My uncle is the Programs Manager for this company and he can help me in. I was wondering if anyone has had experience working with them or helped support them in any mission in Iraq? Pat, or anyone that just returned from the sandbox, have you heard anything negative or positive about these guys?

I thought that this might be a great opprotunity to save money for my family and also, for the business that I'd like to start. I'm not as gungho as my uncle, but I am very determined to accomplish a set goal.

Would you guys think that this may be a little too much or should I just wait, finish school, and work and build the business slowly?

 

Chris,

You ARE gung ho if that's a course of action that you'd consider. I am not too familiar with Blackwaters. I've heard of them and know what they do. They are a sub-contractor for KBR, right? Anyhow, you might find yourself working over there without a weapon. I'm guessing that you wouldn't be working security so much as you would be working on computers or something in an office, right?

Bottom line, generically you can look at the situation based on the amount of civilians over there and the small ratio that have been captured or killed. We hear about them on the news all of the time, but I know that the frequency that that happens is very small.

The money ROCKS, though. I've heard where the lowest laborer over there is making $100k for a year or something like that. That's not including the medical and food that would be free.

I couldn't recommend it to you....but I couldn't NOT recommend it, neither.

 

Pat, you're right. There are many civilians who I know and after speaking to them, they themselves don't personally know of any captured or killed contractors.

Yep, i don't go outside the line anymore *knocks on wood*. I'm dedicated with the network, jamming devices, and any comm system on the FOB.

Grunts have started calling us "FOB goblins'' because of our work. I'm currently searching for their ports on the nipr and DSN switches. hehehe. They'll uderstand our importance fairly soon.

Speaking of the money, the civilians contracted to us are making well over $200k a year! And I sometimes wonder how they landed the job. I've had to help them a few times on problems they were supposed to be the expertise on. Our BSO thinks that we know just as much as them if not more.

If I can't weasel my way in one of these contractor positions, at least my uncle has some pull with the company he works for. They pay $15k a month!

At this rate, an awd dyno and a house will be easier to achieve within a few years.

 

I would work over there in a heartbeat as long as they didn't mind if I brought my Glock 21, and my AK. I guess I could settle to bring an M14 Scout. Either way I just started my new job, but I would much rather go to Iraq, do the same job and make more money. Give me some info if you have any. I'm a computer guy also.

 

The SOFA doesn't allow civilians to carry weapons, although I know that there are civilian security that do (read: mercenaries.)

http://www.usembassy.it/ussso/files/sofa-en.htm

 

I would commandere(sp?) a weapon!

 

wow contractors in your neck of the woods make bank. what do they do and where are you located again?

 

He's in Iraq but I forget what part.

 

So these guys are kinda running security in Iraqi but they do not let employees carry weapons?? If that doesn't sound F@$ked up to some one over there man.

Pat civilians have to obey the SOFA aggrement also? Even if ther not DOD??

 

I've heard of a few opportunities for network infrastructure and cabling work coming up and it was said to be in the $150/hr range (couple coworkers are really considering it). I just talked to a contractor that was working there during the war, former marine, who carried a firearm.....but only because he decided alive and in jail would be better than dead in Iraq. A lot of them didnt dig the fact that they couldnt carry a firearm but everyone else and their mother could.

I'd say if you're serious about it and the position has minimal personal risks.....go for it! It's highly unlikely you'll find another way to acquire that kind of money in such a short period of time. Oh.....and a couple guys said they felt safer there than they do in LA

 

Yeah since they're contracted by the gov't.

I know that there are some security personnel who get to carry (and carry well...MP5), but that is strictly regulated. They are normally ex-operators anyhow.

 

i turned down a similar contractor position maybe 4-5 yrs. ago. one of the qualifications was that you needed to run a 6 minute mile. i guess to run from danger??? yeah the pay is damn good ($135,000), but the risk of death, well it didn't work for me. It depends on where you are gonna be sent to. good luck with it...

 

Again if you see any openings over there Chris give me a head's up!

 

They mostly work on the network side, but I can't really give details of the equipment and programs we use. I think I'll violate opsec if I do. I'm in Balad, Iraq.

 

I'll let you know if they have an opening. I do know that one of our contractors has been offered another position elsewhere, but the job doesn't deal with computers.

From what the contractors tell me, they found the job through monsterjobs.com.