CLPEX Chat Board

Afghanistan, are you kidding me?

briano wrote:Afghanistan, are you kidding me?

After a year in the sandbox, you would probably come back with a bank balance well into six figures after taxes. How much will your bank account have in it after another year at your current job?

Tazman,

I don't rate the quality of my life by the amount of money in my bank account. I am very happy, very healthy, have a wonderful family,a great group of friends, and live in a beautiful part of the world. Multiply the amount of cash I would make by 1000, and it still would not be worth it. Enjoy your life, it's the only one you have.

BRAVO!!!

I'm happy for you. But for a single person, one with no kids at home and a lousy work environment, or somebody with too many college loans to pay off, a couple of stints overseas is not a bad option.

'The U.S. Department of Labor confirmed that by March 31, 2011, a total of 763 civilian contractors were killed in Afghanistan.' Source, Wikipedia. Not the best. Check out the DOL web site. At least the student loans got paid off.

Just out of curiosity, how many of those contractors were military/mercenary (Blackwater, etc.) and how many were forensic scientists working in the JEFF and CEXC labs?

260 were blackwater types. Does that matter? I am sure Afghanistan is very safe this time of year. Arpril is the time of year for the Poppy harvest. I believe the local Warlords and Villiage elders give guided tours. That would be fun.

Reminds me of when the coalition forces first arrived in Afghanistan. It was about three months in and President Bush was being briefed on the progress. He was given some very distressing news. Three Brazilian solders had been killed. It was very sad moment for him. He then turned to Vice President Cheney and asked 'How many is a brizillion?'

Tazman, I am sure this would be a very good opportunity for someone. Afghanistan is a very, very bad mess right now. I am a old, fat man with grey hair. It was fun getting to this point. I would like to see others get this far too. I've been to a war zone, it ain't no fun. I have come to learn that cash takes back seat to everything else.

I know one LPE who pulled his 20-year retirement on his earliest date, went to work for a contractor for a little over a year, and came back to buy the motor home so he and his wife could spend a few years touring America.

I know another LPE who went over right out of college, banked enough to pay off her loans and then some, and came back with a career military officer to boot.

Ain't it great we're all different?

If any of you have a question, feel free to drop me a line to the above email or simply post a reply.

Chris Gentry, CLPE, CTPE

Tazman, you got me there. Sending off for an application now. I am running low on shiny, sparkly stuff.

We old gray hairs with pot guts got no business playing like the young kids who aren't eligible for AARP. So, like you, I've personally got no desire to play in the sandbox. To the best of my knowledge, not a single forensic scientist in any discipline working in the JEFF or CEXC labs has ever been a victim of enemy fire, so I don't think it is that dangerous. Hardship living there for a year? Indubidubly. Long hours of tedious work? Most certainly. Sizeable financial reward? Absolutely. So for some, it's a good thing. For others, not so good.

All the best,
Tazzy

Doing a year in Iraq, all I can say about the experience is that it was both the worse thing I've ever done and also the best thing I've ever done.