Working in Iraq for KBR

[lhwkns]

I have noticed that a lot of posters here work in or have worked in Iraq. I am going to apply for an I.T. Desktop Analyst position with KBR this week and was wondering if anyone had any info on this position. I would like to know what the most dangerous aspects of this job are, and also will the job be on a military installation or with a private company??? I am interested in how KBR transports thier employees and how safe they are with them. Please, any advance advice is appreciated. Thanks! - Lhwkns

[Dreammy]

I have noticed that a lot of posters here work in or have worked in Iraq. I am going to apply for an I.T. Desktop Analyst position with KBR this week and was wondering if anyone had any info on this position. I would like to know what the most dangerous aspects of this job are, and also will the job be on a military installation or with a private company??? I am interested in how KBR transports thier employees and how safe they are with them. Please, any advance advice is appreciated. Thanks! - LhwknsThis group has many KBR members. It might be a good resource for you.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/civiliansinraq/

[John Smith]

I am currently working for KBR in Iraq/Kuwait and have been since March 03. I can tell you KBR employees all work on military bases and especially the I.T. people are very well respected. They live well and travel safely, mostly by Air.

[millionairetobe71]

I have noticed that a lot of posters here work in or have worked in Iraq. I am going to apply for an I.T. Desktop Analyst position with KBR this week and was wondering if anyone had any info on this position. I would like to know what the most dangerous aspects of this job are, and also will the job be on a military installation or with a private company??? I am interested in how KBR transports thier employees and how safe they are with them. Please, any advance advice is appreciated. Thanks! - Lhwkns

PM Lance, he can give details about it. If you were to ask me I would tell you that the job itself doesn't have any risk..You are not fighting with the pens and papers on your desk, nontheless KBR will not give you a weapon. Now, depending in which FOB (you will be very familiar with this term) you are, the transportation system is ok, and in some others, like in LSA Anaconda, is really reliable and as you said, KBR has a mean of transportation for its employees. Although KBR control ALL types of transportation in evey FOB though. You will be quite safe, just don't go out of the wire for anything and you will come back in one piece, otherwise, kiss your family goodbye....

[LakewayDaze!]

No you will not be going outside the base where you live or FOB (Forward Operating Base) as some like to call it. You will be going around fixing peoples printers and computers inside that FOB. So you will be fairly safe as long as a mortar or rocket doesnt fall too close to you. KBR usually flys their employees in and out of country, but they do use convoys from FOB to FOB on ocassion.

HookEM!!

[Laurali]

Believe it or not, I'm not going to take advantage of this opportunity to bash KBR as I so badly want to do whenever the opportunity presents itself. I will admit that it's killing me not to give in.:drunk:

[LakewayDaze!]

Believe it or not, I'm not going to take advantage of this opportunity to bash KBR as I so badly want to do whenever the opportunity presents itself. I will admit that it's killing me not to give in.:drunk:


I don't own KBR. Hey I worked for KBR for almost 2 yrs in IRAQ. It was a good experience for me and it did good things for my family and I. That's just my own experiece and I am sure others differ.

HookEM!!!

[Javabear]

Do whatever it takes to find a job with another company in Iraq! KBR sucks! I have worked for KBR at LSA Anaconda for the last 9 months and this place was named correctly because it is a snake pit! Don't turn your back on anyone or you'll find 3 or 4 knives in it. As far as transportation goes, KBR flys most everywhere, but convoys out to the FOB's are common and usually uneventful (I've been on several).

[Laurali]

I don't own KBR. Hey I worked for KBR for almost 2 yrs in IRAQ. It was a good experience for me and it did good things for my family and I. That's just my own experiece and I am sure others differ.

HookEM!!!
I can't say KBR was beneficial to me and my family financially, but their overall behavior towards hiring, employee placement, EEOC, justification of wastefulness and poor planning is far too much for most people to stomach, including the client. Unfortunately, KBR and the militiary realize that to replace them would not be cost effective at this point. All one has to do is look at the turnover rate and the number of their employees that walk around with a frown on their face, and constantly griping while eating in the dfac, to know there are issues there.

[panhead]

I can't say KBR was beneficial to me and my family financially, but their overall behavior towards hiring, employee placement, EEOC, justification of wastefulness and poor planning is far too much for most people to stomach, including the client. Unfortunately, KBR and the militiary realize that to replace them would not be cost effective at this point. All one has to do is look at the turnover rate and the number of their employees that walk around with a frown on their face, and constantly griping while eating in the dfac, to know there are issues there.

In the contract world, some assignments are good some not as good kinda part of the job description.

[s1rGr1nG0]

I can't say KBR was beneficial to me and my family financially, but their overall behavior towards hiring, employee placement, EEOC, justification of wastefulness and poor planning is far too much for most people to stomach, including the client. Unfortunately, KBR and the militiary realize that to replace them would not be cost effective at this point. All one has to do is look at the turnover rate and the number of their employees that walk around with a frown on their face, and constantly griping while eating in the dfac, to know there are issues there.

Ignore the naysayers! I work in IT with KBR at ***** near *****. It's a great camp and a great job. There will always be whiners and back stabbers anywhere you go. You just learn to deal with or avoid them all together.
I dealt with the same types when I was working IT back in the states. I have been in theater for 2 years and I have never been happier as I have since coming to this camp. It's not for everybody so take my reply with a grain of salt. All you can do is apply for the job and see for yourself. Some people like it and some don't.

[millionairetobe71]

I'm a soldier, so I do not kow anything about KBR.. But I will tell you that anywhere you go, you will find those who likes you and those who doesn't like you.....Now if you can survive to be here in Iraq, then you would be able to take on the rest....

[firedawg2000]

I have noticed that a lot of posters here work in or have worked in Iraq. I am going to apply for an I.T. Desktop Analyst position with KBR this week and was wondering if anyone had any info on this position. I would like to know what the most dangerous aspects of this job are, and also will the job be on a military installation or with a private company??? I am interested in how KBR transports thier employees and how safe they are with them. Please, any advance advice is appreciated. Thanks! - Lhwkns

Check out PARSONS or FLUOR first for opportunities. They pay better and recruit better employees. They steal our best employees (KBR) from out here in Iraq and leave us with the crap! I know for sure that Fluor pays 60% uplift on EVERY HOUR WORKED including R&R pay. KBR only pays 55% uplift on the first 40 hours worked and 0% uplift on R&R's.

[jethrobodine]

correct, there are good and bad people everywhere, for whatever company you work for....hey, come on over here and see for yourself, and then if you do not like kbr or the people where you are, then market yourself out to something better....was at balad from march thru april 2004, a bad time, but things have become better and there are walls now where there was just wire...i am at biap now, and we still have mortars and rockets coming in....just keep your senses up, and do not get caught with the feeling i see so many have, jjust another day at work and nothing can happen...especially since i sleep next to the detention center....come over and get the money and especially the--DINAR!!! for your future investment capitol-gains.....enjoy

[Telalun]

I am also considering a job in IRAQ or even Afghanistan with KBR. I have checked the PARSONS page as well as the Bechtel and other contract companies over there and the job listings on their websites are few and far between. I have been applying for IT jobs with KBR since the reconstruction efforts began and have not recieved a phone call from anyone ever or been able to speak with a recruiter yet. I thought mostly this was because of the high volume of people applying and that I do not have any military. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[aviddigi]

I’m on the same boat, I have been trying for about a year now to get on with any company. All I can say is don’t give up, maybe something will happen. When I went to a recruiting event yesterday the line to talk with KBR went out the door but I waited. Just find a recruiting event and make sure your resume is good to go (mine needed some cleaning up) or get a PO Box in Texas.

[maliaeden]

If you were to ask me I would tell you that the job itself doesn't have any risk..You are not fighting with the pens and papers on your desk, nontheless KBR will not give you a weapon...

Ok, so they won't GIVE you a weapon-- will they allow you to carry one of your own?

[Laurali]

I don't know of any KBR people that carry weapons, except some of the security folk. Not even ALL of security carry's a weapon. I may be wrong about that. Even then, I doubt their weapons are loaded. It's really not so bad out here nowadays. All of the fighting has turned within the cities, and not so much toward the camps like the earlier days.

[Javabear]

Ok, so they won't GIVE you a weapon-- will they allow you to carry one of your own?

KBR policy is no weapons whatsoever. I have heard that some of the truck drivers are sometimes provided weapons by the military and most of the people I know that stay inside the wire carry knives.

[Telalun]

I’m on the same boat, I have been trying for about a year now to get on with any company. All I can say is don’t give up, maybe something will happen. When I went to a recruiting event yesterday the line to talk with KBR went out the door but I waited. Just find a recruiting event and make sure your resume is good to go (mine needed some cleaning up) or get a PO Box in Texas.

I live in Texas and am attending a recruiting event Feb. 2, hopefully this will open more opportunities. I am even more considering working in Afghanistan than Iraq. I can cut vegetables and fill salt and pepper shakers as a kitchen assistant if need be. Right now I just need a job, being laid off for a couple of months has expidited my wifes approval of me going overseas to work.

[aviddigi]

I live in Texas and am attending a recruiting event Feb. 2, hopefully this will open more opportunities. I am even more considering working in Afghanistan than Iraq. I can cut vegetables and fill salt and pepper shakers as a kitchen assistant if need be. Right now I just need a job, being laid off for a couple of months has expidited my wifes approval of me going overseas to work.

Well i will clean porta potties, but hopefully it does not come to that for either of us. Worst case I will screw the caps back on after you fill the shakers.

[IQ-Contractor]

I am currently working for KBR in Iraq/Kuwait and have been since March 03. I can tell you KBR employees all work on military bases and especially the I.T. people are very well respected. They live well and travel safely, mostly by Air.

I just now noticed the above quote in the beginning of the thread. erm...eh...sorry, not quite true. A lot of them live on post--but not all. We've got a ton of people here in the IZ and we dont even support the military---all State department and the military assigned to State reconstruction missions. It's really the best place to be in the country IMO. You can hop a bus and check out the town/T-wall rat maze with stores and cafe's.

About the IT people being respected...hehehe...too funny. If you're actually qualified with certifications, then they probobly wont hire you for this location..hehe. One guy still cant figure out how to network a printer...(no offence meant to the IT people):lmao:

Also--travel mostly by air? Wow, maybe this isnt the best place---we get an easy hundred flights in here a day and getting a KBR person on one is like pulling teeth. They usually say 'no' without even trying to manifest you--then it's convoy time! yippie!

[jfed1980]

I am prior military, MOS being 77-F Petroleum Supply Specialist and just started to apply for KBR openings, I was just curious if anyone knew of any other companies looking for civilian contractors in Iraq/Afghanistan that I could also apply with. Thanks, jfed

[Pig-Pen]

Try www.civiliancontractorjobs.com Some one posted this site on IIF some time ago and I have found it to be a great site.

[phiberoptik]

make sure the job you apply for is the job your going to be doing. i've seen a TON of KBR guys get hired for one job get over to TQ and end up doing something totally Unrelated.. i actually applied with KBR ( before going to Lockheed ) and the position i applied for was IT related but the job i interviewed for ended up being something related to drilling and from what i've seen in TQ its a common practice

[lookingforwork]

i start my terminal leave from the military in august. i worked security for 6 years and deployed numerous times to the middle east in that capacity. for the past two years i've been working as a contracting specialist (i buy what the government wants/needs).
since feb or march, i've been dealing with a kbr recruiter. at the beginning of last week, he contacted me to see what the exact date was that i could start work--in iraq, afghan, kuwait or africa. friday, he emailed me saying he no longer worked recruiting and that i might have to apply online...and ended it with a quick 'sorry'.
after reading some posts here, i'm wondering what other companies are out there that will pay good money for one year of work. long hours don't faze me--i've worked my share of 36 hour days and had a pretty consistent schedule of 18 hour days with security. here's the thing. i don't have a degree yet. my bachelor's in business won't be complete for another 6-8 months and i don't want to be unemployed for any length of time. i can't afford to be. i need the money. degree or not, i am VERY skilled at my job and know the DFARS and FAR inside and out.
does anyone have contact info for recruiters (kbr or not) or info on other companies that hire overseas for good money without a degree?
thanks for your time.

[phiberoptik]

security off the top of my head

blackwater security http://www.blackwaterusa.com/

there was another company im tring to remember the name i;ll dig thru some old emails and see if i can find it

[lookingforwork]

thanks for the security link. i'll look at it and see what it offers. i'll take any job i'm qualified for that pays well, but i would prefer one in contracting--as a contracting/procurement agent, purchaser or the like. that's the focus of the degree i'm working on and what i plan to do long term. but like i said, i'll take any job that i'm qualified for that pays the big bucks. thank you!

[Buckster]

Hey there
From what I have seen and heard while deployed, KBR may not be the best in terms of "Bennies" and the like but from talking to people they ALL said it gave them a foot in the door and the check was always there! For security I know of a company called "Custer Battles" you may look there. I also know that the "Uplift" in pay is greater in Iraq than Kuwait or any where else,However,in Kuwait as a civilian it is possible to go down town and the threat level is not there.

[Amaya]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum. I have recently applied for positions on the KBR website and wanted to also try and get in touch with a recruiter. I live in Atlanta and there are no "job fairs" coming this way.
Can anyone point me in a direction to get my foot in the door?? It would be greatly apperciated. :D

Thanks

[Amaya]

Hi All

I am new to this forum. I have recently applied for some positions on the KBR website. I would also like to attempt to get in contact with a recruiter. I live in Atlanta and there are no recruiting events coming this way... :( . Can anyone point me in there right direction to go?? I would greatly apperciate it. :D

Many thanks

[areweryt]

Take it from an ex KBR security guy no wepons for any KBR employee.:no:

I don't know of any KBR people that carry weapons, except some of the security folk. Not even ALL of security carry's a weapon. I may be wrong about that. Even then, I doubt their weapons are loaded. It's really not so bad out here nowadays. All of the fighting has turned within the cities, and not so much toward the camps like the earlier days.

[areweryt]

Be nice to your friendly Rhino:confused:

I just now noticed the above quote in the beginning of the thread. erm...eh...sorry, not quite true. A lot of them live on post--but not all. We've got a ton of people here in the IZ and we dont even support the military---all State department and the military assigned to State reconstruction missions. It's really the best place to be in the country IMO. You can hop a bus and check out the town/T-wall rat maze with stores and cafe's.

About the IT people being respected...hehehe...too funny. If you're actually qualified with certifications, then they probobly wont hire you for this location..hehe. One guy still cant figure out how to network a printer...(no offence meant to the IT people):lmao:

Also--travel mostly by air? Wow, maybe this isnt the best place---we get an easy hundred flights in here a day and getting a KBR person on one is like pulling teeth. They usually say 'no' without even trying to manifest you--then it's convoy time! yippie!