Maryland Contractor died in Afghanistan

Md. Man Died In Afghanistan

Chris Coffland of Homeland was working as a contractor and was a member of the Army reserves.
According to family members, he was en route to investigate a roadside explosion when his vehicle was struck by another bomb.
His body is being returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Original Story here

Hartford Stops Disability Payments on Good Morning America

The Hartford Reinstated Disabled Man’s Benefits After Being Contacted by ‘GMA’

We’ve all heard stories of people who fake injuries in order to collect lucrative insurance benefits, and how insurance companies catch them in the act by using videotape surveillance. But critics say sometimes insurance companies go too far, by videotaping people who [...]

Honoring Veterans of the Disposable Army

by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica – November 11, 2009 4:14 pm EST
Today we honor the veterans who have served in the country’s armed forces. Nobody seriously questions whether they deserve such recognition. The men and women who defended this country and fought its wars made immeasurable sacrifices.
I have spent much of the last year writing [...]

Murder Charge Briton Danny Fitzsimons may face psychiatric tests

Martin Chulov in Baghdad
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 1 November 2009 19.19 GMT
Article history

Lawyers for Daniel Fitzsimons, the British security contractor accused of shooting dead two colleagues in Baghdad, have asked for him to be moved to a psychiatric unit in an attempt to [...]

Labor Dept., Congress Plan Improvements to System to Care for Injured War Contractors

by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica – October 13, 2009 10:15 am EDT
The Labor Department has launched a series of changes to improve the controversial federal system designed to provide medical care and disability benefits to civilian contractors injured in war zones, department officials say.
The agency has stepped up enforcement, set new [...]

Partner of Scot killed in Iraq gives birth on day tragic fiance was due to return home

Oct 14 2009 Cordelia O’Neill
THE fiancee of a Scots security guard shot dead in Baghdad gave birth to their first child on the day he was due home.
Nicci Prestage told yesterday of her joy and sadness after having their baby girl four weeks early.
The youngster’s dad Paul McGuigan, 37, was a former Royal Marine working as [...]

Civilian Contractors Toll in Iraq and Afghanistan Ignored by Defense Department

Civilian Contractor Toll in Iraq and Afghanistan Ignored by Defense Dept.
by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica – October 9, 2009
An Afghan policeman walks past a vehicle that had carried U.S. civilian contractors, after it was targeted by a suicide bomber in the Logar province. (Farzana Wahidy/AFP/Getty Images/January 2007 file photo)
As the war in Afghanistan entered its [...]

Longshore/DBA Conference Speakers Overwhelmingly Work for the Defense

The overwhelming  majority of these speakers work for the insurance companies.
It is their business if they choose to hold conferences which are biased toward their interests.
But is it the place for an ALJ who works for the Department of Labor, a public servant,  to be?
Here is the line up.  Make up your own mind.
Craig A. [...]

Defense Longshore/DBA Conferences, not all bad

Before we get on with introducing the line up of speakers for the Defense Longshore/DBA Conference this week we wanted to point out one name which you will see listed at nearly every conference.
Joshua Gillelan who owns the Longshore Claimants’ National Law Center — Washington D.C.   The name speaks for itself.
Mr. Gillelan spent many [...]

Senate Bill would protect contractor whistleblowers

By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com
The head of the Senate contracting oversight subcommittee introduced legislation on Thursday that would provide whistleblower rights to employees of companies receiving government contracts.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., sponsored the legislation (S. 1745) that would also apply to employees of state and local governments, nonprofits, and other companies receiving grants or other federal [...]