Assignment: Afghanistan

[alphatrauma]

I am in Florida...sneaking in a vacation with the family for a few days since I had to come here on business. Feel free to drop in and check it out...if you need your teeth cleaned I will offer you a discount as well.

Looks like I will be stuck at KAF for a while... I just may take you up on the offer

 

[dtrojan07]

You have obviously never been to Dubai. The Beaches are amazing and the Women are all but locals. Mostly Russian or Eastern Europeon and plenty of them!

Yea that you probably paid 3/4 of the money you earned for just before getting thrown in jail for kissing some girl on the beach because you don't own her.

I think Afghanistan was nicer and probably more civilized.

 

[legion1202]

How would one get into going over sea's?? I`ve always wanted to do it. What is the pay like? is it worth it if you have a family?

 

[EMSpursuit]

what kind of pay is offered for that sort of position?

 

[alphatrauma]

How would one get into going over sea's?? I`ve always wanted to do it. What is the pay like? is it worth it if you have a family?

The best way (in my opinion), is to network with those who are already in country. Whether it is worth it or not is totally subjective... there are plenty of people here with families they left behind. You either have the stomach for it, or you don't. There is no particular profile for the individual that will get here, then wash out.

what kind of pay is offered for that sort of position?

That depends on your qualifications. One can easily triple their current stateside income, and there are no living expenses with many of contracts here.

 

[DPM]

Looks like I will be stuck at KAF for a while... I just may take you up on the offer

So how's the Green Bean cafe treating you then?

 

[dtrojan07]

I would like to reply back to the original quote..You really cannot compare what we do overseas to stateside EMS. It is like comparing apples to oranges..this is a life change.
Each contract and contracting company are differant. Some do a good job of taking care of their employees and others do not. Moneywise YES, you do or can make allot more or the same as what you make at home..BUT for example my first year overseas i made just a little more than what i made in the states but i didnt pay taxes i worked 90+hrs a week in the states..I work a rotation overseas..some people will say their oversea so its all work..BUT if you get a contract that has living allowance and your NOT in a warzone you can find a place to call home. Currently i live with my wife and young son in "The Desert Oasis" Dubai in a luxary apartment by all the top resorts.
I get 2 weeks off a month plus 2, 3 week vacations a year..Like i said its all in the contract.
You need to do research, learn the culture of where your going. Like someone else said people wash out here and Ive seen lots of them not able to handle it. It is not for everyone, you give up your life as you know it and begin a new life and adventure.
If your serious about working the international contracts and a medic give me a PM and ill shoot you some links to get you started.
I do have a published blog detailing my experiance when i started in Saudi Arabia you can get more of a feel for this. Of course the guys in Afghan are in a active war zone and things are differant for them

http://flymedic.blogspot.com/2012/05/srca-riyadh-saudi-arabia-2010.html

Hope this helps

The best way (in my opinion), is to network with those who are already in country. Whether it is worth it or not is totally subjective... there are plenty of people here with families they left behind. You either have the stomach for it, or you don't. There is no particular profile for the individual that will get here, then wash out.



That depends on your qualifications. One can easily triple their current stateside income, and there are no living expenses with many of contracts here.

 

[Veneficus]

You have obviously never been to Dubai. The Beaches are amazing and the Women are all but locals. Mostly Russian or Eastern Europeon and plenty of them!

Actually, the horror stories I read in the british consulate webpages kept me safely locked in my hotel wondering why skype is forbidden as in contra to the islamic traditions.

All of the girls I saw were from east asia.

But it is clear that the rule of law there is selectively enforced, which is not exactly the mark of modern civilization.

 

[dtrojan07]

You have been grossley misslead and the stories your refering to are just that stories! If you came here and kept yourself locked away in a hotel room than it was your loose. I have been all over the world and i would not have any problem walking the street with my wife and son alone here which i would never think of doing in Detroit or LA.
Not sure what your talking about Laws? But Skype works fine here my wife is on it all day long can atest to that!
You want to see restrictive go to Saudi Arabia...you have to have a EXIT VISA to be able to leave there and your VISA Sponsor dont want you to leave you can't leave!
If you only saw Asian women..You stayed at a cheap hotel in a non tourist area of Dubai. If you stayed in JBR Dubai Marina Media City Palm Jumeriah you would of had a very differant experiance. I say that about Asian women only because their salaries are much lower and can only afford certain areas to live. Also in JBR area its nothing to see signs in English and Russian and not Arabic.

Actually, the horror stories I read in the british consulate webpages kept me safely locked in my hotel wondering why skype is forbidden as in contra to the islamic traditions.

All of the girls I saw were from east asia.

But it is clear that the rule of law there is selectively enforced, which is not exactly the mark of modern civilization.

 

[Veneficus]

You have been grossley misslead and the stories your refering to are just that stories! If you came here and kept yourself locked away in a hotel room than it was your loose. I have been all over the world and i would not have any problem walking the street with my wife and son alone here which i would never think of doing in Detroit or LA.
Not sure what your talking about Laws? But Skype works fine here my wife is on it all day long can atest to that!
You want to see restrictive go to Saudi Arabia...you have to have a EXIT VISA to be able to leave there and your VISA Sponsor dont want you to leave you can't leave!
If you only saw Asian women..You stayed at a cheap hotel in a non tourist area of Dubai. If you stayed in JBR Dubai Marina Media City Palm Jumeriah you would of had a very differant experiance. I say that about Asian women only because their salaries are much lower and can only afford certain areas to live. Also in JBR area its nothing to see signs in English and Russian and not Arabic.

I am not sure the British consulate makes up stories about couples being imprisoned and deported for kissing on the beach.

It is so...Ungovernment like.

I was told that Skype was shut down because somebody involved in the state owns the phone company. AK told me the way to get around it is a VPN, and not use the local wifi.

The overinflated prices and Russian women in Dubai just don't appeal to me. They are in abundance, right out my door. (I live in Central Europe)

 

[dtrojan07]

If your from central Europe then you should be usrd to all the government corruption and bribes that is the normal way of life in ALL the Eastern Europeon countries. AND Yes i have been there and my wife is from there.
If a couple was jailed for kissing on the beach they were not in Dubai they were in a outer area and all those beaches are marked "Muslim Only" You should stay on public beaches or private beaches you are invited to or pay the membership to be at.
The cost of living here is way cheaper than in the states. I have friends from UK and Ireland that say income taxes there are from 40 to 50 percent? There is no income tax here. BTW there are may women here from UK and down under Most of the women ive met in our building are from UK not all eastern Europeons

I am not sure the British consulate makes up stories about couples being imprisoned and deported for kissing on the beach.

It is so...Ungovernment like.

I was told that Skype was shut down because somebody involved in the state owns the phone company. AK told me the way to get around it is a VPN, and not use the local wifi.

The overinflated prices and Russian women in Dubai just don't appeal to me. They are in abundance, right out my door. (I live in Central Europe)

 

[Veneficus]

If your from central Europe then you should be usrd to all the government corruption and bribes that is the normal way of life in ALL the Eastern Europeon countries. AND Yes i have been there and my wife is from there.
If a couple was jailed for kissing on the beach they were not in Dubai they were in a outer area and all those beaches are marked "Muslim Only" You should stay on public beaches or private beaches you are invited to or pay the membership to be at.
The cost of living here is way cheaper than in the states. I have friends from UK and Ireland that say income taxes there are from 40 to 50 percent? There is no income tax here. BTW there are may women here from UK and down under Most of the women ive met in our building are from UK not all eastern Europeons

Actually, the government corruption isn't all that bad here. What corruption there is doesn't really reach or affect any of the people I associate with.

There was avery concerted effort to get rid of corrupton here just a few years ago.

Now if you wander over to Ukraine or Romania, well... You take your chances.

The taxes are rather high here, but you get what you pay for. My family and I have a host of benefits that I can honestly say is worth the cost.

 

[RocketMedic]

For the Afghans, the Army has had seven confirmed green-on-blue KIA this month. They are turning on us, and you civilians are easy targets too.

 

[Veneficus]

For the Afghans, the Army has had seven confirmed green-on-blue KIA this month. They are turning on us,

Does this surprise you?

The US lost the war(aka redefined victory), the survivors are simply siding with the rising power. It is not only a good way to make money in a poor country, it is a good way to stay alive.

Add the fact that because of the cultural differences between US soldiers and where they are at, the US persons inadvertantly add insult to injury.

As you can see what is seen as an occasional minor transgression to us can have profound negative consequences on the propaganda front.

"War is a moral contest" they won before we even had boots on the ground. The US civilian and military leaders are not prepared to do what it takes to win and never were.

Unfortunately it is the hard working folks in the field that pay the proce for that.

and you civilians are easy targets too.

No more than anywhere else.

I even have an advantage the military folk don't.

That is I do not trust fair weather friends to fight with me and I am not forced to interact with them.

In my brief time, I also had the opportunity to clean up after US soldiers who don't quite understand when you harm and poorly treat people on your side, they get pissed and kill you.

 

[alphatrauma]

So how's the Green Bean cafe treating you then?

Believe it or not, never had the occasion to have coffee there. I have been FOB hopping quite a bit... haven't been in one location for more than 3-4 weeks at a time. R&R is coming up here shortly, and I'm amped to come home a just do NOTHING for a while

 

[DPM]

Which FOB's? Anywhere nice? Haha

 

[RustyShackleford]

Chai something or other I had at Green Bean in KAF was the best caffeine beverage I have ever had, I need this in a local shop :sad:

 

[alphatrauma]

Which FOB's? Anywhere nice? Haha

I really liked Tarin Kowt... Wolverine is the bee's knees! I'm a city boy, and never knew what the skies could REALLY look like at night. I will say though, living at sea level, then hanging out at 6000+ is quite the culture shock. I still get winded when performing even the most minor tasks (ie. tying shoes).

This place has some very beautiful scenery, and I have met some of the finest people I will probably ever know. I am so glad I took the plunge!

 

[Impulse]

Read through this thread, but did not see if this had been answered.

Will you get outside the wire, or strictly on base?

 

[Veneficus]

Read through this thread, but did not see if this had been answered.

Will you get outside the wire, or strictly on base?

I stay strictly behind the wire, and the only possible thing that could prompt otherwise would be if my singular intervention could save somebody's life.

Which is highly unlikely.