There are cowboys in the program — who by the way are escorted by armed persons, social scientist who decide that they are going to do what they want and who don’t understand the real dangers involved in operating in a war zone. Let me say, Michael was not one of those people, and from what I know of Nicole, niether was she. Each time HTS members roll out on a mission they are attached to a armed military unit which provides security. But anyone who operates in a war zone understands, bad things can happen, and unfortunately they do happen, even to U.S. civilians attached the military. Why doesn’t Stanton mention the State Department employee that was killed in the Suveges incident? Not to mention the numberous Iraqis that were killed too? — Along with the injured Army personnel that were present?

Mark has been there only two months. Let’s just thank him for the commentary, and look forward to further comments from his time there.

Stanton’s piece is at: http://cryptome.org/hts-madness.htm Here are a few clips:

“Led by a wildly unpopular program manager (Steve Fondacaro) and a detached social science advisor (Mrs. Montgomery McFate Sapone), the HTS program continues to unravel. Program morale is at its lowest point in the short and controversial life of the program. Sources predict that more civilian HTT team members and soldiers will be killed/wounded because of lousy management practices and zero program oversight by upper echelon commanders/civilians. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and General David Patreaus are also responsible for this dark state of affairs. In placing a recycled concept miles ahead of proper foundation and structure, they have compromised warfighters-in-theater, destroyed lives, and created a get-rich program for the most mercenary of HTS personnel and private contractors looking for lucrative employment.”

and…

“Many in the HTS program predict more deaths will occur because Human Terrain Team (HTT) members are poorly prepared for an insurgency environment and no one is providing a risk analysis for deployed members. One source indicated that a social scientist stationed with the US Marines in Al Anbar is “chasing IED’s” while another went out on a shopping adventure days after arriving in-theater. The social scientist, who has a Masters degree in communications, boasted in a blog about an escape from danger in Iraq by speeding recklessly through the streets of Baghdad while blaring music from a car. Another social scientist commented, “we are all islands of autonomy … doing what we want.” ”

and…

“Harsher comments were reserved for Fondacaro. Sources likened him to a madman. “He is sending neophytes into theater and they will get killed.” BAE Systems has relinquished control of its employees and leaves them at the mercy of Fondacaro who is referred to as an “idiot” and “the worse program manager the US Army has ever seen”, said sources. Training is a waste of time, money and resources, they say. Sources say that both Michael Bhatia and Nicole Seveges– HTT social scientists tragically killed while deployed—rarely showed up to training. Program participants in Bhatia’s class said they are not even sure what training he attended or which training cycle he was in. “Fondacaro was in a rush to get a “warm body” into theater, so Michael was sent in prematurely,” said a source.”

and…

“In the midst of this turmoil, BAE Systems has made a Pontius Pilate economic decision that the profits to be taken from the HTS funding trough are worth the daily troubles. According to sources, BAE Systems’ vice president, Steve Braun, who oversees the HTS contract, speaks with Fondacaro almost daily. People working in Fondacaro’s office at Oyster Point, Virginia, have heard him yelling and ranting at Braun like a “madman.” Fondacaro dictates to BAE Systems whom he wants hired/fired from the HTS program, forcing them to comply or they risk losing the contract. “If Fondacaro wants to priority-hire a felon or manic depressant, then so be it. The value of the contract is lucrative enough BAE Systems will provide that service, according to a program participant.””

The thing is, this isn’t as crappy as “any job” this sounds horrible, and Steve Fondacaro sounds like a bloody arse. What a bloody mess.

Look, legitimate questions don’t have to be cloaked in childish phrases, well one is legitimate, the other is a sign of poor self-esteem. 1) Some people get unreasonably resentful over the fact that some anthropologists in this world make more than $100k a year. My current base pay with the HTS is LESS than what I made in the US, but I was an anthropologist that did corporate consulting, worked hard and made a successful career of it. I think academics are horribly underpaid in many cases. I’ve never understood this feeling that anthropologists should not be well compensated myself, but there you go. The other is 2) How do people feel about their livelihoods being directly connected to working in conflict zones. That’s an issue I personally don’t have a problem with, but is indeed worthy of discussion. In that regard you can be an arms dealer or working for the UN, either way you are still earning your living in places of suffering if you want to take the argument from a strictly how do you make your income basis. It think that our own Tony Waters here at ethnography.com is much better suited to answer this issue as he has done related research.

But here are the nuts and bolts of this tax free income deal and none of this has ANYTHING to do with HTS policy, it’s just a fact of life if you are an overseas contractor. Any U.S. citizen that lives and works overseas for 335 days out of 365 (I think, give or take) and does not reside in the US for more that 30 days during that time (see how the math work out?), is eligible for a refund of the taxes they have paid to the IRS provided you file the paperwork. In other words, I am still getting the same healthy bite out of my paycheck you are (well, if you work), I pay into social security, insurance, etc. If you don’t like the tax code, call your congressman.

BUT, the question is are you interested in doing this for a year? I’ve only been here two months and I miss my family, my life, my care, flush toilets, decent food, not having to wear body armor. There are more than a few people that call quits at the end of their 6 or 9 month contacts because they simply don’t like the life. Also, most people working over here (soldiers, State Department, USAID, contractors) receive hazard / hardship duty pay that is a percentage of the base salary. This again is a common and legitimate goverment and corporate practice to (hopefully) induce and retain qualified people to give up their lives to do the work. Hey, I am not going to deny it, the money is excellent IF: you survive (yes, social scientists have been killed in this program), don’t get shot (ditto this program), don’t get recalled because your brigade is closing up shop (we aren’t here forever we hope), you don’t mind being on call 24/7 356 days a year (sorry no weekends or holidays), conforming to a number of military regulations, don’t mind missing your family for a year, and knowing that you have to go back out and do the job even though at IED blew up a convey and killed someone last week on the very same route you have to go down today. So, yes. Get through all of that for a year and the money can be tax free if you file your paperwork for a refund.

Ethnography.com, for all your tax planning needs.