'Iraqi first' policy hurts N.J. firm
Saturday, August 11, 2007

By JUSTO BAUTISTA
STAFF WRITER
www.northjersey.com

A new policy that forces the U.S. military in Iraq to support that country's economy by purchasing ceremonial gear from Iraqi companies is hurting a supplier 6,000 miles away in Bergen County, the firm's owner says.

Since before the first Iraq war, Wendy Lazar, owner of Glendale Industries in Northvale, has sold white gloves, drill rifles, chrome-plated helmets and other ceremonial gear to the military -- items often used to honor a dead soldier.

But several months ago, Lazar learned that under the Iraqi First program, she would have to go through some new "middlemen" -- Iraqi vendors -- if she wanted to continue doing business in the war-torn country.

"This is a whole new ballgame," Lazar said. "I understand why they are doing it, to help the [Iraqi] economy. But it is certainly affecting our business with the military."

 
Lazar said she heard of Iraqi First from a loyal customer, an Air Force sergeant at Sather Air Base in Baghdad who apologetically asked if Glendale Industries could "donate" white gloves because he could no longer order directly from the company.

Lazar donated the gloves. The sergeant sent her a unit flag as a thank you.

The military describes the program as critical to developing Iraqi economic expansion and entrepreneurship to "enable better lives for the Iraqi people themselves and their families."

"Iraqi First ... allowed us to put more Iraqis to work by procuring locally required supplies and services from Iraqi contractors," Lt. Col. Kevin Zurmuehlen, of the Joint Contract Command-Iraq/Afghanistan, said in a statement outlining the program.

Lloyd Chapman, president of the American Small Business League, isn't convinced that Iraqis selling $6.95 chin straps or $55 chrome-plated helmets to the U.S. military will boost the Iraqi economy.

"The concept of giving preference to anybody in the world over a U.S. company is appalling," Chapman said.

So far, dealing with the new middlemen has been a frustrating experience for Lazar's staff, as Iraqi vendors are not yet familiar with ordering and shipping procedures, or deadlines.

The company is currently preparing to ship sabers, helmets, chin straps, gloves and flag carriers to an Iraqi vendor for sale to an Army base in Al Qayyarah, about 200 miles north of Baghdad.

"It's just making it a little more labor intensive for us and, possibly, more expensive for the military," said Marilyn Matthieson, the company's operations manager.

But the program won't ruin Glendale Industries. As one of the few U.S. companies specializing in ceremonial gear, it does business with civilian and military honor guard units all over the world.

"In the military, pomp and pageantry is very important," Lazar said.

The company still sells directly to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard and ROTC units. It also sells to magicians, "Star Trek" fans, firefighters, police and movie production companies.

Lazar, a former journalist, bought the business 22 years ago from a Cresskill World War II veteran. Her kitchen table served as an office; her garage doubled as a warehouse.

Today, the one-story brick warehouse on Paris Avenue is packed with 12,000 items. The Glendale Industries staff has included many veterans and Lazar has become the unofficial patron saint of honor guards. For Lazar, the ceremonial gear sometimes serves as a reminder of war's grim toll.

"Emotionally, the one that got me the most was ... 100 casket flags ordered by a base in Iraq two years ago," she said. "Just emotionally, we were all bothered by it."

Today, those flags would come from Iraqi companies.

Source: http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzE4MDI5MCZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTM=