Response to A World of Troubles blog, "Afghan Interpreters Worked In Most Dangerous Areas For No Pay."
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
December 1, 2010
To the Editor:
Jim Foley of the A World of Troubles blog is right to defend the interests of Afghan locals serving as US military linguists (“Afghan interpreters worked in most dangerous areas for no pay,” 11/30/2010).
As the prime contractor providing interpreters and translators in Afghanistan, Mission Essential Personnel (MEP) considers its linguists, whether American or Afghan, to be heroes in their efforts to support coalition forces. The company is committed to ensuring its personnel receive good treatment and, of course, all pay and benefits owed them.
Each month, MEP successfully processes thousands of payroll transactions in accordance with government regulations. To protect taxpayers, these regulations require complete timesheets before pay is issued, a cumbersome process which requires signatures from both MEP managers and military points of contact. Pay cannot be disbursed without these signatures. MEP is working with the military to ensure all signatures are obtained in a timely manner.
As the prime contractor providing interpreters and translators in Afghanistan, Mission Essential Personnel (MEP) considers its linguists, whether American or Afghan, to be heroes in their efforts to support coalition forces. The company is committed to ensuring its personnel receive good treatment and, of course, all pay and benefits owed them.
Each month, MEP successfully processes thousands of payroll transactions in accordance with government regulations. To protect taxpayers, these regulations require complete timesheets before pay is issued, a cumbersome process which requires signatures from both MEP managers and military points of contact. Pay cannot be disbursed without these signatures. MEP is working with the military to ensure all signatures are obtained in a timely manner.
In this case, MEP staff noted the payroll problem and successfully resolved it before Mr. Foley’s article was published. Had he contacted MEP before running his article, we would have explained the situation.
Besides the pay issue, the article negatively characterized several other items concerning MEP’s work in Afghanistan.
1) Afghan linguists’ salaries described as "a pittance."
All salaries are approved by the US government and the salary difference between US hired-linguists and local national linguists is accounted for largely by the dramatic disparity in cost of living between the US and Afghanistan.
MEP’s local national linguists are paid well by the standards of their community. They make more than doctors, military commanders, and government officials in Afghanistan. This is why MEP presently has a backlog of more than 600 Afghans waiting to become linguists.
Other factors that raise the salaries of US hires include their ability to obtain clearances, their education, and their willingness to volunteer to leave the security of the United States to travel to the harsh, hostile environments in which the US government is working.
2) Citation of a lawsuit against MEP claiming the company provided flawed linguists to the Army.
MEP vigorously disputes these claims -- made by a former employee who resigned due to financial improprieties -- and expects a positive resolution in court.
Mr. Foley also makes no mention of MEP’s numerous “outstanding” ratings from the military for its performance on this contract.
3) Suggestion of duplicity concerning linguists’ contracts.
Independent contractor agreements are kept on the bases to which linguists are assigned, and are available to the linguists at any time if requested. MEP does not, however, provide paper copies to linguists for their own safety, to ensure there is no paper trail that could betray their identities to the Taliban. Insurgents have executed Afghan locals, as well as their families, simply because a US contractor ID was found on their persons. We cannot place our staff members at such unnecessary risk.
4) The $10,000 life insurance benefit.
Besides the pay issue, the article negatively characterized several other items concerning MEP’s work in Afghanistan.
1) Afghan linguists’ salaries described as "a pittance."
All salaries are approved by the US government and the salary difference between US hired-linguists and local national linguists is accounted for largely by the dramatic disparity in cost of living between the US and Afghanistan.
MEP’s local national linguists are paid well by the standards of their community. They make more than doctors, military commanders, and government officials in Afghanistan. This is why MEP presently has a backlog of more than 600 Afghans waiting to become linguists.
Other factors that raise the salaries of US hires include their ability to obtain clearances, their education, and their willingness to volunteer to leave the security of the United States to travel to the harsh, hostile environments in which the US government is working.
2) Citation of a lawsuit against MEP claiming the company provided flawed linguists to the Army.
MEP vigorously disputes these claims -- made by a former employee who resigned due to financial improprieties -- and expects a positive resolution in court.
Mr. Foley also makes no mention of MEP’s numerous “outstanding” ratings from the military for its performance on this contract.
3) Suggestion of duplicity concerning linguists’ contracts.
Independent contractor agreements are kept on the bases to which linguists are assigned, and are available to the linguists at any time if requested. MEP does not, however, provide paper copies to linguists for their own safety, to ensure there is no paper trail that could betray their identities to the Taliban. Insurgents have executed Afghan locals, as well as their families, simply because a US contractor ID was found on their persons. We cannot place our staff members at such unnecessary risk.
4) The $10,000 life insurance benefit.
Mr. Foley mentioned a $10,000 benefit for killed Afghan linguists, but failed to note this is an additional benefit MEP extends to local national staff members that is not charged to the government. This comes on top of Defense Base Act (DBA) life insurance.
MEP holds dear the lives and well being of all its linguists, including local nationals. We appreciate Mr. Foley looking out for our staff members.
MEP holds dear the lives and well being of all its linguists, including local nationals. We appreciate Mr. Foley looking out for our staff members.
But A World of Troubles readers also deserve a complete perspective, one that captures the significant challenges to finding, vetting, and deploying thousands of interpreters for multiple languages in a nation as diverse as Afghanistan. Due to MEP’s success in this very difficult mission, the company has won praise and plaudits not only from the Army but from troops and commanders in the field.
All this we would have shared with Mr. Foley if he’d called for our side of the story. We hope he will next time.
Sincerely,
Sean Rushton
Director,
Corporate Communications
