middle east job offer.

red1100cc

red1100cc

Registered
i have been looking at jobs. put out a few apps. well i got an offer from a company in irac for a welder/mechineist job. 6 month contract, 86k. i havent talked to my wife about it at all! she has no idea. i want to gather some info before i even think really serious about it. so heres the skinny.
i am not a poor fella, but not "set for life" by any means. i don't work much at the moment. i work in motorcycle rights, and play with motorcycles. neither pays much, maybe $500 a month. i feel my family could use the $$. the job offer pays well, but i'd have to work my butt off 7/24 for 6 months. i can do it! but do i want to?? i have had jobs that have taken me away from home before, and i hated it, but i earned 24k a yr. but it just might be worth it to go for 6 months and pull in 3 times that. i do have $$$ hobbies. tour riding aint cheep. i might need another simester to get my welding asso. and maybe 2 to finish up my mechineing asso. not that the employer cares much, it would just mean a 2k pay diff.
its tempting, 80k is a new bike and alot of gas $$. but......

i need some advice my brothers and sisters. wtf should i do?? take it, as it is?? work twards my degree? or funk it all and keep surfin the easy life??
i don't know weither im looking for someone to scare me away or push me forward:argue:

thanks for the help my friends.

Russ
 
Do what you feel is right for your family.Make sure youre working for a reputable company with proper security.
 
My issues would be with personal safety, which cannot be guaranteed while there.
It's a tough decision as you have a family the needs the income but more so needs you.
At what price do you sell yourself?
Good luck with probably one of the most difficult decisions you will make.
In my position I wouldn't do it.
 
cheferman65 said:
My issues would be with personal safety, which cannot be guaranteed while there.
It's a tough decision as you have a family the needs the income but more so needs you.
At what price do you sell yourself?
Good luck with probably one of the most difficult decisions you will make.
In my position I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...

super tough! i could spend 10k on armor and still be sniped.

i have no disolution that im a baddazz, but beleve in fate at the same time.
still donno what to do.
 
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What company ?
Where in Iraq ? Some places are ok and some aren't.
Will you be on base with troops to guard you and do the fighting should need arise or in public guarded by the company's security forces ?
Is this employer going to give you any type of temporary life INS ?
If I had the skills I would probably do it but my names not
Russ Napoleon Dynamite Reddick :)
 
Do your research, I am presently working as a civilian here at Kandahar Afghanistan. My advise is check into the job requirements espicaly if you will be leaving a present job. Does it require a security clearance? Do you have to go through CRC (this is a medical type screening) find out the medical requirements. If you have a job now will you be able to find one at the end of the 6 months? What are the living conditions? Most of all dont forget TAXES! To get the $$$ tax free you have to be out of the country 330 days of the year then only the first $91,000 is tax free. Remember 6 months is a long time, i'm doing 3 months on 1 month off, some of the guys doing 6 months and it seems like there here forever. Remember it is different and not for everyone, i hear the living conditions in Iraq are much better than here but you never know how your going to take it when you start getting shot at and rockets start coming over the fence in the middle of the night. Hope this helps and good luck.
 
I can only share my own experience with you.

I worked in the Middle East for 5 years and after that in many different places across the globe for different projects and assignments. The money was excellent, but I did not see my kids grow up and it cost me my first marriage.

Every time I came back home, it was like having to start a new life all over again.

If I could do it all over again, I would stay put and instead of travelling the world, I would build a safe haven here at home, through work, a stable career and people connections.
 
i just finished 6 months of training without being able to see my wife, with another 5 or 6 to go. make sure your marriage is squared away before you go, if you want it to be there when you get back. i've seen too many marriages already just dissolve as the days wear on. most of what i've heard, at least in the aviation field, is that the civilians are treated and taken care of better than we are. you guys are there to do a job, and aren't expected to pull the same hours as we (military employees) are. find out about the security and the area tho, make sure they're going to keep you safe, and stay on the post.
 
Red, you'll hate being away from your family, and there is a very real possibility of being murdered.
I wouldn't do it if I was you.
 
86k is good money for 6 months work and i bet it would go by fast, my company i work for just secured a job on the Gaza, i have been thinking of going for the $$$ also, my family sure could use it.. good luck in your choice...
 
As a welder, my guess is you'll be working "inside the wire" so the risks of IEDs/sniper attacks is much lower (my experience, threat was from drive-by mortar attacks). We did have to be very vigilant vs VBIEDs/PBIEDs.

Most of the camps still open in Iraq are relatively "established" = a/c in berthing trailers, running water in showers/toilets, laundry facilites, chow hall, gym, internet cafe and PX/BX.

Good advice already given, would like to highlight ogre's point about ensuring the health of your marriage/relationship. My 2 cents: use the money to "jump-start" your future, to reinforce your economic foundation (fight the urge to splurge). Best of luck.

P.S. For us married folks, any deployment sucks/hurts.
 
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tblue3cibm said:
what company? kbr? what base r u gonna be on? contractors on the base im on have it good (al asad air base)...
Click to expand...

enough said :beerchug: .....indoor pool, huge exchange, food court, roads where you can go faster than 34-45 mph on :)
 
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tblue3cibm said:
lol i know about the roads all too well...I'm one of those dikhead MP's :whistle: when were u here?
Click to expand...

Deployed with RCT-1 (DEC'07 - JAN '09), 1st half in Fallujah then other half in Ramadi. I was actually "scared" the first time I rode in one of the shuttles driven by TCNs...got so used to 25 mph MAX on NTVs.

Just remembered, it is also winter over there :whistle: so bundle up and be safe, man!
 
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