Iraq work?

[khixxx]

Not sure if this is good to post but the lady from KBR called looking for guys to do inspection/foreman. I think it was $98k a year I was told $87k tax free. Send a PM if your interested I will forward the number to anyone. I don't know details about the job, she just said inspecting 9000 buildings.

PS I'm not going.

 

[jes25]

I'd do it

I'd do it

I think you should go. I just got back from there. I spent 20 months in theater. 9000 facilitys, that sounds like Al Asad. The job is super easy. They really need solid people there. Our service members need you. I can give you info on the base they want to send you to. The whole Anbar province is just as safe as anytown, USA...........with the exception of the electrical installations.

I know the pay sucks, but what can I say....it's a lot more than the soldiers make.

PS- You might want to brush up on the BS before you go.

 

[cadpoint]

Since you've been there! Maybe you can clear up a conversation I just heard about the other side of tax free.

That there are deductions made againest that rate, based on services supplied, like housing, food, travel ...

 

[nakulak]

there's work in afghanistan too, but I think you have to be one beer short of a six pack to go.

 

[jes25]

If you are out of the country 330 days out of 365 day period you get about an 87K deduction. The big thing is to pass the physical presence test (330 out of 365). Your sustance (food, laundry, etc.) is all free and not taxed. There is a formula for figuring your hourly rate based on your base pay, hazard pay etc. You get paid per hour and it comes out to 2K per week if you work the minium hours at 3057 base pay. You can work more if you like. You get R&R every 120 days and they pay 860 USD towards the ticket. You also get about 1400$ R&R pay. If you return to the states on R&R you will have to pay part of the airfare with these ticket prices of late. Mobilzation and Demob from the states is included. Travel from Iraq to Dubai is via a private charter and included. The only thing that will come out of your check is 165 for health ins. and thanks to a new law signed by GW starting next month Social Security. You can pretty much bank your whole check since there is basically no living expenses. And don't forget if you have a clue you can be promoted about every 6 months

If you go as a QA inspector you can and will have huge impact on the way things are done there.

 

[e57]

there's work in afghanistan too, but I think you have to be one beer short of a six pack to go.

I agree - And I would not want to be the sucker still there when when we eventually pull out soon after the next election. "Any Town USA" will seem more like "Any Town Lebanon". And I have not had to work in a bullet proof vest in any town in the states - and as far as I know - no one has been secretly plotting to cut my head off.

But I really don't think it matters who gets elected from either party for President next year - but there will be some serious changes in both the political tactics, and positions on military base building contracting the likes of KBR, and others.

Our service members need you.

As a former Service Member - I have to say this is completely untrue!
Do they "NEED" air conditioning, a chow hall, and power for their video games - NO.... Will they thank you for it, or the Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Taco Bell you built right next to the Chow Hall - sure they will.... 'NEED' I say not. These projects and your presence are just one more thing to protect when it comes down to it, and in total - money out of their over-all budgets when it really comes down to it. Remember these are personnel who are trained to sleep under the stars sans a blanket if in a "field" condition (I did - ten men to a tent on the ground in Somalia, lucky man got a cot - the Grunts didn't even have a tent) - all the "Garrison" creature comforts we're building there are unnecessary - and technically a political blight and liability in the eyes of the local population. JMSO

Happy 4th!

 

[jes25]

OK, Twelve service members have been electrocuted over there and countless more shocked. Good electricians are NEEDed to prevent this from continuing. The build-up of our permanent bases will continue despite peoples opnion of the war. Contractors will continue to be used and therefor good electrcians are NEEDed to properly steward our resources and ensure safe installations.

Yeah, yeah, you had to walk uphill both ways yada yada. This is the 21st century battlefield complete with AC and I-pods, like it or not.

 

[e57]

This is the 21st century battlefield complete with AC and I-pods, like it or not.

Yet there is a Chow Hall where they can get 3 Squares Free.

Contractors will continue to be used and therefor good electrcians are NEEDed to properly steward our resources and ensure safe installations.

You are aware that each Branch of Service has their own Electricians for their ACTUAL NEEDS in terms of operational equipment - radar, field computers, Com, air field lighting, reverse osmosis machines etc.? (All that 21st century stuff) The Sea Bees, Army Engineers, etc. It was how I got into this trade... I was in USMC 9th Engineers, and later MWSS-372 (Engineers for 3rd MAW) Believe it or not - we used to have quite a bit of fun building our own Chow Halls before the culture and business of outside contracting.

IMO - the NEED for Electricians to work for Contractors there that you speak of is only necessary due to the fact that the resources each branch has already are not being used - left idle... A NEED created by the contractors themselves building unnecessary things at 5X's the cost - and directly from the budgets of the DOD - IMO it is a sham! Attatching patriotism to it is a shame.

 

[Mr.Sparkle]

Ugh.....this reminds me of a Futurama episode I saw the other night where they telepathically input ads into Fry's dreams and he got all freaked out and went on a rant about how it was like brainwashing, then he stated how back in the 20th century they never forced products on you they only put ads for them in the newspaper, in magazines, on billboards, on the side of buses, in the sky, on the television, on the radio.......:grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[cadpoint]

And if you hear of any promotional drive for the "Troops",
I hope you give accordingly. Ode to a goodie box!

 

[jes25]

You are wrong. The Military does not have the resources needed to build or mantain everything that is there. Our personal opinions of contractors, the war itself, or the managment of the war, does not change the fact contractors are there, and will remain there, to build and mantain both critical and non-critcal facilities. The DOD themselves are the ones that created the contracting monster (as a cost avoidance measure). I do not have any patriotic delusions, but the fact that conscientious people are needed in the defense contracting world is a fact.

 

[e57]

You are wrong. The Military does not have the resources needed to build or mantain everything that is there. Our personal opinions of contractors, the war itself, or the managment of the war, does not change the fact contractors are there, and will remain there, to build and mantain both critical and non-critcal facilities. The DOD themselves are the ones that created the contracting monster (as a cost avoidance measure). I do not have any patriotic delusions, but the fact that conscientious people are needed in the defense contracting world is a fact.

Am I now.... Yes they do have the resources for the things they NEED - All the superfluous crap they have been building there is not NEEDED there other than to enrich a number of corporate interests. And yes - at way over budget costs that gets pulled directly from things like beans and bullets. The stuff installed that they actually need can easily be done, and has traditionally been done, and eventually will be done by the military itself. As it always will be before the area is made safe for the likes of yourself. (don't take that personally - it is just the facts.)

The DOD did NOT create the contracting environment as it is today they fought it tooth and nail - purely political. (Not going to mention the former owner of KBR by name.) And it is no secret that this type of contracting will not survive the next administration regardless of party. As it is well known at this point that it has cost way more... And the DOD, as well as every branch knew this at the get go - and have not seen this 'light' of any kind.

Anyway - my point was;

Our service members need you.

No - they don't..... Really they do not! Sure they may appreciate it - but they are not in NEED of any kind!

 

[jes25]

.

Anyway - my point was;


No - they don't..... Really they do not! Sure they may appreciate it - but they are not in NEED of any kind!

If KBR and all the other 50,000+ contractors left there would be major health and welfare issues and increased loss of life. That is my point.

 

[iwire]

If KBR and all the other 50,000+ contractors left there would be major health and welfare issues and increased loss of life. That is my point.

Or if all that money was used for the service peoples pay, benefits and more warfare equipment they would be better off.

 

[jes25]

Or if all that money was used for the service peoples pay, benefits and more warfare equipment they would be better off.

Quite possibly you are correct, but that is a change that would take months or years. I am not defending KBR. Trust me, my mind was and still is blown by the way they do things there. We could debate how to fix it like a bunch of politcians for weeks. I prefer to look at it simply, since all that is out of my control with the exception of a letter to the IG and a vote. Someone is going to do the QA job there. I would prefer it to be someone that can make a positive influence on the health and welfare of the troops. That's all I am saying.

 

[bikeindy]

I am with E57 on this argument. But I was in the USAF so we always had AC even in field conditions we didn't need any contractors to hook it up for us. sleep on the ground only when camping with my family.

 

[nakulak]

As a famous individual once pointed out, war isn't about you dying for your country, its about making your opponent die for his. everything else is just fluff. that point seems to have gotten lost somehow, somewhere, in this quagmire we find ourselves in. as for the contractors - that's just a shell game that's played like a merry go round by every other administration to hide defense budget dollars and provide a huge smoke screen to confuse the budget.

 

[robwire]

Figures someone from San Fransico would have nothing but negative things to say. The fast food places there are not paid for in any way shape or form by the goverment of any branch of service.AFFES is a private company that has a contract to be there any make money.NOT PAID FOR BY THE GOVERMENT.
The troops don't need those things you say???
After being in the field for a long time,eating MRE's and putting you life on the line it is nice to get to eat real food and a little reminder of being back home. You might not think it means anything but it does.
E57 obviosly you have never served and eaten the crappy food you speak off
After living out of an M1 abrams during desert storm. I was real REAL happy to be able to eat a big double whooper after finally being sent to the rear.
And A/C? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???...The real troops have no A/C
Anyway back to the topic.
alot of electricians are needed there ,not wiring up KFCs .They are wiring schools,hospitals,alot of things for the civilians .If you are brave,want to get some life experance and make alot of money go for it.

 

[e57]

Figures someone from San Fransico would have nothing but negative things to say. ~
E57 obviosly you have never served and eaten the crappy food you speak off
After living out of an M1 abrams during desert storm. I was real REAL happy to be able to eat a big double whooper after finally being sent to the rear.
And A/C? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???...The real troops have no A/C

Where I live has nothing to do with it - and I have done enough mess duty to realize that what comes out of a chow hall in the field is much better than what is being doled out of Taco Bell and there were no imported Pakistanis to serve it either - sure while I too would appreciate a taste of home away from home - but these chain deals are not MY taste of home - I once had someone ship me a steak and cheese sub - not the cheap imitation type found at Subway. And yes I have sent many an MRE as a post card - specifically corned beef hash - it's dog food... But really field rations (the big tins) are not that bad, and nor are field mess supplies once in - same as the states except for the milk (shelf life) in the first few runs - once C5's are landing a super market lands roughly once an hour. Yep - farm fresh produce, but you might never see that in a tank - but all the fuel guys who came to fill you up did.

As a Tanker you may not have realized that much of your support came from guys like me who cleaned the water for that rare shower if you ever made it to the rear, powered the antenna farms, wired air fields and hospitals - that type of thing. And yes - if in the Air Force or Navy or Marine Air Wing - Air Conditioned conex boxes to work in - and full blown chow halls with real food. At your end - you may never have seen the life of being in the rear with the gear - it is not that bad...

My point being - someone need not make $100K a year plus "Danger Pay" to do what an E-3 at $21,477.60 could do, and has done, and will do until it is safe enough for a contract to be awarded to the highest bidder. If someone thinks that "our Service Members NEED" anything - I say they should JOIN! Sure the pay sucks - many families survive on welfare at 1/4 of what some people are being paid to do the same job - without mark-up or profit on their labor.

 

[Minuteman]

alot of electricians are needed there ,not wiring up KFCs .They are wiring schools,hospitals,alot of things for the civilians .If you are brave,want to get some life experance and make alot of money go for it.

I agree. In fact, I ought to go at the same time my son redeploys. (If momma will let me. )