Sunday, May 29, 2011
Cool Stuff: Hero Contractor Pilot And Author Dan Laguna On The Loss Of His Brother And Comrades
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Industry Talk: Veterans Day And Remembrance Day….. For Military And Contractors
So as everyone around the world takes time to remember their veterans and their sacrifice, I wanted to include one more group in this remembrance. That would be the thousands of civilian contractors that have served in this current war, and wars past. Their sacrifice and contribution to today’s war effort, and past war efforts, is worth every bit of respect and honor we can give them. Especially the 2000 plus contractors that have been killed in this current war, and the thousands out there that have been wounded.
It is also important to note that the ranks of contractors in this war are filled with actual military war time veterans. It is quite a thing to work side by side with a veteran of South Africa’s Border Wars, or a veteran of the Vietnam War. Or some veteran that worked multiple tours in today’s wars, both in Afghanistan and Iraq, and here they are, working as a contractor in today’s war. This special class of veteran is the type of individual that stepped up again to put their lives on the line, and give another ounce of flesh to the cause. Wether it be training Afghan police, cooking the food in a DEFAC, building living quarters for the troops, or delivering essential wartime goods on dangerous roads–contractors must be remembered on this day too.
Now to put my military veteran hat on, because many of us contractors have past service and past wars to remember. All of us who have that experience do not not need to be reminded to remember. If anything, this day comes with the hope that others will not forget these sacrifices, both past and present.
Let’s not forget about the families of contractors and military veterans too. They are the ones that count the days while their loved ones are gone, and fear those phone calls or visits that might bring news of death. They are the ones that keep raising the family while their loved one is overseas, and they are also the ones to raise that family alone when their loved one is killed or seriously injured. I salute you for your strength and dedication.
This post is also a dedication to the veterans from around the world who have at one point put it all on the line for their country during time of war. And no matter where or when, that experience is always a horrible sacrifice for all involved. There is nothing uplifting or positive about war, and the only good part about it is when it is over and everyone can go back to living their lives in peace.
So with that sad, I am always touched by the words in the famous wartime poem ‘In Flanders Fields‘, by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. This poem says it all and I wanted to put it up here as a dedication to all veterans, both military and contractor, past and present, and around the world–this is for you.-Matt
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Industry Talk: Two Security Contractors Killed In Afghanistan
Rest in peace to the fallen. This warrior below has certainly given his all in this war, as have many contractor/veterans whom have perished, and all of them have my deepest respect and appreciation. When the news comes out about the second man, I will put up an edit. Semper Fi. –Matt
Edit: 09/09/2010- The name of the other fallen security contractor is Matt Attilia. Thanks to all who sent me information about this so the sacrifice of these men could be counted. Rest in peace. Also, here is Matt’s obituary page where friends and family can sign the guest book.
Afghanistan casualty has U.P. ties
September 09, 2010
A memorial service is planned for this weekend at Faith Lutheran Church in Tilden Township
MARQUETTE COUNTY — A Canadian man with connections to Upper Michigan has been killed in Afghanistan.
Twenty-six-year-old Matthew Attilai was working security for a private contractor when he was killed by an IED.
He was on the Finland Calling program with his grandfather, George Koskimaki, who’s a World War II veteran and author.
Attilai followed in his grandfather’s footsteps by serving in the U.S. Army until 2009.
A memorial service is planned for this weekend at Faith Lutheran Church in Tilden Township.
Story here.
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Randallstown native killed by bomb in Afghanistan
He worked for private security firm after serving five years in Marine Corps, three tours in Iraq
By Jessica Anderson
September 8, 2010
When Chris Vaile was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device in January 2008, the Marine Corps sergeant refused to leave his squad in Iraq.It was his final tour. The wound permanently left shrapnel in his foot and earned him a Purple Heart, but he would not leave.”He was fearless and full of adventure,” Cara Vaile said of her son.Chris Jarrod Vaile, 25, a Randallstown native, was killed Sunday by an IED in Afghanistan, where he was working for a private security firm. The bomb exploded while Vaile was riding in a vehicle, killing him and another man, his mother said.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Quotes: Michael Thibault On Karzai’s PSC Decree And It’s Threat To The US Mission
At least someone with some sense is stating the obvious. Of course this decree is a threat to the mission and strategy in Afghanistan, and it is also a threat to President Obama’s plan and future election. He, along with his party in the US depend upon a strategy in Afghanistan that will help them politically in the near future. The economy and war will be front and center for election season, and progress must be shown in Afghanistan for there to be any political capital to be won. That could be why you don’t hear too much about this issue in the media.
Another thing that is interesting politically, is right now PSC’s or PMC’s are a hot potato issue. Republicans don’t want to come to the aid of this industry either, just because the Democrats would bash them for it. I do not see support from any independent groups either, and probably for the same reason. Which is all pretty typical for this industry, but in reality, we have been vital for both Republicans and Democrats over the years.
The way I see it right now, politically we are very important to whomever is in office. Our deaths in war do not mean the same as when troops die. Our usage allows politicians the ability to increase a security presence very quickly both at home or overseas, and without a draft or congressional mandate. All we require is financing, and you have an instant army for whatever you need done.
We are the ones that will be protecting the diplomatic mission in Iraq and filling any of the security gaps that cannot be filled by the congressionally mandated troop presence there now. We are also important in Afghanistan, because yet again, we fill a security need that would otherwise be filled by troops that are already tasked with important combat missions. There are close to a quarter million contractors of all types in this war, with 1700 thousand plus contractors that have been killed, and yet we are all marginalized as if we don’t matter? The fact is, we do matter. But hey, that will be our own little secret I guess. lol –Matt
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Michael J. Thibault
Majority Co-Chair, Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker of the House Pelosi
*****
Michael Thibault, the co-chair of the congressionally appointed Wartime Contracting Commission, which was brought together for the sole purpose of looking at how the U.S. can better manage its contracted workforce, sees a disconnect between what the Afghan government wants and what the U.S. government needs.
“If President Karzai sticks with this timeline, the U.S. mission and objectives will suffer,” Thibault says. “The U.S. military would have to take over those roles, and the mission we have laid out never allowed for this.”
Link to Quote here.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Afghanistan: Two Private Security Contractors Killed By Coalition Forces In Wardak, Highway 2
Rest in peace to the fallen. I haven’t a clue what company this was or if they were Afghan or expat? Either way, this type of stuff is a tragedy. But what is even more of a tragedy is how little information there is on this. Because I guarantee that if this was the other way around and that contractors were the ones that killed some Coalition Forces, the media and world would be all over it.
So if anyone has information to add that could fill in these crucial details, I will make the edit. It would also be nice for a change if ISAF would actually reach out to bloggers like myself or even Tim, and include us in their strategic communications. I know they read the blog, and they certainly have an active Facebook page, so what gives? –Matt
Edit: 08/29/2010 – According to Paladin 6 from the Knights of Afghanistan blog, the chatter in Afghanistan is pointing towards Watan Risk as being the company, and it was two local national security contractors that were killed. See comment below.
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2 contractors killed in Afghanistan
August 28, 2010
Two private security contractors in Afghanistan were killed by coalition forces who mistook them for insurgents, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said Saturday.
The incident happened Friday on a highway in the central province of Wardak, ISAF said.
A coalition patrol on the highway had just been fired at by insurgents in a location known as a hot spot for attacks, ISAF said. A vehicle then approached the coalition patrol at a high rate of speed with a man shooting out of the vehicle’s windows.
“Perceiving the vehicle to be a threat, the gunner fired at the vehicle and killed two of the occupants,” ISAF said.
Coalition forces learned afterwards that the two people killed were private security contractors, ISAF said. Their employer wasn’t immediately known.