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Ask Slashdot: Working As an IT Contractor In a War Zone?
Capt. Picklepants writes "I have been feeling malaise about the IT and technical job market in the United States. I'm interested in doing some IT work for our government in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. I've heard it pays very well. Got any advice, or pointers, aside from the usual combing corporate websites and social networking?"
I'm a Major in the National Guard, a Signal Officer currently deployed to Afghanistan. That whole thing about getting kidnapped is B.S. All of the contractors here fly on the same helicopters that we do, or drive in the same convoys that we do. They get the same security and eat in the same DFACs. The only real difference is that they don't go around armed, unless they're the Law Enforcement Professionals (LEPs) or security contractors.
For the most part they stay on the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) just like those of us not actually out on a mission. They work six months and go home on leave (I can't remember if it's 2 weeks or a month). It's all in their contract.
When I finished my Iraq tour, I was offered $250k per year to take over managing the I.T. section at a major Iraqi FOB. I was bone-weary from the deployment and just wanted to go home, so I didn't take them up on it. One of my soldiers here was offered $125k to come back and work in the I.T. department at BAF after the tour. She's still thinking about it.
Ignore most of the B.S. that's being posted here, they have zero idea what they're talking about. The pay is high, as is the security. The downside is the hours that you work. 12-18 hour days, with no days off is the norm. It gets to you after awhile.
Believe it or not, one of the things that really gets to you over here is the lack of GREEN. At least the FOBs I've been to, I am SICK and TIRED of sand and gravel, tan and grey. My wife emails me pictures of our lawn so i have something green to look at...
Yeah, a friend just got back from spending most of the last two years in Afghanistan.
Apparently the rocket attacks and periodic deaths on the base were really exciting.
He said pretty much after someone got killed 75 feet from where he was standing, if he heard the warning sirens he'd hit the deck even if he was in the latrine -- he figured crap washed off, but dead didn't. One of his co-workers rattled off the number of rocket attacks, suicide bombers, and other nasties that happened while he was there -- it didn't sound like a recruiting pitch to me.
He did get well paid, but I think he's pretty glad it's over now. They call it 'danger pay' for a reason.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.