Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I got this email yesterday. It's pretty tempting...

We have openings for A&P mechanics to deploy to Iraq.

A&P License required

At least 7 years experience on "complicated fixed wing aircraft" (heavy, regional, corporate, military)

Military experience a plus

Avionics and/or sheet metal experience a plus

Must be a team player willing to do EVERYTHING including cleaning lavatories, washing, waxing and cleaning the inside of the plane

Must be willing to work up to 60 hours per week in a 24/7 operation

Need to commit to staying at least 1 year-will be living/working at Army base-will not leave base

2 weeks vacation per year (total of 3 round trip tickets home)

Must provide tools SHADOWED & ETCHED

Everything provided-housing, food, uniforms, laundry, etc.

Total package for 1 year (base + bonuses + hazard) = $133K The first $80k is tax free.

Please contact me if you are interested or know someone who is.

Thank You,

Member of this message board since 1997

Depends on what you'd be giving up at home...family, friends, activities, jobs, businesses, whatever. I know someone that took a similar job as a civilian in Saudi Arabia. Was gone for something like 6 months at a time. After about the 3rd or 4th "trip", he came home to find his wife had moved in with another guy. They're now divorced. Was it worth it for him? Maybe....maybe not.

Life is a series of tradeoffs.

Yayyy!!! My tax dollars at work!

Couldn't we spend a lot less than 130K a year by increasing the size of the Armed Forces and letting folks that make about 36K a year do their own MOS?

Just a thought.

That said, why wouldn't you do it if your interested in living in a combat zone for a year...

I agree.....even though it's only 1 year......

But it sure would be nice to pay off the house in only a year too!!!

Member of this message board since 1997

Sounds about right for me if I knew anything about a plane.

And Todd, I say it was worth it. If you leave to go serve your country, and come back and find your wife has moved in with someone else, then she was not going to be much of a wife anyway, later. That is happening too offen these days with Military men.

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Pat, for years, you have mentioned that family is the most important thing in your life.

Let your conscience be your guide.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

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Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

Food for thought, about 50% of all military aircraft maintenace work is currently being done by civilian contractors.

I the States, the same jobe pays about $48k.

Member of this message board since 1997

Oh, I'm not saying I'll do it. But even for a family man that kind of coin is hard to pass up for just 1 year.

Member of this message board since 1997

Nobby, you make a good point about the taxpayers, us, picking up the $130,000 tab. However that isn't all of it. These overseas jobs typically are with companys like Halliburtons, KBR or Bechtel or Raytheon or their subs. If the U.S. craftsman is receiving $130,000 a year, then the companys billing to the Government runs betweeen 40 and 60%, making the total cost closer to $200,000. Wouldn't it be interesting to see a true audit of these payouts?

I am sure not offering any advice Pat.

With your strong displeasure of the Pesident and his little war, and your family closeness, it does suprrize me that you would even consider the offer.

On the flip side of the coin, there are a few married servicemen making a decision to join the military as a career, and being on assignment away from home for periods of time.

I spent a year in Thailand where I saw that the civilian employees lived in much better conditions than their military counterparts.

I wish they had a job for an engraver over there and I would think strong about it.

I doubt if I would take the vacation however, If I went for the money, I would stay there for the money.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

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Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

Sounds like a good way to finance a sprint car........and a divorce

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!

Member of this message board since 1997

always want to hide the money before a divorce.

Never can tell, might be able to get her a job there also, send the kids to the sitter and have one hell of a nest egg a year from now.

Being single, I KNOW what I would do, and wish I would have had a chance to do it years ago when I could really enjoy the money

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

For complete line of Sponsor Awards check out 
MarshallTownLaser.com

Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

48 would be about 85 less than 133, unless my math is wrong....

Even at a 2 year active commitment and including training costs, mechanics at 133k annually v soldiers at 36k doesn't make alot of sense...

I worked for the US Army in aviation as a civilian contractor for 2 1/2 years and you would not believe the amout of money that the Army wasted. In the real world, we troubleshoot problems and then make the repairs. With the Army, we did what we called "shotgun" repairs. Order a bunch of new parts and throw it at the plane and see if it cures the problem. That is the way the Army wanted to do it, so we did it. I've seen more money wasted in a day on parts that weren't needed doing stuff like that than I made in a year...

Member of this message board since 1997

I heard that the dirt tracks over there are a little on the dry side, soft cushion and not slick. My son-in-law is over there now with the Minnesota guard. When they get out of the military they have an opportunity to work as civilian contractors, same deal as your post. It's good money in a short period of time.

Stan Meissner

Must be a team player willing to do EVERYTHING including cleaning lavatories, washing, waxing and cleaning the inside of the plane

Must be willing to work up to 60 hours per week in a 24/7 operation

Need to commit to staying at least 1 year-will be living/working at Army base-will not leave base

I knew it was too good to be true.

You forgot one thing...

Must be able to grasp the concept of the English language.......Oops, that leaves you out...

Member of this message board since 1997

Just food for thought. I have friend that is a ceritfied lincensed ffa mechanic. He charges 125 per hour. Now lets do the math on a 40 hr week( if he worked 40 hours) 125X40=5000per week 5000x50 weeks =250,000 per yr before taxes.

LETS RACE BOYS

You mean FAA Mechanic?

If he is operating his own FBO (fixed base operation) that is an extremely high rate. Most factory service centers are charging around $85 to $95 per hour for bizjets, about $20 per hour less for piston aircraft. Also, if he is running a FBO, you are leaving out one MAJOR expense that he has. His liability insurance to cover his a$$ in the event a plane crashes due to maintenance.

The highest hourly wage for licensed mechanics these days are with a major airline. $32 an hour, but you have to live where a hub is, which is St. Louis, Atlanta, Dallas and such, so the cost of living goes up alot more. All I've ever work on is bizjets and the average wage for a mechanic with 10 years + experience is around $23 an hour.

Member of this message board since 1997