Okinawa, Japan. He died in Sangin district after leaving a patrol base on foot with his unit, according to documents outlining a command investigation into his death. His three-foot radio antenna hit a power line hanging about eight feet high, causing “sparks/fire” beneath his feet.

The documents were released to Marine Corps Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth’s parents will get day in court

Lawsuit against KBR over soldier's electrocution to go forward
By Lisa M. Novak
Stars and Stripes
Published: August 18, 2010

A lawsuit against military contractor KBR for the 2008 death of an Army Special Forces soldier will go forward, according to a ruling Tuesday by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

The federal appeals court rejected KBR’s request to dismiss the wrongful death suit, brought by Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth’s parents in 2008. Maseth was electrocuted in January 2008 while showering at the Radwaniyah Palace Complex in Baghdad, a facility maintained by KBR.

A Defense Department investigation concluded KBR did not properly ground the water pump which led to Maseth’s electrocution.

Prior to Maseth’s death, the company said it was never directed to perform repairs or upgrades in the building where he lived.
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Lawsuit against KBR

New lawsuit filed in shower electrocution

New lawsuit filed in shower electrocution

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 22, 2009 8:39:02 EST

PITTSBURGH — The mother of a soldier electrocuted in an Army barracks shower in Iraq has filed a second lawsuit targeting another military contractor.

Cheryl Harris on Monday sued Washington Group International of San Francisco, which allegedly did electrical work in her son’s barracks from 2003 to 2005.

Army investigators say a water pump shorted out, electrocuting Harris’ son while he showered. Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, is one of 18 people electrocuted at Iraq military facilities since 2003.
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New lawsuit filed in shower electrocution

Army continues criminal probes into Iraq electrocutions

Army continues criminal probes into Iraq electrocutions
By Lisa M. Novak, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, October 4, 2009
It was near 100 degrees on May 8, 2004, when Spc. Chase Whitham and a few other soldiers decided to cool off in the swimming pool at Forward Operating Base Patriot in Mosul, Iraq.

A junior officer had recently renovated the pool, but a battalion commander had placed the pool off-limits until final precautions could be made.

No signs were posted, so Whitham and the others jumped in. The 21-year-old from Oregon was electrocuted when he touched a metal pipe that was circulating the pool water. It was later determined that the water pump had shorted and was not properly grounded.

Whitham was one of the first Americans to be killed by electrical problems at U.S. bases in Iraq.
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http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=65180

Take back KBR bonuses, senators urge Pentagon over electrical work

Take back KBR bonuses, senators urge Pentagon
Story Highlights
Military contractor has been awarded $83.4 million for its electrical work in Iraq
Dems ask to reclaim bonuses in light of report blaming KBR in part for death
Report says KBR failed to ground water pump, leading to soldier's electrocution
KBR defends its performance, says safety and security is its "top priority"


From Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein
CNN Special Investigations Unit

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Democratic senators called on the Pentagon to take back more than $83 million in bonuses paid to military contractor KBR after a Defense Department report criticized its electrical work on U.S. bases overseas.



"I want them to tell us on what basis can they possibly continue to justify having paid $83 million of the taxpayers' money for shoddy work that resulted in risk to our soldiers," Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota told reporters Friday.

Dorgan said he and Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania are pressing Defense Department officials to reclaim $83.4 million in bonus payments it awarded KBR for its work in Iraq.
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Take back KBR bonuses senators urge Pentagon

KBR at fault in electrocutions of soldiers according to IG report

UPDATE to KBR

Claims against contractor dismissed in soldier's death
Story Highlights
Sgt. Christopher Everett died using a power washer at U.S. base in western Iraq

Judges in Texas, Florida drop military contractor KBR from family's lawsuits

KBR's electrical work in Iraq, Afghanistan has come under criticism from Congress

Pentagon report criticizes Houston-based contractor in death of another soldier

From Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein
CNN Special Investigations Unit
(CNN) -- Judges in Texas and Florida have dropped military contractor KBR from lawsuits brought by the family of a soldier who was electrocuted in Iraq, the company announced Tuesday.


Sgt. Christopher Everett was electrocuted in 2005 at an American base outside Ramadi, in western Iraq.

Sgt. Christopher Everett died while using a power washer at an American base outside Ramadi, in western Iraq. His was one of nine electrocution deaths in Iraq blamed on "improper grounding or faulty equipment," according to a Pentagon inspector-general's report released Monday.

KBR was one of the contractors Everett's family has sued in connection with his death. But federal courts in Louisiana and Texas have thrown out the family's claims against the Houston, Texas-based company, KBR announced Tuesday.

"The dismissal orders affirm that despite repeated criticism and statements made by several public officials on Capitol Hill and related media reports, KBR had no involvement in the factors that led to the tragic death of Sergeant Everett," Andrew D. Farley, the company's senior vice president and general counsel, said in a written statement.

KBR's work in Iraq and Afghanistan has come under extensive criticism from members of Congress. The company has defended its performance and argued that it was not to blame for any fatalities.
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Claims against contractor dismissed in soldiers death

IG: Military, KBR at fault in electrocution

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jul 27, 2009 13:28:10 EDT

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department’s Inspector General has determined that military leaders and a military contractor failed to protect a Green Beret who was electrocuted while showering in his barracks in Iraq.

The 2008 death of 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth has triggered investigations into the other electrocution deaths of U.S. troops and the review by the Defense Department’s IG.

The inspector general says that “multiple systems and organizations” failed and exposed Maseth to “unacceptable risk.” That’s according to a summary of the IG’s findings obtained by The Associated Press.

It specifically spells out that KBR Inc. installed improperly grounded equipment that faulted and led to Maseth’s death.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/ap_electrocutions_iraq_072709w/

KBR received $83 million bonus money after troops electrocuted

Senator: KBR received $83 million in bonuses

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday May 20, 2009 12:34:10 EDT

WASHINGTON — Military contractor KBR Inc. was paid $83.4 million in bonuses for electrical work in Iraq — much of it after the military’s contract management agency recognized the contractor was doing shoddy electrical work, a senator said Wednesday.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he learned of the bonuses from Pentagon documents. Dorgan chairs the Democrats’ Policy Committee, which examined at a hearing the electrocution deaths of U.S. troops in Iraq.

At least three troops have been electrocuted while showering in Iraq, and others have been injured and killed in other electrical incidents. Houston-based KBR, which has the responsibility of maintaining electrical work in tens of thousands of U.S. facilities in Iraq, has denied any responsibility in the deaths.

But Dorgan said evidence suggests KBR’s work was involved in some of the deaths. He said $34 million in bonuses was paid three months after Green Beret Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh, was electrocuted while showering in his barracks in Iraq on Jan. 2, 2008. Maseth’s family has sued KBR, alleging wrongful death.
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Senator: KBR received $83 million in bonuses


KBR's chief defends electrical work in Iraq
By KIMBERLY HEFLING – 53 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief executive of the military contractor under scrutiny in the electrocution of U.S. troops in Iraq said Wednesday the electrical codes it used in the buildings it maintained in the war zone "were known and thought to be acceptable" by the Pentagon.

William P. Utt, the chairman of Houston-based KBR Inc. told The Associated Press in an interview that the company was not expected to meet the U.S. electrical code in a wartime environment. He said the company was striving to meet the British electrical code, which was more in line with the Iraqi electrical system.

Earlier Wednesday, Jim Childs, an electrical inspector hired by the Army to help review U.S.-run facilities in Iraq testified before the Democrats' policy committee that 90 percent of KBR's wiring in newly constructed buildings in Iraq was not done properly, meaning an estimated 70,000 buildings where troops lived and worked were not safe.

"When I began inspecting the electrical work performed by KBR, my co-workers and I found improper electrical work in every building we inspected," Childs said.
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KBR chief defends electrical work in Iraq

Iraq: flawed wiring could cause further “catastrophic results” for the troops

Safety team: Iraq site wiring deemed risky

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Apr 8, 2009 12:37:04 EDT

WASHINGTON — A military team sent to evaluate electrical problems at U.S. facilities in Iraq determined there was a high risk that flawed wiring could cause further “catastrophic results” — namely, the electrocutions of U.S. soldiers.

The team said the use of a required device, commonly found in American houses to prevent electrical shocks, was “patchy at best” near showers and latrines in U.S. military facilities. There also was widespread use of uncertified electrical devices and “incomplete application” of U.S. electrical codes in buildings throughout the war-torn country, the team found.

At least three U.S. service members have been electrocuted in Iraq while taking showers in the six years since the U.S.-led invasion of the country.

The highest-profile death was that of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, a Green Beret from Pittsburgh who was electrocuted while showering in his barracks early last year. Other troops and contractors have died or have been seriously injured in other electrical incidents.

A copy of the team’s Sept. 8 report to the then-commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, was obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/ap_electrocutions_iraq_safety_040809/

Showering in Iraq deadly enemy for troops

AP IMPACT: More bad wiring imperils troops in Iraq
By KIMBERLY HEFLING – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Military inspectors are racing to examine 90,000 U.S.-run facilities in Iraq with the goal of repairing electrical problems before more troops are electrocuted or shocked while showering or using appliances.

About one-third of the inspections so far have turned up major electrical problems, according to interviews and an internal military document obtained by The Associated Press. Half of the problems they found have since been fixed, but about 65,000 facilities still must be inspected, which could take the rest of this year. Senior Pentagon officials were on Capitol Hill this week for briefings on the findings.

The work assigned to Task Force SAFE, which oversees the inspections and repairs, is aimed at preventing deaths like that of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh. He died in January 2008, one of at least three soldiers killed while showering since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Scores more soldiers suffered shocks between September 2006 and July 2008, according to a database maintained by KBR Inc., the Houston-based contractor that oversees maintenance at most U.S. facilities in Iraq.

"We got a ton of buildings we know probably aren't safe and we just don't have them done yet," said Jim Childs, an electrician the task force hired to help with the inspections. "It's Russian roulette. I cringe every time I hear of a shock."
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AP IMPACT: More bad wiring imperils troops in Iraq

Investigator: Soldier's electrocution 'negligent homicide'

Investigator: Soldier's electrocution 'negligent homicide'
Story Highlights
Manner of death should be changed from "accidental," Army investigator writes

U.S. soldier electrocuted while showering at his base in Iraq in 2008

Investigator: Contractor didn't ensure electricians, plumbers were qualified

No charges have been filed; soldier's family is suing contractor
From Scott Bronstein and Abbie Boudreau
CNN Special Investigations Unit

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division investigator has recommended changing the official manner of death for a soldier electrocuted while showering at his base in Iraq from "accidental" to "negligent homicide," according to an e-mail from the investigator obtained by CNN.

The investigator blames KBR, the largest U.S. contractor in Iraq, and two KBR supervisors for the incident, saying there is "credible information ... they failed to ensure that work was being done by qualified electricians and plumbers, and to inspect the work that was being conducted."

The e-mail, written late last year, says the investigation report was being reviewed by CID headquarters for a legal opinion to determine probable cause before the case could be referred to the military court system or the Department of Justice for possible action. No charges have been filed.

Sgt. Ryan Maseth's manner of death has not officially been changed, CID spokesman Christopher Grey told CNN.
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Non-combat death of Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Lynn Woodham, electrocuted

Arkansan dies in Iraq
The Arkansas National Guard today announced the death in Iraq of Sgt. Anthony Lynn Woodham, 37, of Rogers. Full release on the jump.
GUARD NEWS RELEASE

CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, Ark. - The Department of Defense today announced the death of an Arkansas Army National Guard Soldier with the 39th Brigade Combat Team participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Lynn Woodham, 37, of Rogers, Ark., died July 5, at Camp Adder, Tallil, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries resulting from contact with an electrified piece of metal in the vehicle maintenance area. Woodham, of Rogers, Ark. was assigned to Delta Company, 39th Brigade Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team of Heber Springs, Ark. At the time of his death, he was attached as a vehicle maintenance supervisor with the 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team at Tallil, Iraq. The incident is under investigation.

Maj. Gen. William D. Wofford, adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard, said "My heart goes out to this Soldier's Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this trying time. No words can fill the gap left by such a loss. "

"A dark cloud hangs over the Bowie Brigade today, and it's a day we had hoped we wouldn't see during this deployment," said Col. Kendall Penn. "There are no words that can describe the loss of a Soldier, a loved one, a friend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Anthony Woodham in their time of mourning. They should know that every Soldier in this Brigade feels the pain associated with this loss."
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After Deaths, U.S. Inspects Electric Work Done in Iraq

After Deaths, U.S. Inspects Electric Work Done in Iraq
By JAMES RISEN
Gen. David H. Petraeus told Congress of the new inspections while also disclosing that at least 13 American personnel had been electrocuted in Iraq since the war began.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has ordered electrical inspections of all buildings in Iraq maintained by KBR, a major military contractor, after the electrocutions of several United States service members.

Gen. David H. Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq, told Congress of the new inspections while also disclosing that at least 13 Americans had been electrocuted in Iraq since the war began. Previously, the Pentagon said that 12 had been electrocuted. In addition to those killed, many more service members have received painful shocks, Army officials say.

General Petraeus’s written statement was made public on Monday afternoon by Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania. The statement said that of the 13 Americans electrocuted, 10 were in the Army, 1 in the Marines, and 2 were contractors.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a Green Beret from Pennsylvania, died Jan. 2 when he stepped into a shower and was electrocuted at his base in Baghdad. His death prompted investigations this spring by Congress and the Pentagon’s inspector general into evidence that poor electrical work at facilities used by American personnel had led to other electrocutions.
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