From a source at Balad air base in Iraq about evacuation: “Every one had their weapons taken away, the base entry gates are wide open but for some unexplained reason the finance manager (who is dating the married security director) has a weapon without training or certification.”
“As it stands, hundreds still await tickets for travel and the company can't even keep that straight as their 30 minute process per ticket is further delayed but these incompetent fools buying tickets for people already gone.”
“It'll be a miracle if no one dies due to the incompetence here.”
From another source about the military contractor, Sallyport Global, in charge of Balad: "Entrusted to manage a base like Balad but doesn’t have an established evacuation plan in place and figuring it out on the fly. Total idiots."
A third source chimes in: employees stuck in Baghdad airport for the last 15 hrs waiting for their tickets
"Some employees were sent to the wrong countries instead of their HOR (to repair the error they bought for them train tickets - 28 hrs travel time)"
"some US Citizens were sent to Turkey and are stuck there with no tickets for US or accommodation"
Meanwhile management "made the arrangements for... future accommodation in Erbil to stay in 5 Stars Hotel."
Anyway the orderly evacuation by military contractors doesn't sound lord of the flies at all, leaving Iraqis, foreign nationals, and lower level employees out to dry
Former employee adds a little commentary: "They never wanted to actually test their plans [for evac]. Untested plans are disasters waiting to happen."
We do have one positive reaction from a source: "Smoothest evac I have ever been in involved with. Actually having a really good time." So at least its not 100% incompetence
