Rejection

Another FOIA rejection came in. But...I am going to appeal this one all the way. I probably should mention, I filed the FOIA request with the NSA so I wasn't surprised by their response. 

Wish me luck.

Tikrit-Kirkuk Road

I found some photos on the web that I have good reason to believe are of the road between Tikrit and Kirkuk. Colin Freeman described the road in his book, Curse of the al Dulaimi Hotel. From page 136:

[A local Iraqi police chief] directed us to the spot where Kirk had vanished. It was near the brow of a long, winding hilltop road, miles from anywhere and surrounded by rocky outcrops. A long way from any help if you got yourself in a tight spot. At the bottom of the other side of the hill, there was a US Army checkpoint, where Dawkins had handed over a copy of Kirk's photograph.

So far, no luck in confirming the photos linked to below are in fact of the road between Tikrit and Kirkuk through the Jabal Hamrin mountains. I also haven't been able to get in touch with anyone for permission to post the photos here at the Missing Man. I'll keep trying though.

The first of the photos were posted at webshots.com by elpastorek in a folder called #2 Iraq-Camp Danger/Tikrit uploaded July 2, 2005. Of particular interest is Photo 020.

Photo 010

Photo 011

Photo 015

Photo 020

Photo 021

The next photo was posted at TravelPod.com by TeamKnell in a folder called Album #2 uploaded February 16, 2008

Traveling to Kirkuk-Kirkuk, Iraq

Given the landscape in photos, would you drive through this area with a tire problem?

Addendum: I've decided to post one photo, Photo 020. If the photographer objects, I will remove it.

Original source and additional photos by elpastorek: Photo 020

Kirk von Ackermann's Notebook

One thing just keeps bugging me: the missing notebook.

Kirk von Ackermann was known as a prolific note taker, continuing that practice while in the Middle East, writing in code. Shortly after alleging that von Ackermann's disappearance in the fall of 2003 was connected to fraud, Ryan Manelick was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Assuming the fraud allegations are true, seems to me that Kirk von Ackermann's notebook might be the single most important item needed for solving Ryan Manelick's case. 

So what gives - how come no one has ever shown any interest in finding Kirk von Ackermann's notebook?

Related Posts

The Missing Personal Effects
January 2, 2009

The Missing Notebook (image)
June 11, 2008

US Hostages in Iraq

Just this past fall, an article from the Associated Press provided statistics from the Defense Intelligence Agency on Americans who were kidnapped in Iraq.

Iraq calmer but copycat kidnappings spread
By Pamela Hess, Associated Press, October 13, 2008

Five years ago, retired Air Force intelligence officer Kirk von Ackermann became the first of 39 Americans to be kidnapped in Iraq. He's still missing, his wife fearing she'll never see him again.

Attached is a chart showing the incident date, name and status of those 39. Technically, the status of 'released' should more properly be referred to as 'Returned to Military Control' (RMC).

As mentioned in a previous post, there is good reason to believe there are more Americans missing in Iraq than those who have been reported. Employers and family members may choose to keep quiet for a number of reasons (ransom, etc). Just to be clear, 39 is the minimum number of those kidnapped in Iraq to date.

Not included in the chart (at this time) are the troops taken POW (status: missing) during the invasion of March 2003. All were Returned to Military Control:

Spc. Edgar Hernandez
Spc. Joseph Hudson
Spc. Shoshana Johnson
Pfc. Patrick Miller
Sgt. James Riley
Pfc. Jessica Lynch
Chief warrant officer David Williams
Chief warrant officer Ronald Young Jr.

I also haven't included Captain Michael Scott Speicher, missing since his plane was shot down on January 16, 1991 during Gulf War I. He is, however, listed in the side bar to the right.

American Hostages in Iraq

Kirk von Ackermann
Thomas Hamill
Nick Berg
William Bradley
Keith Matthew Maupin
Timothy E. Bell
Aban Elias
Micah Garen
Jack Hensley
Olin Eugene Armstrong, Jr.
Paul Taggart
Roy Hallums
Dean Sadek
Jeffrey Ake
Tom Fox
Ronald Alan Schulz
Jill Carroll
PFC Kristian Menchaca
PFC Thomas Tucker
Sgt Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie
Jonathon Michael Cote
Paul Christopher Johnson-Reuben
Joshua Mark Munns
John Roy Young
Ronald Withrow
+ 14 unknown persons

The Missing Personal Effects

To date, no one really knows what happened to Kirk von Ackermann's personal effects. News articles mention his lap top, satellite phone and $40,000 were found in his car. But nothing is known about his clothes or any personal items he may have had with him in Iraq - nothing was ever returned to his family.

Now it's possible early investigators filed things away or that maybe his colleagues were too busy to deal with a box kicking around their offices, or maybe his things just got tossed out along the way. It's certainly easy to assume that whatever overnight bag might have held von Ackermann's toothbrush and clean socks just got lost in the shuffle during the early days of the investigation into his disappearance.

But what if von Ackermann's personal effects were never inside of his abandoned vehicle on the day it was found? And what does the absence of those items say about how von Ackermann intended to spend that day?

The source for Colin Freeman's first article - who we later learn was Ryan Manelick - told Freeman that von Ackermann was on a 'day trip.'

Excerpt from Civilian Vanishes in Iraq

"Kirk was on a day trip from Kirkuk to Tikrit that day and was coming back when he rang one of the company's Iraqi employees around 3 p.m. to say he had a flat tire and couldn't get it fixed with the jack he had. He was stopped right on top of a road that runs over a small range of hills ... at the time.

Kirk von Ackermann certainly could have left his belongings somewhere in Kirkuk expecting to return to them at the end of the day. But where? While Ultra Services listed an 'office' in Kirkuk on its company website, von Ackermann is said to have called and left a message for his family the night before saying he was sleeping that night at a base. Ultra Services' offices were said to do double duty as apartments so why stay at a local base instead of the area office?

A quick look at the options of what could have happened to an overnight bag:

1. with von Ackermann in his vehicle
2. at the base - likely in the contracting officer's office
3. at Ultra Services' office
4. at an other unknown location

Continuing on.

According to Ryan Manelick - Kirk von Ackermann was returning from Tikrit to Kirkuk - but if the source of the information in Daniel Halpern's article was accurate, there was a side trip to FOB Pacesetter much further south near Balad.  (Note: FOB Pacesetter was later renamed FOB McMenzie.)

Simply put, Kirk von Ackermann's itinerary on October 9: Kirkuk to Tikrit to FOB Pacesetter near Balad then returning back to Tikrit to Kirkuk. And meanwhile, somewhere along the way he is also believed to have picked up a Nissan Patrol SUV with a bad tire of which von Ackermann was aware.


View Larger Map 

Excerpt from Death of a Contractor

On October 9th, not long after he and Phillips tried to take half of Ultra Services from Dawkins and create a rival company, Kirk von Ackermann visited FOB McKenzie, a U.S. forward operating base near Samarra. After meeting with a Turkish subcontractor, he left the base behind the wheel of his Nissan Patrol SUV. He was alone.

Logic says, keep an overnight bag close at hand as, with all travel, something might come up especially during a roughly 8 hour journey covering 300 miles round trip. In a region where travel could be interrupted for a variety of reasons, such as closed roads due to ongoing searches for Saddam Hussein, a contractor would be well-advised to be prepared.

Now back to the question I first posed...what if von Ackermann's overnight bag was never in his vehicle? Suddenly von Ackermann's movements and intentions that day are much less clear. So, below is another look at trying to construct a time line which is an admittedly rather hopeless project.

Timeline - version II

A conservative estimate based on drive time of 2.5 hours between Tikrit and Kirkuk, averaging 40 miles an hour, a one-hour meeting and backing into approximate times based on the news report of a 3:00 pm phone call.

Time 04:00 05:37 06:02 (6:30) (9:00) (10:00) (10:30) 11:30 11:50 12:00 13:00 15:00 15:05 15:10 15:45 17:27 17:37 18:02 20:00 24:00

AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

Event Curfew Lifts Twilight Sunrise Leaves guest quarters in Kirkuk Tikrit Balad Arrive FOB Pacesetter (one-hour meeting) Leaves FOB Pacesetter Solar Noon Balad Tikrit Employee receives phone call Passing Patrol Check point report Employee arrives Moonrise (99% full moon) Sunset Twilight Curfew Starts in Tikrit area  Curfew nationwide

There's not much room for error. Somewhere in there, Kirk von Ackermann is believed to purchase his vehicle.

So what do you think - were Kirk von Ackermann's personal effects in the vehicle? Or is it an irrelevant question?

Related Posts

The Missing Notebook (image)
June 11, 2008

Time Line - Work in Progress (table)
April 27, 2008

Sun, Moon, Weather Data (graphic)
March 17, 2008

FOB Pacesetter (satellite image, photo & maps)
December 26, 2007

Defense Base Act vs War Hazards Compensation Act

This post looks at the significance of a non-hostile event vs a hostile event in determining how a casualty will be handled under the Defense Base Act. Any errors are strictly my own and, as always, corrections are very much welcome.

Casualty

Under United States policies and laws, a casualty is composed of a) TYPE, b) STATUS, and c) CATEGORY.

a) TYPE:

(1) non-hostile or
(2) hostile

b) STATUS:

(1) deceased or
(2) duty status – whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN) for military, or excused absence – whereabouts unknown (EAWUN) for civilians or
(3) missing or
(4) very seriously ill or injured (VSI) or
(5) seriously ill or injured (SI) or
(6) not seriously ill or injured (NSI) or
(7) Returned to Military Control (RMC) or
(8) Pending - for preliminary reports only

At the DoD Component’s discretion, an additional casualty Status may be used - generally used for illnesses that require hospitalization:

(9) Special Patient (SPECPAT) or
(10) Special Category (SPECAT)

c) CATEGORY:

There are a wide variety of casualty categories depending on the status. For example, categories used for 'Status - Missing' are - Beleaguered, Besieged, Captured, Detained, Interned, Missing, Missing in Action (MIA), and again, Pending is for preliminary reports only.

POW is not a casualty status for reporting purposes, rather Status and Category are "Missing-Captured."

The key to understanding the difference between the Defense Base Act and the War Hazards Compensation Act lies in the TYPE of casualty: non-hostile vs. hostile

Laws

The Defense Base Act is an extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act - the equivalent of worker's compensation for Americans working overseas for US government agencies.

The Defense Base Act is, in effect, a group of laws: Defense Base Act (1941), War Hazards Compensation Act (1942), Mutual Security Act (1958), and in part the Dayton Peace Accords (1995). In addition, the Federal Employees Compensation Act (1916) applies should an incident qualify under the War Hazards Compensation Act.

Because coverage under the Defense Base Act is a legal requirement, premiums paid by a contractor are a reimbursable expense under the terms of the contract. Contracts should carry the relevant contract clauses (see: PDF - Memorandum: Inclusion of Defense Base Act Clause in DoD Overseas Contracts 08 Dec 2003).

Defense Base Act vs War Hazards Compensation Act

Incidents are divided into two types: NON-HOSTILE and HOSTILE. Casualties the result of a Non-Hostile event are covered under the Defense Base Act. Casualties the result of a Hostile event, however, are covered under the War Hazards Compensation Act.

The following graphic is an attempt to help clarify the difference between the Defense Base Act and the War Hazards Compensation Act.

right click to open in a new window

Claims arising from incidents that are the result of non-hostile action generally are reported under the Defense Base Act and as such are 15-40% reimbursable. [see note below] Claims arising from incidents that are the result of hostile action are paid under the War Hazards Compensation Act and subsequently the Federal Employees Compensation Act and consequently are 100% reimbursable.

Example:

John Brown sprains his ankle getting out of his truck in Iraq. Even though he's working in a war zone, the type of incident is non-hostile. Claims will be covered under the Defense Base Act. The claims will be reimbursed at 15-40%.

Bob Jones sprains his ankle getting out of his truck in Iraq as he attempts to retreat from mortar fire. Even though the injury is physically and medically identical to that of his co-worker, John Brown, the incident is the result of hostile action. Claims will be covered under the War Hazards Compensation Act and subsequently the Federal Employees Compensation Act. The claims will be reimbursed at 100%.

Previous related posts

Casualty Status of Missing

Iraq Contractors and The Missing Persons Act

Note (added July 19, 2009)

Figures were provided by Department of Labor personnel during several presentations at the Defense Base Act conference in Washington DC in the fall of 2008. The vast majority of claims filed under the Defense Base Act are for injuries. Expense to be reimbursed is usually for Loss Time - that is, the amount of time that an employee is unable to work due to the injury - but only if more than 4 days. The first 4 days are expected to be paid as sick days by an employer, and are not reimbursed.

As a result, the bulk of the claims - which again are for injuries - generally end up being reimbursed at 15-40%. In more concrete terms, the vast majority of injuries result in a time loss of 5 to 7 days of which 1 to 3 days, roughly 15-40%, will be reimbursed.

The Department of Labor breaks down Loss Time as follows:

NLT - No Loss Time - No lost time and no medical expense
NL0 - No Loss Zero - No lost time and no medical expense * but may result in a later claim, Questionable No Lost Time Injury**
NL4 - No Loss Four - No lost time, medical expense incurred or expected *
DEA - Death
COP - Continuation of regular pay*
OTH - Other

* found on a DOL form for Federal Employee's Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation
** CHAPTER 1-300 - INDEX AND CONTROL at the Department of Labor website

Websites of interest

A few websites for anyone interested on learning more about some of the common issues surrounding Iraq and American contractors and troops who served there. (Defense Base Act benefits, health and safety issues, etc). I'll be adding them to the side bar.

Ms Sparky's Mishaps & Misadventures

Host is Ms Sparky, an electrician who worked for KBR in Iraq from 2004-2007. 

American Contractors in Iraq

Host is Jana Crowder, wife of a former KBR driver who worked in Iraq. My understanding is the site grew out of a discussion board for contractors families.

Patriot Missive

Hosts are two former soldiers, Ms. Missive who served in Iraq in 2005 and Skitz M. Jones, medic in Balad, Iraq from 2005-2006. 

White Rose's Adventures

Host is Cindy Morgan, a former KBR truck driver who spent two years in Iraq. Morgan wrote a book about her experiences, "Cindy In Iraq."

DBA Comp

Host is the wife of a former Iraq contractor who returned from Iraq with severe health issues.

Iraq Slogger

News out of Iraq.

Un-Justice for a Contractor in Iraq

There's something about this story that compels me to post it here at the Missing Man.

It may be that the unidentified contractor was essentially kidnapped and held against his will for months - his family assuming he was dead. Or that the contractor worked with intelligence personnel during the course of his work. Or that the military personnel charged with the authority to investigate seemed to have abandoned the responsibility given to them. Or that he and his family have suffered financially - his employer still owes him wages.

More than likely, it's the similarity - basic accepted principals of American justice based on forensic evidence and cold hard facts stood ignored while prejudice, jealousy, innuendo and gossip found favor.

Former U.S. Contractor Alleges 9-Month Detention in Iraq
By Emma Schwartz, ABC News, December 11, 2008

For months, he worked closely with American soldiers, ferreting out threats to the troops and forging a relationship with a key sheikh who went on to lead the Sunni awakening. But when this 52-year-old translator and veteran of the U.S. Army headed for his annual leave as a contractor in Iraq, he claims he was wrongfully imprisoned for nine months by American forces, with no access to a lawyer and no contact with his family for months.

The allegations are laid out in a lawsuit against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, recently filed in federal court in Washington where the former contractor for Titan, and a naturalized U.S. citizen, alleges that his due process rights were violated when he was detained and held in "torturous conditions." "There was no justice in what happened to me," the translator said in an exclusive hour-long phone interview with ABCNews.com. "There was no justice involved in it."

The translator's suit is filed under an alias, John Doe, because he fears for his safety and his family. But through his lawyer, Michael Kanovitz, the translator agreed to an interview about the details of his imprisonment. His case is the fourth known example of a U.S. citizen held in Iraq without a formal trial. Two other former contractors, Donald Vance and Nathan Ertel, have filed a similar suit in Chicago over their three month long detention at Camp Cropper. Another U.S. citizen, filmmaker Cyrus Kar, also filed suit over his arrest and several-week long detention, but a judge recently dismissed his suit on the grounds that the military officials had immunity.

More...

Ultra Services Procured Cars

News to me.

I stumbled upon an article from November of 2003 featuring Ryan Manelick. The article was for a Swiss news outlet by the name of 24 Heures and is in French - probably why I missed it all these years. I can't be sure but I believe it includes quotes from Omar Hadi - who I believe is referred to as "Haydar." One very interesting note: according to the article, Ryan's job included procuring cars [voitures] for the US Army.

This of course raises a very big question - did Ryan Manelick help Kirk von Ackermann buy his vehicle? I'm going to bet the answer is yes. 

I am quoting the article in full below. Another thing to note - Ryan appears to still be working for Ultra Services. There is no indication of any kind of animosity within the company.

C'est l'histoire de deux chefs d'entreprise
24 Heures, November 18, 2003

C'est l'histoire de deux chefs d'entreprise. 

Haydar a 32 ans. Il est Irakien. C'est un « intermédiaire »: il cherche ? et trouve ? des entreprises capables de répondre aux commandes des multinationales américaines en charge de la reconstruction du pays. 

Ryan Manelick, lui, a 30 ans. Il est Texan. Il n'a qu'un seul client, l'armée américaine qu'il approvisionne en unités sanitaires, électroménager, meubles, ordinateurs ou voitures d'Europe et des Etats-Unis. Et l'option « grand bazar sur la Mésopotamie » s'est avérée plus que payante. Créée en janvier dernier dans l'optique de la guerre, l'entreprise de Ryan Manelick avance un chiffre d'affaires de 12 millions de dollars sur quatre mois et emploie près de 70 locaux. 

« Jamais, nous aurions rêvé une telle réussite », confie-t-il. « Mais qui aurait pu imaginer que l'armée américaine n'aurait rien prévu pour l'après-guerre ? On leur livre même des ballots de protection. »

Faveurs et privilèges

Près d'une cinquantaine de petites entités de toutes nationalités se disputent ce marché. Les contrats sont théoriquement distribués sur la base d'appels d'offres par courriel mais Ryan admet des entorses à la règle. « Je suis Américain donc je rentre facilement dans les bases et au quartier général. Des contrats se passent parfois de gré à gré. » 

Sa nationalité se révèle en revanche handicapante lorsqu'il s'agit de faire transiter les marchandises dans le fameux triangle sunnite, bastion de la résistance. « Ce n'est pas de tout repos », consent-il. « On essuie des tirs. Mais pour l'instant, il n'y a pas de casse, heureusement. »

Haydar, quant à lui, rêverait de connaître ce genre de problème. Son chiffre d'affaire en sept mois de présence américaine ? Néant. Il n'a pourtant pas ménagé ses efforts pour obtenir des contrats, répondant aux multiples appels d'offres de Bechtel et KBR, les deux entreprises américaines qui ont décroché les plus gros contrats (respectivement 1 et 2,3 milliards de dollars). « Bechtel ne m'a jamais répondu tandis que KBR me fait des propositions insensées, explique-t-il. Ils demandent parfois 50 rouleaux de scotch, 30 pinceaux à peinture ... Mais pour qui me prennent-ils ? Ils n'ont qu'à aller au supermarché. »

L'Autorité provisoire de la coalition (CPA) n'échappe pas à sa critique. « Eux, vivent sur une autre planète. Ils passent par exemple un appel d'offres pour approvisionner en matériel informatique une équipe de 800 personnes. J'ai envoyé une proposition d'une société syrienne et j'ai reçu pour toute réponse un mail m'expliquant que, finalement d'offres n'était pas assez étayé. Est-ce ma faute s'ils ne réfléchissent pas avant de lancer une proposition ?»

Et de montrer des factures de téléphone satellite de 500 dollars, 150 dollars, dépenses occasionnées par ces démarchages. « Ils n'ont aucune manière. Avant la guerre, nous travaillions avec des sociétés russes dans le secteur pétrolier, je peux vous dire que c'était bien plus professionnel. »

De Haydar le Bagdadi à Ryan le Texan, ces deux destins aux fortunes diverses résument les débuts anarchiques de la reconstruction économique du nouvel Irak.

English Translation

My French is a little rusty. Rough translation follows - I'm sure I botched a phrase or two. Corrections very much welcome.

This is the story of two businessmen. 

Haydar is 32-years old. He is an Iraqi. He's a 'middle man.' He searches and finds companies capable of answering the demands of the American multinationals [corporations] in charge of reconstruction.

Ryan Manelick is 30-years old. He is a Texan. He has only one client, the American Army, who he supplies with portable toilets, appliances, furniture, computers or cars from Europe and America. And the option of the 'big bazaar in Mesopotamia' for more proof of who is paying. Created last January at the first hint of war, Ryan Manelick's company grew to $12 million of business in 4 months and employs 70 locals.

"Never, did we dream of this much success," he confided. "But then, who could have imagined the American Army didn't plan ahead for the post-war? Even their security is hired."

Favors and Privileges

Close to fifty small companies of all nationalities compete for business. The contracts are theoretically distributed on the basis of public requests for proposals but Ryan admits there are exceptions to the rules. "I am an American and can easily enter the bases and contracting offices. Contracts sometimes get handled in private."

His nationality, on the other hand, appears as a handicap when he moves merchandise in the famous Sunni Triangle, bastion of the resistance. "It's not peaceful", he admits. "You hear about shootings. But for now, that's not the case, happily."

Haydar has his own problems. His business after seven months of the American presence? Little to nothing. Despite his best efforts, he hasn't been able to obtain contracts, responding to multiple requests for proposals from Bechtel and KBR, the two American companies who offer the biggest contracts (respectively $1 and 2.3 million) "Bechtel never responded while KBR made ridiculous requests," he explained. "They asked for 50 bottles of Scotch, 30 paint brushes...but why ask me? Why not just go to the supermarket?"

The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) doesn't escape criticism. "Them. They live on another planet. For example, they made an appeal for software and equipment for 800 people. I delivered a proposal from a Syrian company and in response, I received an email explaining that there wasn't enough documentation to support the proposal. Is it my fault they didn't provide a description of their needs to begin with?" 

[Haydar?] shows invoices of satellite calls for 500 dollars, 150 dollars, expenditures due to the proposal."They have no manners. Before the war, we worked with the Russians in the petroleum industry. Let me tell you, they were much more professional." 

Haydar the Bagdadi and Ryan the Texan, two destinies of diverse fortunes that summarize the anarchistic debut of the economic rebuilding of a new Iraq.

Contractor Fatalities as of September 2008

From the Associated Press:

Deaths of civilian employees of U.S. government contractors as of Sept 30, 2008: 1,264

No mention of injuries or missing personnel. 

As a side note, while I was at the Defense Base Act conference in Washington DC, I spoke with someone from the Department of Labor about missing persons. His words, "we can't prove it, but we know there must be more than reported." By "we," he meant the Department of Labor. 

According to the person I spoke with, the Department of Labor is aware that in some circumstances, employers continue paying the full salary of a kidnapped or missing employee rather than file a report or claim. There's some logic behind this. For one, employers want to keep a low profile and keep their company name out of the news media. Two, keeping an individual's names out of the news may aid with recovery especially in dealing with ransom demands. Three, families facing an already stressful situation want some privacy. 

Pretty much, no one really knows how many Americans are missing in Iraq today. 

Reference

Iraq: Key figures since the war began
Julie Reed and Rhonda Shafner, Associated Press, December 1, 2008

Book - Big Boy Rules by Steve Fainaru

One of the central figures in a new non-fiction book written by Washington Post reporter Steve Fainaru is Jonathan Cote. 

Cote, who worked for Crescent Security in Iraq, was kidnapped with four of his colleagues on November 16, 2006. He was 23-years old at the time of his kidnapping. In April 2008, Cote's remains were recovered and identified. Fainaru would later discover from autopsy reports that Cote was beheaded. 

The book is up close and personal. Fainaru travelled to Iraq and rode security missions with Cote just days before the kidnappings. From what I've read about the book - Fainaru doesn't hold back.

Big Boy Rules - America's Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq
By Steve Fainaru
Da Capo Press
November 2008

Synopsis from the publisher:

"Washington Post" reporter Steve Fainaru traveled with several groups of security contractors to find out what motivates them to put their lives in danger every day. What emerges is a searing, revealing, and sometimes darkly funny look at the men who live and work on the battlefields of Iraq.

Additional Reading

Detailed new book offers deep drama of Cote saga
By Dan Herbeck, The Buffalo News, October 29, 2008

Excerpt: Fainaru is convinced that the bodies of the abducted men would never have been found if Cote’s stepmother, Nancy M. Cote, was not a prominent federal agent who headed the Buffalo office of the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration. After more than a year of fruitless efforts by the FBI, a DEA agent in Iraq got the information that led to the recoveries.

Cote’s spirit rules pages of new book
By Donn Esmonde, The Buffalo News, November 16, 2008

Satellite Image of the Road

Still searching for the perfect satellite image of the road where Kirk von Ackermann's vehicle was found.


Google maps is pretty good but the images in the library for the mountainous area are all low resolution. Still haven't found an ideal photo of the spot...but the one linked below is pretty close. It just nicks the checkpoint - near the tiny green areas on the upper left hand side. The location of the vehicle and the crossroad were just missed. If there was a second panel to the left, it'd be perfect. At least this will give a clearer idea of the topography.

GeoEye Satellite Image
Collected December 4, 2002
Area of the satellite image is shown in the map above.
LL_LAT 34.7851
LL_LON 43.9823
LR_LAT 34.7898
LR_LON 44.1217
UL_LAT 34.9399
UL_LON 43.9823
UR_LAT 34.9449
UR_LON 44.1219
Compare the image to that used in the previous post, The Passing Patrol & The Checkpoint. Locate the forked river in the upper right hand corner to get your bearings.

To find more images, visit GeoEye

Passing Patrol & the Checkpoint

Continuing my thoughts from the previous post...

A passing patrol is said to have reported Kirk von Ackermann's abandoned vehicle to a checkpoint minutes after a satellite call was placed asking for help with a flat tire. The call, believed to be from von Ackermann, was received by an Iraqi employee. The employee arrived 45 minutes later. Von Ackermann had vanished.

The critical question: how many minutes elapsed between the satellite call and the arrival of the passing patrol at the checkpoint - was it really only 5 minutes?


View Larger Map

North/East towards Kirkuk
Blue - checkpoint
Pink - abandoned vehicle
Yellow - nearest crossroad in the opposite direction of the checkpoint
South/West towards Tikrit

The journey in a military vehicle between Tikrit and Kirkuk - roughly 75 miles - was described in one news article as taking roughly 2.5 hours through the mountains. Simple math - 30 miles per hour. The distance between the checkpoint and the abandoned vehicle maps out to just over 1 mile - a 2 minute drive. The distance between the abandoned vehicle and the nearest road not in the direction of the check point, maps out to just over 1.5 miles - a 3 minute drive.

Assuming the passing patrol never stopped, super simple math says the passing patrol was only 1.5 miles behind von Acerkmann when (and if) he made the call. That places the patrol at the intersection of the nearest crossroad in the opposite direction and away from the checkpoint.

Maybe my math is a little off -- high school math was a very long time ago -- but doesn't this put the military patrol quite literally on top of von Ackermann's abductors on a narrow isolated country road? The only other option is that the kidnappers passed right through the checkpoint - and no one noticed. That's just not possible.

In the fall of 2003, US and Coalition forces were actively looking for Saddam Hussein in the Tikrit region. While it seems unlikely Hussein would have headed for Kirkuk (an area he was very unpopular in)...I find it even harder to believe American troops weren't taking fine tooth combs to every single vehicle coming from the Tikrit area.

From Point A to Point B

A passing patrol came upon Kirk von Ackermann's abandonned vehicle within a very short time of a satellite call for help to an Iraqi employee - in theory, it means the patrol was following von Ackermann for part of the route between Tikrit and Kirkuk. I keep wondering if there were points along the way that the two might have been visible to each other?

I'm also wondering...how much time did it take the passing patrol to drive from von Ackermann's vehicle to the check point? Did CID ever actually measure that distance and time exactly how long it took to drive from point A to point B?

Did CID ever attempt a re-enactment of the journey of the two vehicles?

Five Years

Five years ago today I wrote my first blog post about a missing contractor in Iraq. If you had tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I would still be following that same story five years later, I wouldn't have believed you.

Fast forward, five years later.

Because of this blog, I've 'met' a lot of people from an incredibly wide range of backgrounds. They share an interest in the events in Iraq 2003 at Ultra Services - the disappearance of Kirk von Ackermann and the death of Ryan Manelick. Today, there remain more questions than answers.

In August of 2006, the US Army's CID determined Kirk von Ackermann was abducted and killed by insurgents in a botched kidnapping attempt. A presumption of death certificate was issued for von Ackermann. The case of his colleague, Ryan Manelick, remains open.

There are those who would like to believe von Ackermann and Manelick's employer, John Dawkins, was responsible. Until proven otherwise, I believe John Dawkins is innocent. In fact, I believe Dawkins was intended to be the victim - and that Kirk von Ackermann was killed due to mistaken identity. While there may well have been fraud at Ultra Services, I don't believe it is connected to what occurred.

To be crystal clear - I am, as far as I know, the only person who believes in the above version of events.

Anaconda Burn Pit

Anaconda Burn Pit, Balad, Iraq 2006 - Photo credit: courtesy of SPC Jami Gibbs of PatriotMissive.com

Safest place in Iraq for an American to be - surrounded by the US military. So really, who'd ever think to look for the body of a missing contractor on an American military base? 

I've posted about the Anaconda* burn pile before (here). From everything I've ever read about the burn pit - it's a great place to hide a dead body. Turns out I'm not too far off - literally.

Assuming the memo cited in the article below is true, amputated limbs from the base hospital were routinely discarded on the burn pile. Commenters also say "unserviceable uniform items" refering to clothing with blood and/or body remains were also disposed of this way. So if human remains are ever uncovered at the pit, it's quite likely no one will ever think to treat those remains as evidence in an abduction-murder case. 

Hopefully I'm way off and just horribly wrong and Kirk von Ackermann was snatched by Iraqi insurgents as CID says and he was not abducted and murdered at the hands of Americans as I currently fear. 


Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Hill AFB officer worries that Iraqi burn pit threatens troops' health
By Matthew D. LaPlante, The Salt Lake Tribune, October 29, 2008

A memo being circulated at military bases across the country, written by an officer from Hill Air Force Base, calls the pit an "acute health hazard" -- one that may have increased the risk of chronic problems for hundreds of thousands of service members and contractors who have done tours of duty at the largest base in Iraq.

As they have taken steps to end the practice, Air Force officials claim it doesn't pose a health risk.

The critical memo was written by environmental engineer Darrin Curtis, who served with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad from September 2006 to January 2007. He expressed his dismay with the burning of toxic chemicals, plastics and other toxic waste -- including, according to some reports, amputated limbs from the base hospital -- and the lack of any apparent concern for the health of those breathing in the smoke.

According to one commenter at Military.com, the memo cited was the result of a study commissioned by Army COSCOM/CC.

Additional Reading:

[Photos] Health risk for soldiers in Balad, Iraq: The Burn Pit
by Mrs. Missive, Patriot Missive, October 30, 2008
(includes the author's photos)

[Photos] Health risk for soldiers in Balad, Iraq: The Burn Pit (crosspost)
by Mrs. Babble, American Babble, October 30, 2008
(includes the author's photos)

The Smell of Burning Flash in the Morning
By Marshall Thompson, November 3, 2008
(includes the author's photos)

Balad Burn Pit May Pose Health Risk
Reprint at Military.com, October 30, 2008

*Anaconda is now known as Joint Base Balad

Ronald Schulz - remains recovered

Ronald Allen Schulz, 40, an industrial electrician of Eagle River, Alaska and his Kurdish fiance, Susan Bushra, an interpreter for the U.S. Army, were kidnapped on November 25, 2005.

Insurgents released video footage of his execution, later viewed by family members. A presumption of death certificate was issued by a state judge in April 2006.

FBI: Remains of ND civilian recovered in Iraq
By James MacPherson, Associated Press, October 30, 2008

The remains of a North Dakota civilian taken hostage and killed in Iraq nearly three years ago have been recovered along with remains believed to be those of his fiancee, an interpreter for the military, his sister and FBI officials said.

Schulz served in the U.S. Marine Corps 1984-1991. No mention if he served in Gulf War I.

Additional Reading

Extremist group claims it killed American hostage
AP, USA Today, December 19, 2005

Iraq Court Conviction in Kidnapping

What follows is one small part of an incredibly ugly story. I feel an obligation to include the information here at the Missing Man due to its connection to kidnappings in Iraq. An Iraqi court has just handed down sentencing of several men accused of participating in the kidnapping of two American troops.

Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, 23, and Private First Class Thomas Tucker, 25, of the 1st Battalion 502nd Regiment of the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division were captured, tortured and killed in June 2006. I'll spare the details of what was done to the corpses. 

Just this week, on Tuesday, October 28, an Iraqi court convicted a man by the name of Ibrahim Karim al-Qaraguli as a driver of one of the vehicles used during the crime. Two co-defendants were acquitted.

Iraqi court convicts U.S. soldiers' killer
By By Alissa J. Rubin, International Herald Tribune, October 28, 2008

The killings of Menchaca and Tucker were said to be in retaliation for the brutal rape of a 14-year girl by a group of U.S. troops from the same brigade. The troops murdered she and her family, including a younger sister, in what is now known as the Al-Mahmudiyah killings. To hide any evidence, the troops set the 14-year old girl's body on fire. In U.S. federal court, the trial of Pfc. Steven D. Green for murder and sexual assault remains pending. Three of his co-conspirators plead guilty and are serving long sentences. A fourth served two years for lying to protect the others.

Defense Base Act Conference

I'm in Washington D.C. to cover the Defense Base Act Conference for ePluribus Media this week. The first of what I hope to be several articles is now available:

Defense Base Act Conference - Part 1
By Susie Dow, ePluribus Media, October 23, 2008

Later this afternoon, Thomas Giblin of the U.S. Department of Labor and Roger Levy, the Editor-in-Chief of the new Defense Base Act and War Hazards Compensation Act Handbook, are scheduled to speak on the War Hazards Compensation Act, specifically - Detention Benefits. The Conference has been extremely informative to date. The Handbook is a must have for anyone interested in this relatively obscure area of workers' compensation programs.

On a more personal note, I just want to take a moment to thank the Editors at Lexis Nexis for including The Missing Man under the new Handbook's section on blogs in the Introduction to the Defense Base Act, Section 1.06 (page 1-11). 

Wow. I'm stunned. 

As some of you know, my interest in the Defense Base Act is the direct result of learning that Ultra Services wasn't carrying "insurance" when an employee, Kirk von Ackermann, disappeared in Iraq back in October of 2003. I spent two years trying to find out what happened, resulting in the article listed below. 

A brilliant intelligence analyst with the U.S. Air Force prior to becoming a contractor, Kirk von Ackermann today continues to be the longest missing American civilian in Iraq.

Additional Reading

Iraq, Contingency Contracting and the Defense Base Act - 3 part series
by Susie Dow, ePluribus Media, March 28, 2007

Defense Intelligence Agency - on hostages

A lengthy article on kidnappings based on information provided by the Defense intelligence Agency. Includes information on Kirk von Ackermann coinciding with the five year anniversary of his disappearance.

Iraq calmer but copycat kidnappings spread
By Pamela Hess, Associated Press, October 13, 2008

Five years ago, retired Air Force intelligence officer Kirk von Ackermann became the first of 39 Americans to be kidnapped in Iraq. He's still missing, his wife fearing she'll never see him again.

Besides the personal tragedy, his disappearance and those that have followed have taken on a larger significance. They mark a turning point in terrorist tactics that U.S. intelligence officials say has produced a startling statistic: a 500 percent increase in foreigners taken hostage around the world as militants adopt the methods of the most violent figures in the Iraq insurgency.

The article includes statistics on kidnappings from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) which "analyzes information about prisoners of war and those missing in action." About the DIA POW/MIA cell:

• Compiling and analyzing reams of data to build profiles of terrorist groups worldwide that use kidnapping, noting where hostages are captured, moved, released or executed.

• Predicting where future hostages may be taken, and when.

It's a little unclear, but it sounds like 9 Americans are still missing in Iraq one of whom is likely to be American Navy pilot Capt. Scott Speicher from Gulf War I. Here's the sentence from the article:

Iraq has been most dangerous for Americans, who have a better than even chance of being murdered by their captors there — an 80 percent chance if the nine still missing are factored in.

Additional Reading

Office of Hostage Affairs
September 8, 2006

Hostage Working Group
April 1, 2006