042812 The temptation of drugs and money. How'd that work out Dave?

042812 The temptation of drugs and money.  How'd that work out Dave?

Everyday in Kabul I read the daily ISAF email traffic of the day's 'goings on.'  In it are aircraft mishaps, casualty reports, security notices and a myriad of other reports.  But what seems to stand out are the many reports of drug and weapons finds.  The main cities such as Kabul are relatively safe (in this case 'relatively safe' means relatively safe for Afghanistan.)  But out in the countryside (and there is a LOT of countryside out there) it's the Wild, Wild West.  Drugs are rampant and it's a problem that the military has had to address.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/in-afghanistan-dozens-of-us-soldiers-have-been-investigated-for-drug-use-in-last-2-years/2012/04/21/gIQATWGIXT_story.html

 http://www.news.com.au/world/us-army-tempted-by-afghan-drugs/story-fn6sb9br-1226335329938

 In this environment, contractors are not immune either.  Below is a link to a story about Dave Welch, whom I worked with while in Iraq.  Dave was a great all-American guy from NC who was young and had a managerial position in Iraq that guys twice his age in the states would be lucky to have.  But it seems he wanted more. 

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/April/12-crm-415.html 

Anyway, what the article doesn't tell you is that Dave lost his clearance and probably any chance to ever work in any capacity with the Government again.  And that is AFTER he gets out of any jail sentence and pays back that $160K in restitution. How'd that work out Dave?

R/Chris