Ask a Contractor in a War Zone anything....
Discussion
Ok i see there are a lot of "Ask a..." and nearest one to my line of work is the offshore one. So ill add to the fray.
Couple of points.
1. Although ex mil i don't do Private Security but can answer some questions on it.
2. Some things ill glaze over depending on what i can say.
Any others in other areas, feel free to comment/hijack as I'm Afghan based and there are other locations slightly different.
Couple of points.
1. Although ex mil i don't do Private Security but can answer some questions on it.
2. Some things ill glaze over depending on what i can say.
Any others in other areas, feel free to comment/hijack as I'm Afghan based and there are other locations slightly different.
johnwilliams77 said:
Tell us about the moments you felt closest to death recently please !
Not sure if you are serious or tongue in cheek but ill put it into perspective.There is risk the moment come into land from returning from the UK on R&R until you take off 3 months later.
Boxing Day just gone at 7 in the morning someone decided to drop a couple of rockets into the base. They landed a bit away from where i was but when you hear the alarm (if you wake up!) you have around 30 secs to get under cover.
I sometimes fly around in ex-Russian mil aircraft.
All the above i suppose bring you one step closer!
SimonTheSailor said:
Why do you do it ?
Ex mil, left after 24 years and 3 weeks later i was out here. Been to Afghanistan a few times with the mil so being out here doesnt bother me and its the military environment I'm used to. I work direct for an entity which still uses a lot of military terminology and i work hand-in-hand with the military (predominately US) so easy to fit in.But of course the money is good so lets not kid ourselves why 99% of people do it.
markymarkthree said:
How did you get into that line of work ?
Not through the local job center I guess.
See answer above. But my line of work and who i work for tend to look for ex-mil.Not through the local job center I guess.
But this will come out eventually so ill say it now....majority of companies now employ electricians/plumbers etc etc who are what we call TCN's (Third Country National) guys (Indian/Kenya/Philipino) who can do the job for $700-1000 per month. There are popstar wages to be had but mainly managerial/higher level supervisors who will be EXPAT (think UK/US etc) guys doing those roles. But the US guys will seemingly get more money but they can be heavily taxed unless you work the system and spend more time in-country.
Note ref salary, figures are hard to quantify as everyone is on at least 30% less than what they say!! And as above, depending where you are from makes a big difference what you get paid.
Edited by petop on Wednesday 27th December 19:33
petop said:
SimonTheSailor said:
Why do you do it ?
Ex mil, left after 24 years and 3 weeks later i was out here. Been to Afghanistan a few times with the mil so being out here doesnt bother me and its the military environment I'm used to. I work direct for an entity which still uses a lot of military terminology and i work hand-in-hand with the military (predominately US) so easy to fit in.But of course the money is good so lets not kid ourselves why 99% of people do it.
I'm an ex-millitary engineer, and now do IT contracting. Current contract is up in April
mickmcpaddy said:
Whats the chances of doing electrical work over there in a safe environment for £3k a week with a Pizza hut and on site bar?
£3k....at the start in 2013 i was on £3.5k a week but then that was when all those cost plus contracts were just about coming to an end in the line of work i was doing. NATO/Military still have to pay for all those Contractors and those budgets were getting reduced so now you win on being the cheapest...hence why employ a Expat wanting 3k when a Kenyan will be happy with 150 dollars!As for Pizza Hut, where i am they have all gone due to a US General at the time saying "were at war, not on holiday"! Bar's.....well unless you work on an Italian Base, your dry as the desert!
petop said:
£3k....at the start in 2013 i was on £3.5k a week but then that was when all those cost plus contracts were just about coming to an end in the line of work i was doing. NATO/Military still have to pay for all those Contractors and those budgets were getting reduced so now you win on being the cheapest...hence why employ a Expat wanting 3k when a Kenyan will be happy with 150 dollars!
As for Pizza Hut, where i am they have all gone due to a US General at the time saying "were at war, not on holiday"! Bar's.....well unless you work on an Italian Base, your dry as the desert!
The money is negotiable but without booze and pizza the deals off.As for Pizza Hut, where i am they have all gone due to a US General at the time saying "were at war, not on holiday"! Bar's.....well unless you work on an Italian Base, your dry as the desert!
98elise said:
What's sort of contractors do they need, and what's a typical contractor rate?
I'm an ex-millitary engineer, and now do IT contracting. Current contract is up in April
I dont and cant recruit as i now do Contract oversight/management but UK contractors out here are getting few and far between. Certainly in the south of Afghanistan. You may get some UK contracts in Kabul. The US are now (well always have been) the biggest contract employees and in the roles that pay good money only want US nationals and a lot of them need to have US Secret clearance....even for menial jobs. I'm an ex-millitary engineer, and now do IT contracting. Current contract is up in April
As for rate, see above. But i know a couple of IT guys who are on $190,000 a year and they manage databases but work for US contractor.
DuraAce said:
Do you see a long term future in it, job security wise? What would to do if your contract finished tomorrow?
Any hints/tips for someone coming out of the military soon?
Actually i am not classed as a Contractor and if my lot finished out here then there are other places i can be sent to. But my lot pulling out would mean "War has finished, home for tea and medals"! So the chances of that happening at the moment is pretty slim.Any hints/tips for someone coming out of the military soon?
If you are below the rank of Sgt then unless you have specific wanted trade set then you will find it hard. More managerial role from ex-mil are wanted now so ranks of WO etc. But i refer you to the US contracts now in place (US citizens only) and use of $700 TCN's.
Ref Expat Private Security firms.......the Afghan government banned them but are allowed on the coalition bases and limited escorting of personnel to and from bases, but mainly in Kabul area. So with limited opportunities, tends to be who you know and not what you know.
petop said:
Ex mil, left after 24 years and 3 weeks later i was out here. Been to Afghanistan a few times with the mil so being out here doesnt bother me and its the military environment I'm used to. I work direct for an entity which still uses a lot of military terminology and i work hand-in-hand with the military (predominately US) so easy to fit in.
But of course the money is good so lets not kid ourselves why 99% of people do it.
Did you go looking for work or did your employer find you ?But of course the money is good so lets not kid ourselves why 99% of people do it.
I know a few ex marines who've done fleet protection and the company they were with tracked them down.
stevesingo said:
1, Did you over embellish your CV to get a job?
2, Do you or have you worked with those who have?
1. No. The area i deal with is quite small so someone would find you out. 2, Do you or have you worked with those who have?
2. Out and out lie, not really but stretching the truth especially ex-mil guys you may of known when you served together, i have seen.
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