The Temps of War: Blue-Collar Workers Ship Out for Iraq

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ^ | Thursday, February 5, 2004 | RUSSELL GOLD

[presidio9]

HOUSTON -- In a shuttered J.C. Penney store here, more than 500 job recruits sat at long tables and leafed through packets of information. John Watson, a staffing supervisor for Halliburton Co., welcomed them with a somber introduction.

"I'd like to start out by saying we've already had three deaths on this contract so far," he told the workers, who had signed up to support the U.S. military in Iraq. "If you're getting any pressure from home, if you have any doubt in your mind ... now is the time to tell us. We'll shake hands and get you a plane ticket home."

[Sacajaweau]

I remember a group of us thinking about going to Kuwait as part of the recovering. A good friend snapped us back to reality.

[Mamzelle]

Willing workers for willing employers...

[humblegunner]

Ping!

[EagleMamaMT]

Read later.

[Non-Sequitur]

In a related story Halliburton has said that it's bill to the Defense Department for the 62,000 new employees mentioned in this story and recently sent to Kuwait in support of the U.S. effort was due to an accounting error related to obsolete software.

[jwalsh07]

How you doing EE?

[Allegra]

I remember a group of us thinking about going to Kuwait as part of the recovering. A good friend snapped us back to reality.

My good friends helped me pack.

[Prodigal Son]

They make a lot more than the soldiers, that's for sure.

[Flyer]

My good friends helped me pack.

And confiscated her avocado tree and sent her to the airport.

[Allegra]

Well, not all of us doing this crazy thang are blue-collar workers.

The majority of them are, though.

[presidio9]

I admire what you are doing over there, but is the entire country really dry, or are you just complaining that the beer is piss-warm?

[Allegra]

but is the entire country really dry, or are you just complaining that the beer is piss-warm?

I could answer that question, but then I'd have to shoot you.

:-)

[presidio9]

Well anyway, keep your head down, and your chin up (if such a thing is possible).

[Allegra]

Well anyway, keep your head down, and your chin up (if such a thing is possible).

I just tried that and now my neck hurts.

[presidio9]

Always remember: Pain is the body's way of telling us its getting better (whatever that means...).

[spodefly]

BTTT

[Eagle Eye]

Thanks for the ping.

All's well so far. Been in theater nearly a year...only about 6 more months to go. Got to admit that 7-12's are wearing me out, I'm tired. Tired of brown. Tired of dirt. Tired of needing guntrucks to go anywhere. Tired of a 30 mile trip taking 3-7 days due to convoy scheduling. Tired of sleeping in rodent infested tents, and metal containers that make a redneck singlewide seem luxurious and spacious. Tired of portajohns and needing to carry TP in my pocket all the time 'just in case'. Tired of no supplies. Tired of third world labor and third world goods. Tired of 35 lbs of body armor whenever going out the gate. Tired of IED's, mortars, small arms fire, and being suspicious of everyone who's not obviously American.

But when that direct deposit hits tomorrow, I'll be a happy camper again. (cha-CHING!)

Can you tell that I've not had a beer in a long, long time? Or that I need my R&R is a very very bad way?

I've met hundreds of great men and women in uniform. The best. Christmas with the 82nd. Convoys with the Razorbacks and their 5 ton gun trucks. Interactions with troops from the 10th, 101st, 3ACR, 4ID, SEALs, USMC, SeaBees, Aussies, Brits, Croats, Azjerbijanis, Georgians, Canadians, Ghurkas, and more. Officers, enlisteds, and NCO's.

Bangladeshis, Indians, Fillipinos, Iraqis, Turks, Jordanians, Syrians, South Africans, and many others.

Had some close calls and some interesting flights.

Seen mysterious men that come in from the shadows and leave out on choppers, then return and go back to the shadows.

And in the mean time, I miss the hell out of a decent pizza, an Uncle Henry's breakfast, Arturos Fuentes Dominican cigars, and Jameson Irish Whisky.

And a special someone back home.

Hey, you asked!

[Squantos]

LMAO......Sun screen son ....sun screen..............:o)

Thanks for taking yer turn in the barrel EE . Hang in there friend ! We're rooting for ya !.......

Stay Safe !

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Hey, you asked!

I'm going to remember that! (^:

Thanks for sharing the firsthand account, EE.

Last week, Washington Times was even pushing the 'poor and jobless on the homefront civilians as useful idiots in the clutches of evil, deceitful corporations' angle. ACK!

We have a new Freeper civilian worker in Iraq this week, tomakaze, to fix equipment (so 5-ton trucks and such don't break down on Hwy 1).

He asks that journeyman electricians contact him if they're interested in working in (beautiful, downtown) Iraq.