KBR Security in Iraq

[Zurita210]

Pretty much does anyone have any info regarding to this job. Im in talks with KBR right now about the position. Pretty much I want to know what type of security is it? What weapons are you issued? Do you actually do convoy security or does miliatry provide that for you? Where in Iraq are you mostly stationed at?

Pretty much your ups and downs with the job... Any insight info from someone who has done this or from someone how has friends doing this. Anything you have heard. It would be nice to get a response from someone who has done this first hand.

Had my police reserve meeting yesterday and the Chief put out that KBR was looking for guys with LE experience so I gave them a call and I should be talking to a recruiter soon.

[JTShooter]

Depending on where you are placed, you'll either do convoy "security" or site security... Since you have no prior military or special operations experience...

It's not what it used to be. You're looking at long hours/days siting at a gate, in a tower, or riding "shotgun" in a truck.

You'll carry whatever you get over there, since traveling with weapons over there and back is damn near impossible as a civilian. All the "KBR security" I ever saw or dealt with carried AKs.

Why are you considering a job with them over there?


Edit to add: not sure why o.com decided to add the "sad face"

[Bearcat357]

Your post

A. If you have a few years on the job, get with L3/MPRI/Others and look at being a Police Advisor. Better money and you are training folks....

B. For the most part, you will be doing static garbage.......

C. Money isn't like it use to be.......Benefits blow.....and if you end up doing something to defend yourself you maybe back here in US Court defending yourself........

D. Why....?? If you are looking to do LE over there....unless you are a trainer you will be doing static garbage making ok money.... You will not be running and gunning.....

My advise is to stay home.......

[Zurita210]

Depending on where you are placed, you'll either do convoy "security" or site security... Since you have no prior military or special operations experience...

It's not what it used to be. You're looking at long hours/days siting at a gate, in a tower, or riding "shotgun" in a truck.

You'll carry whatever you get over there, since traveling with weapons over there and back is damn near impossible as a civilian. All the "KBR security" I ever saw or dealt with carried AKs.

Why are you considering a job with them over there?


Edit to add: not sure why o.com decided to add the "sad face"

I do have prior military, but nothing like special forces or anything like that. I am considering something like this because I cant really afford to wait for police departments to start hiring in Houston. Its a last resort type of thing for me, I want to see if League City picks me first. According to the chief it was 12 hr days with no days off and 147K salary. Dont know how much of that is true... But thats why I want to talk to the recruiter. But man, sitting at a gate with no weapons SUCKS... If its like that I might not do it. Ive also been reading a little bit about KBR and it seems plenty of people have a problem with contracts and other issues, so I dont know about them anymore.

[Zurita210]

THanks for the info guys... Ive been doing reading on them and Ive heard so many negatives. From contract issues to legal issues. Ill talk to the recruiter and see what he says to me. Im not going to be over there for a year working 12hr days and standing in the desert with no weapon.

3 years Army, 8 months in Iraq, MLRS Field Artillery
1 year police officer
about 3 years in security from 2 jobs I had early when I first got out of the Army

I dont think I have anywhere near enough experience to get the good jobs.

[JTShooter]

My bad about the military experience comment. Wasn't sure if I read if you had any.

I did one Triple Canopy contract when I first got out. Once I saw it wasn't what it was cracked up to be, that was the last I went back over there as a civilian.

If you're living in a place that's not hiring right now, I'd recommend doing what I did: move. Texas is big enough that you can find another AO.

[Bearcat357]

I did one Triple Canopy contract when I first got out. Once I saw it wasn't what it was cracked up to be, that was the last I went back over there as a civilian.

I did mine in Saudi (what joy that was in hindsight).......and then saw those folks in action when I was over there the 3 times that I have been..... Unless one is doing a PSD mission, one can expect a lot static posts.....long hours......and crappy pay if you pro-rate it out..... Especialy for those types of gigs. Pay isn't there like it use to be.....

I'd recommend doing what I did: move.

My advice as well....

[ArmyMP5]

Just to give you some insight , I used to work for KBR for 3 years and I know for a fact that you will have NO WEAPONS what so ever and YOU will NOT BE DOING FORCE PROTECTION OF ANY SORT.. NO GATES, NO CONVOYS NOTHING.. Twelve hour shifts/ seven days a week.. You can take a zero day if you like but of course that means no pay. The role you will have will be doing room inspections/ Health and welfare inspections of KBR employees from time to time, just to make sure they are not violating General order number One.. You will also drive around in SUV's and give little tickets to KBR employees for speeding, or running stop signs along with KBR Safety Personnel... Give breifings on PPE, and the proper wear in case of Indirect Fire.. etc. You will escort the TCN truck drivers around base and supervise them in the placement of T walls.. Trust me if your looking for any action, Dyncorp has PSD teams but they are looking for MP's that have been to PSD school and Ex 18 Series Operators with Secret/Top Secret Clearances already. also Triple canopy just won the contract for Kuwait so they are hiring like crazy, I have all the paperwork from them, just been sitting on it, waiting on San Jac or Rice U here in H Town ... With them layoffs all around Harris County I feel u, if i dont get one of these jobs Im on to Kuwait, or i might just go back KBR.... If you need any more info PM me.. O yea and the pay is not 147k, if you get on as a Security tech you will probaly make around 96-100k ..

[Zurita210]

Just to give you some insight , I used to work for KBR for 3 years and I know for a fact that you will have NO WEAPONS what so ever and YOU will NOT BE DOING FORCE PROTECTION OF ANY SORT.. NO GATES, NO CONVOYS NOTHING.. Twelve hour shifts/ seven days a week.. You can take a zero day if you like but of course that means no pay. The role you will have will be doing room inspections/ Health and welfare inspections of KBR employees from time to time, just to make sure they are not violating General order number One.. You will also drive around in SUV's and give little tickets to KBR employees for speeding, or running stop signs along with KBR Safety Personnel... Give breifings on PPE, and the proper wear in case of Indirect Fire.. etc. You will escort the TCN truck drivers around base and supervise them in the placement of T walls.. Trust me if your looking for any action, Dyncorp has PSD teams but they are looking for MP's that have been to PSD school and Ex 18 Series Operators with Secret/Top Secret Clearances already. also Triple canopy just won the contract for Kuwait so they are hiring like crazy, I have all the paperwork from them, just been sitting on it, waiting on San Jac or Rice U here in H Town ... With them layoffs all around Harris County I feel u, if i dont get one of these jobs Im on to Kuwait, or i might just go back KBR.... If you need any more info PM me.. O yea and the pay is not 147k, if you get on as a Security tech you will probaly make around 96-100k ..

Thanks for the info. I was just about to ask about the pay too. The 147K figure I received from an assistant chief in my department. I didnt think that was all too accurate but he was sure about the amount.

Im also waiting around for 3 departments that im in the hiring process or about to start the hiring process to see whats up. Once I find out about the departments here, then ill decide whether im going or not.

Had a buddy that was pretty much ready to head out to Kuwait with Triple Cannopy but when they ran his background and found out that he had a Class B they kicked him out. His salary was about 86K. I figured that since KBR was in Iraq it would be more but it looks like only about 10K more.

Let me ask you a few questions. What type of health and life insurance do they offer you??? According to the guys in my department they say its 1 month on with 12hr shifts and then you get 2 weeks off, is that pretty much the shifts??? They also give you an $800 travel voucher from what they say... A buddy of mine emailed me what some of his buddies over there had to say. They said its pretty laid back and it pays more than any of the other jobs over there... Where were you stationed at in Iraq when you were with KBR???

PS - You dont have your PM option opened...

[ArmyMP5]

When i went over i had my miltary life insurance, if you get lucky enough to get a security clearance you will actually be a KBR employee and get to choose what Life insurance policy u want.. The rest are SEII employees, which is a subsidiary company based in Dubai.. They pay you.. Not KBR.. but With KBR they have there own medic stations/clinics, so if you have the hershey squirts, or something minor they will be able to help you, if its something major they will send you to the TMC.. Now if its a dental problem they will send you on an LWOP (Leave without pay) to Kuwait and you will have to pay outta pocket.. Leave works like so.. You have to be in Country whether Iraq or Afghan 335 days outta 365. So you get to go home for ten to fourteen days every four months, with your last R and R or End of Contract leave you can take up to 21 days.. But keep that 335 in mind when choosing your leave days for tax purposes.. You are paid for 8 hours for ten days every leave period, and they reimburse you on your leave up to 800 bucks but you have to jump through flaming hoops to get it, alot of us never worried about getting reimbursed, sounds crazy but we didnt wanna have to go thru the BS.. but that ticket from Dubai to IAH is around 1400 and some change straight flight round trip... The Security element as well as Safety and Gvmt Compliance has a higher base pay then most other positions, but the tech position is the ground floor, its also not hard to get promoted after your first four months you can put in for the next step up, which is basically an internal job posting, but it might be at another site. When i first got there I was in Balad, which is like heaven in Iraq, I was there for about a month then they sent me to Q west. got promoted then sent to Camp Cedar, then Tallil.. but no matter where you are, KBR pays a rinky dink airline to take you from where you are to Baghdad and from there they fly to to Dubai, nothing comes outta your pocket unless you wanna go party in Dubai.. Which is a whole nother story..

[EmmaPeel]

A. If you have a few years on the job, get with L3/MPRI/Others and look at being a Police Advisor. Better money and you are training folks....

B. For the most part, you will be doing static garbage.......

C. Money isn't like it use to be.......Benefits blow.....and if you end up doing something to defend yourself you maybe back here in US Court defending yourself........

D. Why....?? If you are looking to do LE over there....unless you are a trainer you will be doing static garbage making ok money.... You will not be running and gunning.....

My advise is to stay home.......

Agree with ya about MPRI vice the Trip Canopy, Dyncorp, etc. work. A good friend of mine who's ex FBI keeps getting begged by MPRI to go back to Iraq and A-stan. He just got back from Iraq....is the one I talked about in Ask a Cop. Pay has been great for him. They seem to have a lot of work.

My bad about the military experience comment. Wasn't sure if I read if you had any.

I did one Triple Canopy contract when I first got out. Once I saw it wasn't what it was cracked up to be, that was the last I went

When and where were ya with Trip Canopy, JTShooter? They provided lots of PSD as well as FOB protection for me each time I was there. Then I consulted for them in 2008 here at their HQ in N. VA. Was interesting to watch mgt make decisions....

[Bearcat357]

also Triple canopy just won the contract for Kuwait so they are hiring like crazy, I have all the paperwork from them, just been sitting on it,

Thats all static......and sucks balls....I've got bros there now...... It's got better since Triple C/ITT took over but it's still crap......

[Zurita210]

When i went over i had my miltary life insurance, if you get lucky enough to get a security clearance you will actually be a KBR employee and get to choose what Life insurance policy u want.. The rest are SEII employees, which is a subsidiary company based in Dubai.. They pay you.. Not KBR.. but With KBR they have there own medic stations/clinics, so if you have the hershey squirts, or something minor they will be able to help you, if its something major they will send you to the TMC.. Now if its a dental problem they will send you on an LWOP (Leave without pay) to Kuwait and you will have to pay outta pocket.. Leave works like so.. You have to be in Country whether Iraq or Afghan 335 days outta 365. So you get to go home for ten to fourteen days every four months, with your last R and R or End of Contract leave you can take up to 21 days.. But keep that 335 in mind when choosing your leave days for tax purposes.. You are paid for 8 hours for ten days every leave period, and they reimburse you on your leave up to 800 bucks but you have to jump through flaming hoops to get it, alot of us never worried about getting reimbursed, sounds crazy but we didnt wanna have to go thru the BS.. but that ticket from Dubai to IAH is around 1400 and some change straight flight round trip... The Security element as well as Safety and Gvmt Compliance has a higher base pay then most other positions, but the tech position is the ground floor, its also not hard to get promoted after your first four months you can put in for the next step up, which is basically an internal job posting, but it might be at another site. When i first got there I was in Balad, which is like heaven in Iraq, I was there for about a month then they sent me to Q west. got promoted then sent to Camp Cedar, then Tallil.. but no matter where you are, KBR pays a rinky dink airline to take you from where you are to Baghdad and from there they fly to to Dubai, nothing comes outta your pocket unless you wanna go party in Dubai.. Which is a whole nother story..

Yea I know Balad. I was stationed there in 2003 with my Army unit. We built that place up, well not us but I was there when we first took over, stupid TENT CITY. I heard its a blast now though, it was begining to look pretty nice by the time I left.

[Zurita210]

Well I have a buddy from my department having a conference call with them now. I wasnt able to have mine because I dont have an US passport yet and he does. So whenver he is done he will call me and tell me whats the the deal. Its not looking so good anymore. Thinking about just finishing off my process with West University PD, Sugarland PD and League City (which im really looking forward to, because it looks like they will be hiring more than 1 or 2 people) and i'll see what happens. Maybe by that time some other departments will begin to hire. I know a lot of you have told me to move to another state or move within the state but I like it here. Ill try to figure out what other options I have. Thanks for everything so far.

[JTShooter]

Emma: I worked a contract in 2006 after some guys I met that worked for TII also worked for Triple Canopy.