I'd like to see that deal on the 1/2 of salery to the wife !!! I'd be sure n send it to my new bride !!! Everything is provided TV -- Cable -- ect ect . The cell phones are all local Iraqi like I said . bring enough clothes for a week not counting what your wearing . Bring special bath items that you need . Basic bath n personal items are available in the PX but it's all no frills stuff and more expensive than at home . Bring several phone cards like the WallMart ones for 1000 min .

Makeing a call over here out of the MWR is just like makeing a long dist call at home in the States. The food is pretty decent . But they don't have much of any kind of medicine cold allergy headache ect ect ect so if you use that stuff bring it !!! KBR arranges all the airline tickets for you comeing over n also going home for vacations. I have been doing my own for about 3 years now n it saves me money. They give you 850$ for the round trip ticket home n back for 2 of the 3 RNRs but the 3d one they pay the whole fair just like you first flight over here. If I can buy a ticket home for 1100$ and their ticket is 1500$ then I've just saved myself 400$ because they only give us the 850 if they buy it or if I buy it ??? The end of year one or 3d one I usually just let them do it because they pay for the whole thing anyway..

You should get the rest of your family a passport and use this time over here to bring them over n do some really neat vacations on this side of the world !!! I've had some fantastic vacations over here going to Thailand n Mainland China the Phillipines ect ect !!! My new wife is a Chinese Nat'l born n raised in Shanghai China !!! Now she is in Champaign ILL at home !!! Houston will be Houston . I just talked to another guy that had only been here about 36 hours n he spent allmost a month in Houston before they flew him out ????

ash_ca_la thank you for all your replies and I probably will be callin you with more questions as for the salary thing my paper work says 95-150K depending on overtime. Again everything might look good on paper and by the mouth of my recruiter but the truth will be in my bank account. Which I understand I just did my taxes here on 03/14 and what a joke!!!!!! And if Hillary or Obama get in office I need to do what it takes to protect my family and the tax free thing sounds good and my tax advisor even told me of others who are over there and it right now is the way to go to keep the money I work for. I did a search for cell service and there are a few but HOLY CRAP are they pricey. WAL_MART here I come for phone cards. I am also sure my wife will have some questions for you too. Again Thank You very much for being so helpful will talk again soon. Now I just need to find a buyer for my truck before I leave for Houston which would really help

Not a problem Happy to be of some help to others !!! Unlike 1 person I have recently had the un-pleasant meeting of in another post !!!!

Sorry, you won't make that much. 80k is more like it. Don't forget all of the deductions you will have for r/r's. Cuts your deposit in half. As for the put in writing, forget it. They tell you your base salary, uplift and thats it on your contract. You are only guaranteed 40 hrs. You will average 84 a week though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxx1Lo8fZwQ


Is it worth it??

After viewing this, I am having second thoughts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjiGH...eature=related


But this one makes me want to go over there and drive. 8)

That preston video is old. There is much more protection with the convoys now, and all of the escorts have gps.

the preston wheeler video is 2004 I have communicating with a driver who is over there almost everyday and things have really calmed down over there

Do they pay you for your time at Houston and are they strict on the two years experience

Unless they have changed it ""NO"" you don't get paid in Houston but they do take care of your expenses ( hotel n trans n food) while your there . I'm not sure about the 2 year thing ???