YouTube Used for Whistleblowing

fightmaster writes "A Lockheed Martin engineer with concerns about the safety and security flaws in a fleet of refurbished Coast Guard patrol boats turned to YouTube in order to publicize concerns he felt were being ignored by his employer and the government. From the article: 'The 41-year-old Lockheed Martin engineer had complained to his bosses. He had told his story to government investigators. He had called congressmen. But when no one seemed to be stepping up to correct what he saw as critical security flaws in a fleet of refurbished Coast Guard patrol boats, De Kort did just about the only thing left he could think of to get action: He made a video and posted it on YouTube.com.'"

Comments

I saw this a little while ago..

[Breakfast Pants]

Very interesting. While I don't think all the equipment should be replaced to meet the artic temperature thing, I think that the problem should be noted, and the contractor should have to pay some reimbursement for not meeting all the terms of the contract. Some number of ships should be retrofitted, but it may be a big waste to do it with all of them

A Fine Example...

[MBC1977]

While his employers probably will administratively punish and / or fire him, because his actions may save my coastie brothers and sisters
in the long run,I tip my hat off to you. Sometimes you gotta grab life by the horns, to do the right thing.

Regards,

MBC1977,
(US Marine, College Student, and Good Guy!)

Re:A Fine Example...

[rolfwind]

I think you are correct.

People with real strength of character that do the right thing despite all the peer pressure in the world are often punished by our system and the cowards within it. It took 30 years for the military to recognize Hugh Thompson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Thompson,_Jr.

Or Sibel Edmonds, former FBI translator, is another good example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibel_Edmonds

In both cases, they are/were both punished for their roles by the very people they called out. This engineer will face a similiar time, I imagine. If not openly, they will find a unrelated reason to fire him within 6 months if not immediately. Or put him in a crappy closet as an office (same thing happened to my principle whose contract guaranteed they couldn't fire him for anything short of being a murderer. My school district once was paying 14 principles at the same time because of crap like this, but alas that's a different story...)

Re:A Fine Example...

[hcob$]

While his employers probably will administratively punish and / or fire him, because his actions may save my coastie brothers and sisters in the long run,I tip my hat off to you. Sometimes you gotta grab life by the horns, to do the right thing.

Also, to add to this from an Engineer standpoint. If you are an Engineer in Training(EiT) or Professional Engineer(PE) and you are serious about your job and your career, you are aware that there is a code of ethics for any Engineer; therefore, this IS the ONLY OPTION left. If this guy (as a PE I would assume) has gone through his management and Congress the only option is then to alert the the general public as a matter of ethics, espescially if he believe tests were altered/forged.

In the end this must be said. This man is upholding the highest standards of what an "Engineer" is. If he ever faces legal action, I will gladly donate to his cause. Also, I would hope that the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) should not only suggest many good lawyers, but they should offer much assistance to this man as possible.

He is in the most difficult place an Engineer could be. Chose between your family(supporting them with a career) or his duty as an Engineer.

And lo ! Its Lockheed Martin again

[unity100]

The heritage of the SAME company that have bribed government heads, bureucrats in countries tenfold around the world, including germany, to oust their competitors and sell their f104s. Their FAULTY designs.

The SAME company who caused around 150-200 air service pilots to lose their lives around the world flying their faulty f104s.

The SAME company which recently admitted their wrong doing.

The SAME company, which is at it AGAIN.

Re:Or... QWZX

[PhysicsPhil]

If the employer AND the government AND the congressman AND apparently no one else will listen to this boob, maybe, just maybe, his issue ain't that important and he should quit bellyaching.

Does this also apply to engineers of electronic voting systems?

Re:Or... QWZX

[Anonymous Coward]

When engineers warned that New Orleans levees could not withstand a moderate-strength hurricane and complained to their employees, AND to the state, AND to the federal government AND apparently no one else would listen to these boobs, maybe, just maybe the issue was important and someone should have listened to their bellyaching.

You idiot.

Re:Or... QWZX

[Grym]

If the employer AND the government AND the congressman AND apparently no one else will listen to this boob, maybe, just maybe, his issue ain't that important and he should quit bellyaching.

Did you even watch the video?

Basically the entire project he was working on was a sham. Not only were the systems not designed to specifications but were flawed in such a way as that if they did fail they would do so catastrophically.

Do you even know what FLIR is? It's how they know navigate and identify targets in low-level light conditions or fog (which, I hope I don't have to tell you is very common on coastlines). It's very simple, if the FLIR system fails (and according to him it will at low temperatures), people can die--either from collisions or friendly fire. If what he's saying is true, he should be making a stink.

Furthermore, the security camera issue is huge too. It's one thing to have blind spots. It's quite another to have two symmetrical approach angles that lead right ONTO the ship which can't be seen. Again, a failure due to this design flaw could lead to either the capture or deaths of American servicemen. And it could've been fixed by only adding one more camera.

As far as the non-TEMPEST compliance goes--I don't know. As I understand it, TEMPEST is literally tin-foil hat paranoid, but honestly there's no reason not to use something as simple as shielded cables is that's all that's preventing compliance.

Regardless, this is just another example of how government incompetence combined with corporate greed serves to hurt the American taxpayer and unnecessarily puts the lives of our service-men and women at risk. If you don't think there's a connection between this very believable story and deadly screw-ups like the lack of armored vehicles in Iraq or the Ospreys crashes, you're the boob--not the whistleblower.

-Grym

As an engineer...

[hcob$]

His DUTY was to INFORM his management, government, congressman, intelligence services, etc. that he had SERIOUS concerns relative to the project he was leading. Anything less is unworthy of the status of Lead Engineer

Watch the show again dimwit

[brennz]

He said "We found out the FLIR system would not survive temperatures below -5". There is a vast chasm between saying "this FLIR is not rated for -5" and saying "the FLIR would not survive temperatures below -5". I'm not sure on FLIR sensitivity to cold weather, but he is implying it would then break.

Oh another point, all tactical systems that handle classified material and are not in special facilities, e.g. a SCIF, need to be protected against TEMPEST / COMSEC & all that jazz. This is common knowledge for anyone with a SIGINT background in the mil/intel arena.

Obviously a cutter is built for shallow water work. That means near to shores not way out in the Atlantic Ocean. Big Antenna on the shore, camo'd in the trees, picks up classified comms - not unrealistic.

There is no such thing as paranoia when it comes to protecting classified material.

Initially, I was considered as written by an amateur, but then I noticed that part about you being a Marine. Figures!

Re:Wow a TubeCast!

[StikyPad]

By posting a video he's putting a face to the issue -- he becomes an actual person rather than merely a collection of words. It's far more engaging, and it makes a much greater impression than a semi-anonymous essay posted somewhere. Additionally, he probably wouldn't have gotten the press coverage he's getting if he had done as you suggest.

Re:Or... QWZX

[Frosty Piss]

Wow - the most important criminals, Lockheed Martin (arms dealer to the world), the present fascist government, ready to attack Iran as soon as the oil prices start to slide down, and a member of the largest whore house in the Western Hemisphere, your friendly neighborhood congressperson....

What does any of that have to do with any of the issues in question here? Interesting, Maybe. Relevent, no.

The guy's employers disagree with him that there is a problem. Simply because he's a "little guy" doesn't make him right. Apperently, no one else on the project agrees with him. But just because he's going up against the "big bad Lockheed Martin" doesn't make him right. We have no proof at all that anything he says is anything more than opinion.