Headin back to Iraq..?? about a job after I return

I have no info that would help you. Just wanted to say good luck over there.Not a nice place......

 

I worked for KBR in Iraq for 14 months. As far as I know they don;t have any oilfield positions in TX. They are general contractors and have jobs all over the world. Halibuton has quite a few as do many others. Mainly driving rig to well and working 10-12 hour shifts. Good money and benefits. As far as Iraq, it seemed that who was convoy lead made more difference than anything else. Some liaisoned with military well. Made sure everyone knew routes and emergency procedures. Heard plenty from others that they ran around willy nilly and got hit a lot. If you get a year over there you can get job here easily. Good luck. You already know to be safe. Any time you think they are wrong tell them to shove it. You are more valuable than a busted truck.

 

Well as far as a foot in the door to Corp forget it. Over here you are legally employed by SEII not KBR so you are not a KBR employee you are a contractor just like your contract says. The time you spend over here has nothing really to do with the Corp world in the States. Now as for your recovery job it all depends on where you are going to wind up i Imagine you will start in Anaconda that is where TTM HQ is once you get trained and up to speed and have enough time under your belt they may or may not move you to any where they need recovery drivers. So don't get to comfortable in any one place you may not be there long. The 2 years i drove over here in TTM i lived in 9 different camps and got to see every corner of this country. SO just get used to living out of a bug out bag. And if you were here in the military you know how things are done so you should be used to it.

 

Halliburton owned KBR. Chaney started shopping them when he was CEO cause they gave oilfield business bad name. They finally sold them or spun them off a couple of years ago. We had the Mercedes and Volvo cabovers with ballistic blanket in cab. I know they had recovery vehicles in Kuwait, Cedar, Anaconda, and a few others. One of my buds was driving at Talil AB in Nasariya and was given job drivng only uparmoured SUV's. He likes it even though they run with convoys for the most part. I'm sure things have changed some since i was there. Officially you work for SSE but it is KBR who gives the orders and who you answer to. It is set up for some tax breaks or to line the big boys pockets. You know the drill. There are guys making 10k a month over there. Leaving the base can be dangerous, but it is better than the trades because they basically put themselves in jail for 3-4 months at a time between R & R's. Try it as it may be for you. Good way for a young guy to get a good grubstake. Just don't be stupid like a lot of the guys over there and run off to Dubai, Thailand, the Phil opines or others and blow it all on hookers. Seen a bunch of them do that and come home #### near broke. Too hot and dusty over there not to come back better financially than you left.

 

Oh yeah-you will see Dubai for sure. KBR has there own, or a chartered 737 that they fly all employees on to and from BIAP{Baghdad Int Airport-formerly Saddam International}. The times I flew in and out it was a Russian crew on board. They were used to the sharp decent turns they use to land and take off. Got used to it in Afghanistan dodging Stingers. KBR gets you to Dubai and then your expenses are yours from there. They will plan your trip if you choose. But they will always choose the cheapest plan. I let them do one for me and then handled it myself. They would put me on Lufthansa to Germany and same to DFW. 8 hour layover and $15.00 cheaper. I found I could fly Swiss air to Zürich and then American to DFW. 4 hour layover. And a lot better scenery in Switzerland.
Get ready to be bored to tears in Houston. Unless things have changed they use a deserted department store in a run down shopping center for "training". This is pretty much to cover their azzes. Gas training which you will laugh as you have seen it much better in the service. They put people in all sorts of hotels and you have to ride buses. If you get through about Thursday or Fri they will have you upgraded to the Wyndom Hotel across the street from shopping center. I preferred the place I was in near the airport to the upgrade. Then you just sit and wait until they deploy you. Could be up to 2 weeks. More likely about 4-7 days. Have to be there every evening to check in. They try to act like they are half ### military outfit. Normally send you out on Continental Airlines. Make sure and sign up for frequent flyer programs as you may get upgrades to business or other perks later. It's a long flight and I am 6'3". Regular coach is tough. I did it twice and then used miles and sometimes a little cash to upgrade on flights to US. And don't be shy about asking the airlines for stuff. The worst they can do is say no and often they will help out. Did fly on Emirates Airlines once. Whow! Talk about nice. Flew from Gatwick in London to Dubai. Great seat. Great food. All booze except champagne free. Had a couple of fools get loaded and held overnight by Dubai police. They drank about 10 little Jack Blacks each. Free is great, but you still got to use your head. Dubai is a place everyone needs to see once. Once was plenty for me. Neat new buildings and a boom going on you can not describe. Most guys went out and blew $500. advance in no time. I picked up a few little things, but hate to buy from people with their hands out who you can tell hate your guts. In Dubai you can find all the beer joints and more American stuff you want. Cross a street and you are in the Sharza district and it is strict Sharia law. The UAE is made up of 7 Emirates or Princes or Sheiks and they run their own areas different. They are making good use of our money with this $3.29 a gallon gas. I had friends who quit KBR and went to work for other companies in Iraq. They would just go to Anaconda, Spicher, Talil, and catch military transport to Germany. Lots quicker and safer. KBR is not really dangerous, just a royal pain in the ###. I'm sure some one is getting rich off funneling all those people with cash in hand through Dubai. Other than that is about the same. D-Facs, dust, heat, mud rain, scorpions, Hadjis, you know the drill. You will almost surely get your own hootch which is good. Don't have to march to showers to get foot fungus. I got that crap and for 3 weeks I thought it was permanent. Had a Polish soldier I was friends with give me some spray they issue their guys and it was gone in three days. I LOVE the Pols.