Nightcrawler
Member
I've aluded to this in other posts, but here's the score. If you all remember, back in January, High Roader Hal Romberg (hope I spelled that right) posted a thread about defense contracting opportunities in Iraq.
It intrigued me, as I was facing a dilemma. I was halfway through my junior year at college, and my savings were about spent. I knew I could make it another semester or two, but I was sure to graduate many thousands of dollars in debt and flat broke.
And I want to go to graduate school. With a four year political science degree, you can't do a whole lot, and I want a job that doesn't involve a nametag that says "Hi, my name is MIKE". So yeah, I want to get my master's.
Grad school is expensive, though, and I've already got student loans to pay off.
So I applied with a defense contractor. After a long application process, a criminal background investigation, a physical, a drug test, a pistol qualification, and a physical fitness test, I've been approved, pending my giving them a copy of my final NGB22 form (the National Guard version of the DD214) after I ETS in June (they want to make sure I'm not going AWOL; understandable...I just hope the Guard gets the form to me in a quick fashion; I know how sluggish military bureaucracy can be). I have two years in the IRR (inactive reserve) on my contract after I get out, but that's normal for anyone who's in the service (it's longer than two years for some; it's like 10 years for medics!). I'm certainly not letting the remote chance that I'd get recalled stop me from jumping on this opportunity (in any case I've been told they probably wouldn't recall me if I'm already in the middle east, working for a government defense contractor).
So, around the end of June or so (unless something bad comes up), I'll be heading for Qatar. I'll be a security guard for a US military installation there (or "mercenary", as the European media likes to call it. Truthfully, "mercenary" sounds way cooler than "security guard"). The company is providing just about everything (the only necessity I have to provide for is my own food, and I can shop at the base commisary for that), and there're no income taxes or local taxes (still have to pay FICA, though). So, yeah, it's going to be pretty lucerative for me (as least from the perspective of a typically broke college student).
I'm excited about this. I'm less excited about the weapons I'm going to be issued (and AR-15 or M16 rifle and a 9mm pistol of some sort), but hey, it beats harsh language. You've got to understand; Las Vegas is the farthest from home I've ever been, and Canada is the only other country I've been to. This is a big adventure for me.
I'll be gone for one year. When I get home, I'm going to pay down my student loans, maybe buy myself a new (used) car, and go back to school. It was a big decision to do this, but I realized that I don't want to grow old and say I never had an adventure.
I have no delusions that I'm going to love every minute of it. I imagine being on guard for eight hours a day in the 120 degree heat can get old pretty fast; but, working hard for awhile isn't going to kill me. Besides, in the villa the company's putting me up in, I not only get my own room, I get my own BATHROOM. Already my accomodations there will be nicer than my college dorm. Heh.
My internet access will be spotty. Once I officially withdraw from my school, they'll pull the plug on my e-mail account. Once I'm in-country, I won't have a computer, and will have to rely on internet cafes (if they're to be found) for internet access. THR withdrawal is going to be hard on me.
My friends are all pretty exicted. My mom is entirely unhappy with the idea, as you might imagine. She's thought up every worst-case scenario you can imagine, from me getting kidnapped and dragged through the streets to me falling love with some exotic Persian woman, getting married over there, and never coming home. I told her not to worry about that; hell, my guns are here!
I'm told that I'm going to like Qatar, though, and that it's a really nice little country. I'm certainly looking forward to it. I grew up in a small whitebread town; this whole thing is pretty exotic to me, even if they have a Burger King and a Bennigan's there.
I'm open to advice from other High Roaders that have spent time in the sandbox (especially if you've been to Doha, Qatar). I've never lived in such a desolate, desertified place before (I've been to Utah several times, but I haven't lived there
), and any advice on adapting to the climate, what to bring, what to wear, etc.; would be much appreciated it.
What are the firearms laws in Qatar like? All I can find is that you can't import them without an appropriate government permit. I'm hoping I can find a range where I can rent guns and shoot on my own time.
Any other tips for living in the middle east would be appreciated too, and I thank you all in advance.
Keep you fingers crossed for me that nothing comes up before I go. This adventure means a lot to me (both internally and economically) and I'll be most upset if it doesn't pan out (espeically after I've gone through all of the application process!)
-NC
It intrigued me, as I was facing a dilemma. I was halfway through my junior year at college, and my savings were about spent. I knew I could make it another semester or two, but I was sure to graduate many thousands of dollars in debt and flat broke.
And I want to go to graduate school. With a four year political science degree, you can't do a whole lot, and I want a job that doesn't involve a nametag that says "Hi, my name is MIKE". So yeah, I want to get my master's.
Grad school is expensive, though, and I've already got student loans to pay off.
So I applied with a defense contractor. After a long application process, a criminal background investigation, a physical, a drug test, a pistol qualification, and a physical fitness test, I've been approved, pending my giving them a copy of my final NGB22 form (the National Guard version of the DD214) after I ETS in June (they want to make sure I'm not going AWOL; understandable...I just hope the Guard gets the form to me in a quick fashion; I know how sluggish military bureaucracy can be). I have two years in the IRR (inactive reserve) on my contract after I get out, but that's normal for anyone who's in the service (it's longer than two years for some; it's like 10 years for medics!). I'm certainly not letting the remote chance that I'd get recalled stop me from jumping on this opportunity (in any case I've been told they probably wouldn't recall me if I'm already in the middle east, working for a government defense contractor).
So, around the end of June or so (unless something bad comes up), I'll be heading for Qatar. I'll be a security guard for a US military installation there (or "mercenary", as the European media likes to call it. Truthfully, "mercenary" sounds way cooler than "security guard"). The company is providing just about everything (the only necessity I have to provide for is my own food, and I can shop at the base commisary for that), and there're no income taxes or local taxes (still have to pay FICA, though). So, yeah, it's going to be pretty lucerative for me (as least from the perspective of a typically broke college student).
I'm excited about this. I'm less excited about the weapons I'm going to be issued (and AR-15 or M16 rifle and a 9mm pistol of some sort), but hey, it beats harsh language. You've got to understand; Las Vegas is the farthest from home I've ever been, and Canada is the only other country I've been to. This is a big adventure for me.
I'll be gone for one year. When I get home, I'm going to pay down my student loans, maybe buy myself a new (used) car, and go back to school. It was a big decision to do this, but I realized that I don't want to grow old and say I never had an adventure.
I have no delusions that I'm going to love every minute of it. I imagine being on guard for eight hours a day in the 120 degree heat can get old pretty fast; but, working hard for awhile isn't going to kill me. Besides, in the villa the company's putting me up in, I not only get my own room, I get my own BATHROOM. Already my accomodations there will be nicer than my college dorm. Heh.
My internet access will be spotty. Once I officially withdraw from my school, they'll pull the plug on my e-mail account. Once I'm in-country, I won't have a computer, and will have to rely on internet cafes (if they're to be found) for internet access. THR withdrawal is going to be hard on me.
My friends are all pretty exicted. My mom is entirely unhappy with the idea, as you might imagine. She's thought up every worst-case scenario you can imagine, from me getting kidnapped and dragged through the streets to me falling love with some exotic Persian woman, getting married over there, and never coming home. I told her not to worry about that; hell, my guns are here!
I'm told that I'm going to like Qatar, though, and that it's a really nice little country. I'm certainly looking forward to it. I grew up in a small whitebread town; this whole thing is pretty exotic to me, even if they have a Burger King and a Bennigan's there.
I'm open to advice from other High Roaders that have spent time in the sandbox (especially if you've been to Doha, Qatar). I've never lived in such a desolate, desertified place before (I've been to Utah several times, but I haven't lived there
), and any advice on adapting to the climate, what to bring, what to wear, etc.; would be much appreciated it.What are the firearms laws in Qatar like? All I can find is that you can't import them without an appropriate government permit. I'm hoping I can find a range where I can rent guns and shoot on my own time.
Any other tips for living in the middle east would be appreciated too, and I thank you all in advance.
Keep you fingers crossed for me that nothing comes up before I go. This adventure means a lot to me (both internally and economically) and I'll be most upset if it doesn't pan out (espeically after I've gone through all of the application process!)
-NC
-sweet jeebus, has it really been that long 
