PackRat:
I’m looking for contacts here who may have done this kind of work/or are doing it right now, who may be able to guide me and advise me on how to get the right experience and how much of it I would need. I understand KBR are the main company who recruit for this kind of work and there are a few other contractors aswell.
Many Thanks
Unless you’ve owned your own truck or worked for a small firm who run sheds where you learn how to keep them going doing running repairs using whatever is to hand such as banding, bits of wood etc and you have some idea of how to fix mechanical problems on your own then stay away. If you’re the kind of driver incapable of changing the wheel on your truck if you get a flat tyre then stay away. It isn’t like UK work where if you have any problems there’s someone on the end of the phone to sort it out for you, it is more akin to the drivers from the poorer parts of the EU where one was recently featured on here doing a gearbox change in his truck in a layby.
If you’re talking about trying to get a civvy driving job in either of these conuntires then please don’t.
Don’t: for the sake of your family; the sake of the lads who will come and try to get you out; the sake of the tax payer; the sake of giving IS free publicity.
If you’re talking about a contractor gig with NATO/ Coalition Forces then crack on; but know you are at serious risk from IEDs and so on. The salary isn’t as great as it was; neither are the perks and the level of protection.
If you want an interesting driving job: get some UK experience then head to Canada/USA/Australia and pick up some real road train work.
Or you could stay in Blighty; join the reserves; and volunteer to be mobilised and head out to Afghan/Iraq/Somalia and do the exciting (not very often) job but get the perks of being paid well enough and having some support and back up.
isaac hunt:
Alternatively if you want big money and can handle real drama, there is weekend work at a builders merchants available, no experience necessary. See Sammym for details
Nearly spat my tea out reading this
Being serious… driving an artic on empty roads would be a load easier than doing builders merchant work.
For a normal driver builders merchants is probably a bit safer - when dangerous Sam is about with his crane all bets are off.
2 more good reasons why we need a “Like” button for posts
some jokes have gone on above- but if your serious
I know a number of chaps who work the circuit, some in Maritime, some in close protection and some in logistics, Without military experience your going to struggle even with Haliburton and KBR - Without a military background its a non runner - your not going to get a start with the more reputable groups- their are some companies that might take you on, but your back up will be zero
Does require you to be able to drive a forklift too, but only 3+ years experience (C+E), must be able to back into delivery yards and have ADR including tankers so presumably driving petrol and diesel around, that could be fun. Oddly, no mention of military experience required although would suspect you’d get further with it or similar as the bosses are likely ex-military and used to getting “yes sir” to everything.
Presumably you also need to be able to work at 50’C with no aircon. Doesn’t mention salary or length of contract.
However knowing a couple of guys who went to Iraq with the full backup of the UK military, one now has serious back problems, other lost part of a leg and both have proper PTSD (not the snowflake “I’m offended” version). These days there’s very little protection and lots of nasties.
If you want non standard work, get a few of years under your belt then try low loader companies and eventually people like ALS.
Christ. We really do have them all in the truck driving fraternity
We have the ex Hereford balcony mob, the ferry survivors, the ex spooks, the university engineers, the lawyers and now we have the…desk jockey/Last action hero.
Fantasists, liars and filthy fat idiots mostly though from what I’ve seen
You have zero experience of hgv driving in the UK in easy conditions yet want to jump right into Iraq and Afghanistan, two of the most volatile and dangerous countries there are?
You’ll have to excuse me if I’m just ever so slightly cynical.
You’re either at the wind-up or you’re incredibly naive
i spent some time applying for one of those merc jobs protecting the cargo ships and tankers that have to pass the coast off somalia.
you know the job where for 6 months at a time,you hang around on deck catching rays,scooping a few tubes of tizer,with only the peace and tranquility being interrupted with the chance of shooting lumps out of some skinnies in a wee boat when they try to board you?
it worked out at 200 quid a week and i still couldnt get a job.
irrespective of the total job satisfaction and i might have eventually got a start,but theres just no way i could afford to pay more than 200 a week for the privelege.
i even offered to pay for my own ammo,but they still wouldnt take me on.
SouthEastCashew:
There was a massive post on here a few years ago by a guy that was doing that sort of work… hopefully someone can point you in that direction…
‘A few years ago’ …exactly, and that is the main point.
Imo anybody who even considers going over there today without some kind of Western military back up (whether he’s a ‘‘dude’’ or a ‘‘bro’’ or not )either has a death wish, is a bit dim, or both.
And especially if he has no military experience himself, and hardly knows how to handle a truck in a civilised envioronment let alone a hostile one.
(and most likely an old and manual truck to boot.)
Harsh but true !
SouthEastCashew:
There was a massive post on here a few years ago by a guy that was doing that sort of work… hopefully someone can point you in that direction…
‘A few years ago’ …exactly, and that is the main point.
Imo anybody who even considers going over there today without some kind of Western military back up (whether he’s a ‘‘dude’’ or a ‘‘bro’’ or not )either has a death wish, is a bit dim, or both.
Harsh but true !
I Agree with you… just let him crack on [emoji23][emoji23]
Sight easier to train an ex soldier to drive a truck, than train a driver or office worker how to behave in a danger zone.
Will some outfits take on non-trained personal? I dunno.
But if all your colleagues are as green as you…?
dieseldog999:
i spent some time applying for one of those merc jobs protecting the cargo ships and tankers that have to pass the coast off somalia.
you know the job where for 6 months at a time,you hang around on deck catching rays,scooping a few tubes of tizer,with only the peace and tranquility being interrupted with the chance of shooting lumps out of some skinnies in a wee boat when they try to board you?
it worked out at 200 quid a week and i still couldnt get a job.
irrespective of the total job satisfaction and i might have eventually got a start,but theres just no way i could afford to pay more than 200 a week for the privelege.
i even offered to pay for my own ammo,but they still wouldnt take me on.
…exactly, and that is the main point.