Kellogg, Brown and Root: Contractor died in Iraq

Defense contractor for U.S. killed when vehicle hits bomb

WP/Arizona Central

Washington Post -Aug. 6, 2003 12:00 AM

TIKRIT, Iraq- An American civilian defense contractor died Tuesday north of Tikrit when a bomb exploded under his car in an area U.S. officials believe is rife with Saddam Hussein loyalists.

The death marks the second incident this year involving defense contractors, who are increasingly heading overseas to support the military and take over jobs once exclusively held by soldiers.

U.S. military officials said Tuesday that the contractor, an employee of Houston-based Kellogg, Brown and Root, was headed to the Tikrit North Air Field around 11:30 a.m. when an explosive detonated under his car, said Lt. Col David Poirier, commander of the 720 Military Police battalion.

Two soldiers who were part of the military police convoy escorting the contractor were also injured, Poirier said.

Kellogg, Brown and Root is a subsidiary of Halliburton, the Texas energy firm formerly run by Vice President Dick Cheney. The company won a non-competitive contract from the Army Corps of Engineers in March to fight oil well fires in Iraq.

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printed from Kellogg, Brown and Root: Contractor died in Iraq on 2004-05-06 02:30:26