General locations of US military installations in the region north of Baghdad circa 2003. (A) FOB Pacesetter (B) Location of abandoned car (C) LSA Anaconda
Map showing the Samarra/Balad region north of Baghdad.
Kirk von Ackermann's vehicle was discovered abandoned several hours after he left a meeting at FOB Pacesetter on October 9, 2003. His colleague Ryan Manelick was gunned down on December 14 just after leaving Camp Anaconda.
North Gate - entrance to Camp Anaconda also know as Balad Air Base and LSA Anaconda.
Camp Anaconda circa 2005
Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Anaconda Burn Pit, Balad, Iraq 2006 - Photo credit: courtesy of SPC Jami Gibbs of www.PatriotMissive.com
Jabal Hamrin mountains
A photo believed to show the road between Tikrit and Kirkuk in the general vicinity of where Kirk von Ackermann's vehicle was discovered abandoned.
Kirk von Ackermann disappeared in Iraq on October 9, 2003.
Nissan Patrol similar to the vehicle Kirk von Ackermann was driving when he disappeared.
Interior Nissan Patrol SUV circa 2005 - used by private security in Northern Iraq.
Hi lift jack used on off road vehicles to change tires
Tires at a US military supply depot believed to be at Anaconda which processes part and repairs for military vehicles in Iraq. Kirk von Ackermann knew he had a bad tire. Did he seek to get it repaired the day he disappeared?
ID Badge - No Escort, issued in 2003 by United States Army, V Corps - size is unknown
Common Access Card - also known as a Geneva Conventions Identification Card
Example of identification required to be worn by a KBR manager in Iraq circa 2005.
Aerial view of FOB Pacesetter (later renamed McKenzie) an isolated air base north of Balad, Iraq. Also known as Samara Air Base East. Kirk von Ackermann left a meeting at FOB Pacesetter and was never seen again.
Map from the NYT showing FOB Pacesetter just north of Balad.
Decision chart - showing each decision Kirk von Ackermann may have faced the day he disappeared. His background as a skilled mechanic, including experience in the US Army motor pool, and his later work in the US Air Force as counter terrorism officer calls into question many of the assumptions surrounding his actions on the day of his disappearance.
Kirk von Ackermann was a prolific note taker. Sample pages from a Dayrunner showing his idiosyncratic and cryptic notes. Circa 2000. If there was fraud at Ultra Services, von Ackermann was likely to have recorded it in his notebook at the time. However, his notebook is thought to be missing.
An archived web page from the Ultra-Services.com website showing the Demountable Guard Shack designed by Kirk von Ackermann and his wife, Megan.
Demountable Guard Shack
Demountable Guard Shack designed by Kirk von Ackermann and his wife, Megan
Type of incident - HOSTILE vs NON-HOSTILE will determine if a claim for an injury, death or missing person is covered under the Defense Base Act or the War Hazards Compensation Act and subsequently FECA.
Page 7 of the Defense Base Act/War Hazards Act Summary by Employer listing Ultra Services. Neither Kirk von Ackermann (missing) nor Ryan Manelick (deceased) and his Iraqi employee are listed as casualties. The Department of Labor voluntarily omits this data if a company has fewer than 7 casualties. Source of document: http://americancontractorsiniraq.com/files/contractor-deaths1.pdf
An attempt to chart the casualty reporting process of a missing person as described in various military regulations.
Progress of an investigation into a missing person.
DD Form 2812 Commander's Preliminary Assessment and Recommendation Regarding Missing Person
DD Form 1300 Report of Casualty
Evidence/Property form typically used to monitor chain of custody. To date, no one seems to know what happened to Kirk von Ackermann's personal effects recovered from his vehicle, among which should have been his notebook.
Casualty Feeder Card DA Form 1156 - note there is no Casualty Status for a missing civilian or contractor (Missing or EAWUN Excused Absence whereabouts unknown)
Ryan Manelick (right) was killed in Iraq on December 14, 2003
Hyundai Galloper - 4 door similar to the vehicle Ryan Manelick was driving was he was killed in a drive by shooting
Hyundai Galloper - 2 door similar to the vehicle Ryan Manelick was driving was he was killed in a drive by shooting
Toyota Landcruiser similar to the vehicle from which shots were fired, killing Ryan Manelick.
Toyota Landcruiser
Response letter to an FOIA request. No luck!
Chart following the history leading up to the formation of Ultra Services in Istanbul, Turkey.
John Dawkins
Geoff Nordloh
Albert 'Charles' Phillips
Egemen Cakmak
Huseyin Gomleksizoglu
Kirk von Ackermann
On December 14, 2003, Ryan Manelick was gunned down shortly after leaving a meeting at Camp Anaconda in Iraq.
Communication in to and out of the US may have triggered monitoring by the NSA. Recordings of Ultra Services phone calls may yield answers as to what happened to Kirk von Ackermann. Did he actually call for help on his satellite phone or was the call placed by an American sounding impostor?
Draft version of flyer created to accompany an article at ePluribus Media. Assumption to date is von Ackermann ignored a bad tire which conflicts with his background and experience in the US Army where he was often assigned to vehicle maintenance. Von Ackermann may have approached mechanics working in a motor pool at a US military base for assistance prior to his disappearance.
Missing in Iraq - Captain Michael Scott Speicher went missing over Anbar province Iraq on January 17, 1991 when his plane was shot down. His remains were recently found in a remote area called Wadi Thumayal. His body had been found and buried by nomadic Bedouin.
Missing in Iraq Kirk von Ackermann of Moss Beach, California missing since October 9, 2003
Missing in Iraq - Timothy E. Bell of Mobile, Alabama missing since April 9, 2004
Missing in Iraq Aban Elias of Denver, Colorado was kidnapped on May 3, 2004
Missing in Iraq Radim Sadeq Mohammed Sadeq also known as 'Dean Sadek' of Charlotte, North Carolina was kidnapped on November 2, 2004
Missing in Iraq - Jeffrey Ake of LaPorte, Indiana was kidnapped on April 11, 2005
Missing in Iraq - remains found - Ronald Alan Schulz was kidnapped on November 25, 2005 with Susan Bushra, his Kurdish fiancee. Their remains were found in a grave in Iraq in September 2008.
Missing in Iraq Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie (also Taie) of Ann-Arbor, Michigan was kidnapped on October 23, 2006
Missing in Iraq - remains found and identified Jonathon Cote of Getzville, New York was kidnapped on November 16, 2006
Missing in Iraq - remains found and identified Pfc. Byron W. Fouty of Waterford, Michigan missing since May 12, 2007 photo by Cathy Conger of Waterford Township, Michigan
Missing in Iraq - remains found and identified Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Jim Kitterman, 60, of Janus Construction was abducted on May 21, 2009. His body was found in Baghdad's Green Zone the following day, hands bound, blindfolded with his throat slit. On June 6, CNN reported that 5 American security personnel were detained in connection to the murder.
Book cover. Colin Freeman broke the story of the disappearance of Kirk von Ackermann. His colleague, Ryan Manelick, was killed shortly after alleging von Ackermann's disappearance was tied to fraud. A section in the book covers their story.
Book cover - Big Boy Rules by Steve Fainaru
Oil fire from waste in the Jabal Makul near Baiji.
Moon phases
Rubin's vase - negative space
Sample image of a Missing Man table setting - please note there should be 6 hats. An additional hat for civilian personnel who work with the military is missing.
