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#1
07-10-2005, 11:37
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security contractors in iraq?
hey guys,
guys like denver and lightemup, im very curious about your job. not looking for work, im fine in my comfy wall street job! but serious: how did you get into this? were you in the security business before? how did you get the job, thorugh an agency? what are the living arrangements? what are your normal everyday routines and tasks? is there any sort of nightlife?(probably stupid question) and lastly, and feel free not to answer, what type of money do guys like you make? and i belive its tax free and how long you over there for? im just very curious, as im sure alot of guys on the forum are, so id love to hear about it 
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#2
07-10-2005, 11:48
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Mostly ex military of one sort or another (home country or paid services)..
routines will be highly varied depending on skills (comms security, personal bodyguard, etc) as are rates.. Some private security guys I have met have told me rates between 2 - 4k USD per week depending on how risky thier work was.. Good money but as my buddy gets 2k USD to fit astro turf it does make me wonder if thats low or what.. Thats all second hand info so the guys who really do it can comment with more realistic and accurate info.
__________________
Men have only 2 emotional states, hungry and horny.. So ladies, if you see me without an erection, make me a sandwich.
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#3
07-10-2005, 18:21
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Danger Zone Iraq
To Those Interested:
This site is Security Contractor Central when it comes to the SW Asia theater. Think I have posted it before... http://www.dangerzonejobs.com/artman...sh/index.shtml
__________________
Non illegitimi carborundum est. - Don't let the bastards grind you down.
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#4
08-10-2005, 00:05
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Quote:
 What a **** !!! Do you drink three bottles of Baileys last night ???? I belive your tongue was glued back in your mouth today when you vake up 
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#5
08-10-2005, 00:36
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[quote=Denver][color="Green"]I'll put down some answers (with photos) tomorrow for you and let you know some background and some of the benefits and pitfalls of the security industry out here in this neck of the woods. I'll post a couple of pictures in the meantime.
Hi Denver I look forward to hearing about some of the background, Im an ex bootneck myself.(you are 2 I'm guessing). In the meantime keep your head down Dave
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#6
08-10-2005, 01:33
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Hi Dave good to hear from you shipmate,
No, not a Booty but will forgive you that!! Although I did spend more time on Her Majesties Ships than most Sailors and Booties! In fact my first introduction to Phuket was a ships visit by HMS Newcastle (The Geordie Gunboat) in about 1985 I do thank the Navy for that. Take care mate, I will expand on life and work out here probably tomorrow, we do have quite a few ex-Royals working for us. Right now I am too hungover and LOS sick to even think about it. 
__________________
The idea is to die young.........as late as possible. 
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#7
08-10-2005, 02:27
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Quote:
I was here with our Army and met some contractors and thought, "Hey, thats a pretty cool job" So I started looking into becoming one myself. Quote:
Quote:
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I've lived in a tent in the middle of the desert. And in a trailer with 7 roommates on a construction site. I've had my own personal trailer on an Army base. And now live in a villa in the IZ. Quote:
It can be everything from static security, guarding a gate to a powerplant, an base, a holding facility or something. It can be running the roads in big armored surburbans, guns pointing outboard. Doing convoy security or escorting clients around the country. It can be 1 on 1 personal bodyguard details. You can be totally undercover doing intelligence stuff on your own or in a small team. Everything is possible here... Quote:
Most teams and companies have their own little watering hole in their compound. If you live at the Palace in the IZ, there are some cuties running around there. Im mostly too busy and have the mindset that I dont drink while working, thats what leave and R&R is for. But I'll admit to having maybe two - three beers a month total. Quote:
My first gig payed USD 12K a month, I now make 18K. There are companies that pay only 10K a month, and there are some people that make way more than what I make. But there is a reason for the high saleries. Our company lost 3 guys some months ago in a 45 second firefight. One day I might end up on Al Jazeera with a black bag on my head.. Or on a video clip on Ogrish . com Quote:
This is the major reason I went Expat in Thailand with a tourist visa. Quote:
Some companies offer 1 year contracts, but if the client drops the company after 5 months, youre out of a job, even if your contract stated 12 months... There is no security in the security business.... I've been here since new year, and will stay for as long as the money is here. At the end of the day, we're all prostitutes.... BG/BarGirl/BodyGuard. Quote:
Hope I helped a little...
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#9
08-10-2005, 03:32
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More Photo's
Herewith a few more photos from here in Iraq:
Photo 1: I know there is no fire but they are from a series of pictures ending in one - That isn't water by the way!! Photo 2: Explosives taken from these shells is used to produce roadside bombs, that's why we were happy to find them and have then blown up safely. Photo 3: Me at work (Alledgedly) Installing CCTV in US vehicle search lanes. Photo 4: The Kirkuk Open Golf championships, a 9 hole course but not many entrants this year! or last year come to think of it!! Photo 5: You never know who is looking over your shoulder!
__________________
The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#10
08-10-2005, 05:46
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Good info,
Actually considered this line of work a few years ago, but decided against it for a few reasons, one being as only ex-RE I'd probably be punching above my weight. No shock I dont see an SA80 in those piccys btw
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#11
08-10-2005, 07:48
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Fantastic thread. I've looked at a construction management job with Haliburton but not ready to take the leap. I served CAF but not Combat Arms, more suited to the construction work, although I suppose it doesn't hurt to have heard shots fired in anger.
You guys watch out over there and make it back to LOS safe and sound.
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#12
08-10-2005, 09:10
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I have to admit I'm fascinated by this whole line of work.I haven't been a soldier in over 20 years reserve and regular,infantry and armoured corps,but this kind of thing stays in your system.Theres always a little bit of the army left in you.
Denver I'm guessing that this is not something that middle aged men should be starting a career in, but I noticed we're the same age,so I'm wondering,is the basic plan high risk/high pay early retirement? I look at my present course and I see no retirement before 65.Yet I look at this line of work and even starting to save at my age I could retire in 10 years with way more money.High risk...you bet .Nothing is free. All hypothetical and just curious but I'll never have a better opportunity to ask someone in the know. Denver tell me this is a misguided decision 5555555 or do you actually see men our age starting in this business.Is this a young man's game unless you've at it for a while. BTW you do provide me with many a chuckle on this board.
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#13
08-10-2005, 11:24
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This is not the line of work for people that want to play army.
Objective isnt to get into a fight, but to avoid them. Army skills alone will not qualify you for the job, you need additional skills, like Close Protection skills, security driver training, emergency trauma skills and very very good shooting skills.
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#14
08-10-2005, 11:27
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Quote:
have you seen situations where guys get over there and are in over their heads?
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#15
08-10-2005, 16:37
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Denver, in of of those pics look like somebody is playing golf???
And thanks for the information guys, very interesting for an outsider to read, and be careful out there.
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#16
08-10-2005, 16:56
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Part One
I'll try and take it question by question like Lightemup! Could be a long one and in a couple of parts!
How did I get into this? Well, I've been doing this stuff pretty much since leaving school at 16 to join the Army. On leaving the Army 25 years (Interesting job still covered by the Official Secrets Acts so not for the public domain!) I looked for a different, more sedate line of work (Teaching English in Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia) it didn't pay so I thought 'if it ain't broken - why try to fix it' and joined a friend in Guinea, North of Sierra Leone to start a security company there. While having a few drinks in 'Paddys Bar' in Sierra Leone I bumped into an old mate who was running the security at the British High Commission and said he wanted to move on and offered me the job. I took it and subsequently won the American Embassy security contract (Must be my good looks!) The company wanted to expand into Botswana and wanted someone to go and do a full start up there, so I took it and the salary!! I won the American Embassy contract and again the British High Commission. (FYI High Commission if it was an ex-British Dependancy - Embassy if it wasn't) I ran with that for 9 Months before 'something' happened and I quickly re-located myself to Johannesburg! We still have the contract, it's just that I had a bit of a falling out with some people. I got back to the UK eventually and was between jobs until the phone rang from Canada offering me a job with a Canadian Company (I had done some work for them in Afghanistan in the past) working in Bosnia with the Canadian Military, this job was a comms job which lasted again, for 9 months until I had had enough. I had worked in Bosnia on six previous occasions and just got bored with it. Plus the Canadian Dollar 'vs' GBP wasn't brilliant. So I jumped on a train in Zagreb to Budapest and had a bit of fun for a while. My mobile rang in Budapest asking if I could attend an interview in London for a potential Security/Comms job in Iraq and the salary was explained! I flew that afternoon. Three days later, in September 2003, after a 19 hour drive from Amman, Jordan, I arrived in Baghdad to start my current job. So no agencies, just mates and the 'old boy network' - I'll do Part 2 in a while, I have to pop out in a sec. Picture 1: A bit of training, nothing worse than doing it for 'real' first time! Picture 2: Now what? Anyone got a map? Picture 3: Why your petrol is so expensive! At least the fire is out.
__________________
The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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#17
08-10-2005, 20:45
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Lightemup thanks for the honest response.As someone who is there,your opinion is important.
I had thought there would be behind the lines support jobs,supply drivers ,maintainence,etc within the organization but I'm begining to see this is specialized front line stuff.I'm certainly not craving a firefight,more like one of those people who would take a calculated risk to do a job in a dangerous area for a big payoff.Denver mentioned "every walk of life" so maybe the reconstruction contractors are more the route for interested civilians.As mentioned before purely hypothetical,just interesting to talk about job alternatives however radical.Stay safe!Denver thats quite a career.Have you ever considered writing a book someday,or would disclosure of info be a problem?I'm not talking about your Patong adventures.(no wait,maybe I am! )
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#18
08-10-2005, 21:18
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Quote:
I met a few of "your types" in Split/Bosnia about 9 years ago. Chatting to them over a *cough* few *cough* beers was what got me asking about job specs back then. Pretty much all word of mouth from what I can gather to get a job, and even if you did a few training courses you'd meet the vicious circle of not having experience to get work in order to get experience etc. Then being ex-RE isnt exactly a "sexy" previous army job for that line of work on the CV. Couldnt be arsed to go down the 9sqn or 59sqn route either
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#19
08-10-2005, 21:40
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Quote:
.............I MUST SAY I PREFER MY LINE OF WORK...........THE MOST DANGEROUS THING I DO AT WORK IS TURN ON MY PC !!!!!!! IJ
__________________
ROLL ON OCTOBER........
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#20
08-10-2005, 21:41
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A very interesting thread for those of us on the outside.
Many thanks Denver and Lightemup for your frank replies. You both have my upmost respect for your work. Someone has to do it!
__________________
If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?
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#21
08-10-2005, 21:42
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Quote:
__________________
The idea is to die young.........as late as possible.
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