Employment by Halliburton in Iraq...

[LowBoy]

Does anyone have any information, or know someone, that is currently working as an operator or comparable position over in the middle east, by Halliburton?

I have a friend who is waiting to hear back from an individual currently working over there in Iraq, supposedly earning BIG money due to the risk, and was looking for some information myself.

Any info would be appreciated, PM me if it gets too complex...

Thanx.

 

[surfer-joe]

Try here: http://www.halliburton.com/

Try this one too: http://www.wgint.com/

Good Luck! You may need it!

 

[MKTEF]

Guy's!

I've been there, and i know how you will be treated when **** hits the fan.
Stay away!
You will be sitting ducks in most of the jobs you will be offered.

I've had the same offers as you, to swap over and work for the privat firms.
But i have resisted to do so. And my offers were to go around and be heavy armed!
If you are proffesional bodyguards/trained soldiers you may get a job in security, then u may get a good deal with protection and guns for selfdefence. Otherwise; nothing.

For u Lowboy, i bet u will be put inside a truck and driving convoys from Kuwait to Bagdad. And u are a easy target inside that truck, in a convoy with one Hummer in front and one 20 trucks back.
And there is no protection in 2 sheet metal plates in the door against road side bombs. Bullet proof west and helmet dosen't help you then.

Fact is there is more people like u guys getting killed in Iraq than soldiers killed.
Difference is a KBR dead dosent make headlines.(kellog Brown and Root/Halliburton)

Advice: Let the Indian, Pakistani and Phillipine workers do that job.
Money dosen't help your children grow up when u are dead.

I may sound a bit negative, but this is what i have learned personaly.
I mean Bush did the right thing and u should support your troops over there.:usa
But if u have a choise, stay away.
(And i can tell u many horror-stories from my tour)

 

[surfer-joe]

I've heard many stories over the years about working in the Middle East and other parts of that region MKTEF. It would be a pleasure to hear yours.

Give it a shot, tho I don't know if this is the right thread for that. Steve or somebody can advise.

Years ago when I worked for the old Green Construction Company, they got a bunch of work in Saudi Arabia. They asked me to go over several times, but I always turned them down as I had already done some tours in Vietnam and was under no illusion about what Saudi would be like. Some of the guys from the job in Wyoming went over however, and a couple of them told me some stories about the time they spent there. Some crazy stuff!

I worked with a guy in 83 that had worked in Iran for Guy F Atkinson Construction whom some may remember. A big company in their day. Anyway, when the whole Iranian revolution happened, he was working on a job I believe on the Red Sea, either there or the Persian Gulf. They were trapped there as the roads out were full of nutcases shooting everything in sight, especially Americans. There were maybe a couple of dozen expatriates on that job and some had family with them. They finally got out by taking over a garbage scow that showed up one day. Took a week or so to get to a friendly port and what a smell he said. That was his last job overseas forever.

I heard a bag full of stuff about Saudi from several people. Seems Green had to take a Saudi partner, was the only way you could work in the kingdom then. They quit bidding more work however when they couldn't seem to get paid for projects they completed. Turns out the partner, whom was a member of the ruling family of course, was keeping the money for himself. So Green says OK, we're out of here and they sent most folks home and gathered up their equipment intending to send it to other jobs. Not so fast says Saudi Arabia, that equipment belongs to Prince So & So and you can't have it. I don't know that Green ever got the iron, but they did file a law suit against either the kingdom or the Prince, and won 400 million bucks or more. They did some work in Iran too, but that was before the revolution.

There was a horrible amount of graft involved with the project management and supervisors. Everybody had a scam going and it's not hard to see how Green lost their shirts there.

The way things are going, have been going in Iraq, I don't know that working there as a civilian contractor is the best idea a guy ever had, even if the money is good. But lots of folks are doing it.

 

[MKTEF]

I hear you Joe.

And you should all read my post, i am not saying u shouldent go any of the other countryes u are mentioning.
But, stay away from Iraq!

We got a couple of big Norwegian firms working in Iran. Statoil and i beliewe Hydro is involved in oil projects there.(among others)
And those who has been there are telling a lot of positive things about going to Iran. A very friendly and positive people.(US citisens wouldn't be very popular i beliewe)

And the same thing is said about the other countries around the middle east.
Thats also my personal learning.
Even the iraqies is very friendly, and a well educated people. U will get invited and they share the little they got with u.
Problem is the numbers of brainwashed extremists around.
I bet u didn't know that Iraq got the highest educated people in the world!
I am talkin about the number of high educated people pr 1000 inhabitants.

And kidnapping is/was a way of living long before the war. U get kidnapped, well threated though, and your family have to pay for u.
Problem now is a lot of the extremists pay bether and immediately... so u get traded like commercial goods, untill u get your throuth/neck cut over on video.

Safety is always an issue where ever u go. In Saudi they have built villages where only foreigners is living. Security is strict, but sometimes a lunetic has managed to get inside with a gun or explosives. The same goes with many other countries around the world. This type of job is way safer then working in Iraq.

In Iraq u got "safe heavens" like a camp or guarded buildings.
This is where u live, eat and sleep. Depending on wich job u get u will work there or outside. Chefs and adm guys work inside the camps, the rest is normaly working on the outside.
That means u expose yourselves each time u leave the camp.
Sometimes u drive a bus escorted my mil guy's or a sivil guard firm.
Then u get dropped off at worksites around the town/area the bus drives.
(we spent time escorting the "job" bus for KBR, 0700 morning and home 2000 evening)
Or u drive out in one/two/tree vehicles together with the security guys.

The convoy driving is very dangerous. Now they have gone over to using mines in the roadside bombs. So the amount of explosives and type has been worse. Mines often have a slug(metalfragment) or directional charges that makes the impact worse. Previous they used artillery rounds, and they prodused splinters, but with not so big charges inside.
Against mines u only can be safe in a Main battle tank.(unless they lay it under it)

And it looks like its beeing worse for every day that goes. The extremists is learning by their mistakes. And a mistake is when somebody survives the bomb/attack.

 

[MKTEF]

Here goes a story.

Our boys where out on MSR Tampa one morning.(MSR: Main supply route)
Tampa is the main highway from Kuwait to Bagdad, 3 lanes in each direction.
(where it is still in order)

Out there they fund a complete truck with a reefer.(trailer with cooling)
The truck stod at the shoulder, engine running, but brake problems.
No load in the trailer, doors wide open.
Blod in the seats, nobody around, gunshot holes in the door, gunshot holes in the brake/air system on the left side.
They searched the cabin and found an ID card, pastport and wallet, no money.
Belonged to a guy from India, employed to a Kuwaity firm, transporting for US Army in Iraq.

This attracted som attension.
A US convoy going south stopped on the other lanes.
A US offiser came over talked to our guys.
OHH, this truck belong to my convoy! he says.
What's it doing here?

A talk trough his convoy told our guy's what had happened:
On the way north, this truck dident go as fast as the rest of the convoy.
Nobody noticed, exept that he moved further back in the convoy.
Eventualy the hummer at the back passed him too.
A couple of miles further he was hijacked because he was on his own.
The hijackers had tried shooting the driver, ending with shots to the brake system so his truck coulden't move any more.

Truck was then emptied during the night.
We never found the driver, not by the road, nowhere around.

He didn't have any radio to tell the rest. The Hummer at the back didn't have control over all the vehicles in the convoy.
And mayby they didn't want to slow down. Who knows?

And most of the US soldiers around are so afraid, they are a danger to them selves and everybody around.
This makes them not think rasionaly, so stupid things like this happends.

And i don't se any morale her.

 

[LowBoy]

Here goes a story.


And most of the US soldiers around are so afraid, they are a danger to them selves and everybody around.
This makes them not think rasionaly, so stupid things like this happends.

And i don't se any morale her.

Boy, you're pee'in on my Corn Flakes there, MKTEF...

I have a civilian buddy who has a close friend currently over in Iraq, on a 6 month mission to earn his first 80K tax free wages, after the $80,001.00 mark, it's taxable again.

He's supposed to be sending me information on his position. I am only interested in an operators position, mainly an excavator or dozer operator, demo'ing and/or rebuilding the infrastructure. The only thing I am interested in driving is a "hard bargain."

Usually my greediness clouds my ability to make a credable decision regarding danger. I have "larger lower anatomical accessories" than the average John Q. Public for some strange reason, and the vision of that 80K in 6 months with a little discomfort attached is bowling over the rationale of not going at all.

I'm thinking of growing out a 3 foot beard, wearing a turban and a robe with a bullet proof vest under it, carrying a .44 hogleg and a tazer gun, and woe to any Jihadist that comes within boomshot of my trackhoe or within the footprint of the dozer I'm on. That's just my outlook on the whole deal. I'm not looking to change their minds about Islam, I want that stinkin' 80K, and will vamoose as soon as it clears the bank!

This guy I spoke of over there earlier is still alive and kicking, and he has the same attitude as I do about it...There's no opportunity here in front of us at home with an 80K tag on it, so if it's worth a little discomfort to go get it, then so be it. Otherwise, I like many others will be fighting my current Jihad-style fight right here at home called...struggling week to week.

I got involved in Hurricane Katrina scandal 2 yrs. ago, should have learned my lesson then, but there's a different scenario in the middle east than there was (and still is,) in the Gulf of Mexico.

What can I say...I'm a glutton for punishment, a gambler, a Maverick.

 

[digger242j]

What can I say...I'm a glutton for punishment, a gambler, a Maverick.

That'll look real good on your headstone...

Stay home.

 

[jmac]

I 2nd that Digger!
It would be different story for honor, glory, and the American way, but just for the money?

 

[LowBoy]

I 2nd that Digger!
It would be different story for honor, glory, and the American way, but just for the money?

The honor and glory theory doesn't seem to apply to this situation, just the flashbacks of my tour in Katrina proved that there is no honor amongst thieves. I just look at the financial aspects of it, and assess the risk accordingly. Not a deal for everyone, that's for sure.

 

[digger242j]

I just look at the financial aspects of it,

A wise man said, "Don't gamble more than you can afford to lose."

You're gambling more than six months of your life...

 

[woberlin]

I'd bet that if you talked to some of the servicemen that were over there recently you'd not be so eager. A civilian contractor, especially American, is probably one of the absolute most dangerous positions you could ever put yourself in. The money is great, but so is the chance of dying or being badly injured! That said, some people thrive on that kind of excitement, and I'm sure that you would'nt be bored. I think the better, and safer, bet would be to go to the oil sands or diamond mines in Canada. The money is almost as good, your alot closer to home, and certainly safer.

 

[MKTEF]

There is no demolition left to do, we have done it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onG1nEv7ljE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjbCdeoqcf8

And if we are talking guns, this is the one u need.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgyHI7n2pNs

He is shooting at at target the size of a toilet seat, 1250m/3700feet away.
And it was no problem hitting it.

And i don't think you will be alowed to carry any type of weapon as a employed in KBR/haliburton.
Exept if u get a guard job and got the right training for it.
It is very strict to cary guns in Iraq now.(beliewe it or not!!):guns
A lot of US soldiers have been shooting at everything that moves, so it's been restrected.

 

[LowBoy]

I'm getting the message that maybe it's not worth it somehow now...

 

[MKTEF]

It's a free country you know.:usa

Anyway:
Problem is i don't think u will get a job as a operator, otherwise as a truckdriver. And then u get it because nobody else want it.
The jobs u look for can be done by a lowpaid guy from india/pakistan/phillipines.
But for a job as foreman/chief/boss i beleiwe it will be easier to get employed.
(and bether paid than as a operator):drinkup

But ill post some more stories as long as you guy's are interrested.

 

[Squizzy246B]

But ill post some more stories as long as you guy's are interrested.

Don't stop now:thumbsup

 

[LowBoy]

Don't go out of your way to post more horror stories just for me, MKTEF...I'm starting to think maybe with a 100% negativity rate on feedback, it's back to Amway for some quick bucks...


Soooooooo.....anybody looking for some AWESOME laundry detergent, and an opportunity to become a millionaire?:idea :laugh :lmao

 

[Dozerboy]

I had a offer to go there a few years back and almost took it instead I took an offer in Socal. I did ok there wasn't raking in the dough, but I never got shot at or... Not having a ability to carry a/several firearms was a deal breaker for me.:usa :usa

 

[BrianHay]

Really enjoying the stories MKTEF :thumbsup don't stop

 

[tylermckee]

I know a guy that is in Iraq, he drives a hummer leading the convoy. His vehicle has been blown up 3 times. first time he got lucky and was home for christmas, but everyone in the hummer he would have normally been driving died, second time i believe one guy that was in the back was killed and he got something like 30% hearing loss. This last time i dont know, it happened recently, all i know is that everyone inside was injured, dont know to what degree. i would say its not the best place to be.