Experienced overseas workers know there will be a certain amount of bull shi*t associated with any contractor, job or country you might consider working in. It doesn’t matter who you’re working for or where you’re working, there is bound to be some machiavellian manager in charge or worse yet, one who appears to have the management IQ of a carrot. And yes, this “root vegetable” will be in total control of your life in this foreign country. There are atmospheric and environmental issues…..Antarctica is too damn cold, Iraq is to damn hot and Asia is too damn humid. There are cultural issues and language barriers with the locals and the ever present separation from your family issues.
Those variables and more factor in to what I call a persons “Maximim Bull Sh*t Tolerance Level” (MBSTL). This level is the maximum level of bull sh*t a person can endure on a job for the amount of money they are being paid. Personal financial goals and situations are different therefore, every bodies “MBSTL” is as different and unique as they are. But it would appear that pay and “MBSTL”are directly proportional. The higher the pay, the higher the “MBSTL”. With this information, one should be able to conclude that ZERO pay would equal a ZERO “MBSTL”.
In all my years of working overseas, I have found this to be true. Don’t pay what you agreed to pay them and their normally tolerant attitude becomes intolerable and disgruntled! Interesting phenomena don’t you think? Let’s examine why this might happen.
A person, in good faith, accepts an offer to be paid a certain wage at certain intervals from a company such as DYNCORP to go to nasty third world country like Afghanistan in the middle of a war to support the United States mission Operation Enduring Freedom. It is be bitterly cold in the winter, stifling hot in the summer, dusty all the time and insurgents are actively trying to kill you. Tools and materials are difficult to get if at all, you desperately miss your family, and yes a “machiavellian root vegetable” is giving you orders. Still this appears to be well under your “MBSTL”.
Now throw in the fact that, your desperately needed paycheck did not get direct deposited on the next expected payday. Hmmm. You give them that one. You are a new employee. Maybe someone didn’t get the paperwork in on time. Your “MBSTL” is lowered somewhat but you are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
The next pay day rolls around, a month later and still no paycheck has been direct deposited into your account. If you had wanted to go to Afghanistan as a volunteer instead of a Dyncorp employee you could have joined some humanitarian organization. At this point in time you have basically worked for free for nearly two months.
You signed a contract with Dyncorp and they agreed to pay you a certain amount on a certain day. And they didn’t. They are in breach of their contract. But then Dyncorp Deputy Project Manager in Kandahar informs you that you can’t quit because they will charge you for the airfare and expenses over and back. It will be deducted from the check you haven’t even gotten yet! What the hell?
I have received numerous complaints from Dyncorp employees in Afghanistan about this issue. Here are some of their comments.
Now we are at two pay cycles late…and no help at all…just excuses…I am going home now….I will not work and not get paid…..Fluor offered me a job…I will surely take that…..EVERYONE is pissed……Dyncorp will not last long like this……We thought KBR was bad….this one takes the cake
The people that said they were going to quit because of not being paid were told they would have to pay for their own ticket home too. The sad part was that these same people couldn’t afford to buy a ticket (hadn’t been paid…) but DynCorp said “no problem, we’ll take if from your final paycheck”.
I had to go to Dyncorp Corporate to get paid. That really pissed off Dyncorp management in Kandahar. I was told “This issues is between (you), Payroll and HR. Let’s keep it at that level! We were also told by the same manager if we ever talked to the DCMA we would be fired.
They are now trying to pay in cash. They are paying the SCW’s in cash as well. Many of them haven’t been paid for two months as well. What in the hell do any of us need a fistful of cash here in Afghanistan? We need it in our bank accounts for our families. This is really putting the SCW’s at risk. I suspect there is going to be a whole lot of stealing and fighting going on in the tent.
One would think this is Dyncorp’s first big job , their first overseas job. Just maybe they are not cut out for LOGCAP IV.
Here’s what I do know. If Dyncorp has submitted vouchers to the DoD to be paid for payroll that they haven’t paid. IT’S FRAUD!!! If Dyncorp hasn’t paid their people in two months the amount agreed to in the agreed to method, they are in breach of their contract. If you quit after not being paid and they charge you for the airfare and expenses let me know, I will help you find an attorney.
Here are a few of the Dyncorp managers involved.
Hank Miller – Dyncorp Project Manager – Kandahar, Afghanistan (Allegedly a retired 1-star Army General trying to verify)
Scott Mount – Dyncorp Deputy Project Manager – Kandahar, Afghanistan and the former KBR Project Manager for DF&I sites in Iraq. He “Voluntarily” resigned from the project in 2005. Allegedly there were some questionable WBS coding practices and he is not eligible for rehire at KBR. The word on the street was that KBR implemented the “Front Line Supervisor Training” in part because of his cronyism and management style. Paul Cerjan the Program Manager of LOGCAP III even sent out a “Cerjan Sends” slide condemning the threats and intimidation tactics used by Scott Mount and his Leesville “Redneck Mafia.” I have so much info on Scott Mount and KBR, I could write a book just on him. He is named in at least one discrimination civil suit.
Conrad Cannon – Dyncorp O&M manager. Also known as the “I don’t know” man.
I would love to hear from more current and former Dyncorp employees from Afghanistan. Is this happening anywhere else? Let me know.
Ms Sparky
I am a new employee, formally KBR, like damn near 90 percent of us on the contract in Afghanistan, I have never seen anything like this stuff over here I had an incident the other day that almost got me fired for asking a question. That seem normal, people talk about how bad KBR, was at least we got paid on time and there was some structure, upper management killed KBR!! But with DynCorp the inexperience people they have in charge is taking them underfast, CAR’s are being giving out left and right, and no one has a clue about anything, I wonder if the goverment didn’t see this coming. DynCorp has to be the worst contractor in the business!!
I’ve recently received e-mails soliciting employment or Dyncorp, Afghan operations. The e-mail seemed rather false. Here’s the exact wording:
Dear Ronald D. Jackson,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your CV/Resume and have passed it on to our screening department where our highly esteemed team of recruitment professionals have access the content and evaluate the credibility and potentials in the CV/Resume. After which we shall forward a letter of eligibility along with a contract document if your qualification is suitable with our requirement.
DYNCORP INTERNATIONAL AFGHAN OPERATION, upon the success of your Application, and after they re-processed and confirmed as perfect for the office you are applying for.
You will be contacted shortly regarding the status of your CV and your past working experiences those are the Yardsticks to ascertain your Qualifications and determine our response to you.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Alexander W. Stephen
HR Director,
DYNCORP INTERNATIONAL AFGHAN OPERATION.
Tel: +447024052573
Does this seems on the “up and up” to anyone? Then again, after reading this blog, even if it is legitimate, the thought of not being paid is frustrating
I would be highly suspicious of this email as generally you are contaced by a recruiter and not the HR Director. Additionally the country code that goes with this phone number is the Isle of Man and as far a I know they would not be runing any LCIV recruitment out of there.
The wording is most definately not US English.
If the next email you get asks you for any type of money in order to do your processing – I would report them to both Dyncorp and the IG.
By the way you can trace the source of the email back to the original by clicking on viewing source up in the address section. If the originating email is not @dyncorprecruiting.com then I would be certain that it is not that it is not real.
Sorry.
This is a scam. The Country code is the United Kingdom and the last I heard Dyncorp was not recruiting out of The UK. There are tons of employment scams out there. Never send money and never send your personal information to anyone who solicits you! There are hundreds of scam artists out there charging for visas and airfare all with promise of reimbursing you ASAP and then there are the identity thieves!!
“After which we shall forward” very English in manner and composed and penned by a rouge bastard and deserving of the gallows bird for impersonating the good Doctor.
And they shouted in once accord, “Here! Here!”
Haven’t had my second cup of coffee yet. See correction below.
And they all shouted in one accord, “Here! Here!”
Stick to HR and leave the comedy to those signed by agents.
Hi,I read what everyone has to say about Dyncorp, I worked in KAF for another company for a year..then resigned..anyways does anyone have the HR email addresses for Dyncorp and Fluor in KAF..I have had no luck sending my CV through their websites..or whats the best way to get recruited by them..I am a Kenyan in Kenya right now..or does anyone know where Dyncorp offices in Kenya are located or their recruiters. Thanks in Advance.
Just to let everyone know, your not alone. Currently working for Dyncorp in Kuwait maintaining Kuwait Air Force (KAF) F/A-18 aircraft. Talk about “hostile work environment” this place is a daily threat of “LWOP” (leave without pay) or termination. Pay is screwed up. They tax our allowances and W-2 forms are 6 pay periods short. If you attempt to notify HR in Dubai, they tell you that you must first contact the local office (this will be reported back to management at job site) and you might as well quit, as you will be terminated or let go at the end of your contract. And talk about “good ole boy network” Maintenance manager is old buddy from the good old days with district manager in Dubai, so anything he says is “golden” and is not questioned. This could be a really good place to work, but thanks to management, it’s almost time for my DynCorp Dash (hauling butt back to USA) after bonus is in bank (3 months). It takes so long (4-6 months) to get your paperwork in order to come here that 95% of new hires quit before ever getting here. Got enough to complain about (all factual) to write a book, so I’ll shoot some more later. ***Anyone else working or have worked for Dyncorp/KAF in Kuwait? Let’s hear from you too!!!***
I am sorry to hear this is still going on! You would think there is someone in Dyncorp who can get the pay issues resolved. Payroll is not rocket science!! I am getting ready to publish post on who to contact in Dyncorp if you don’t get your W-2 or if it is incorrect. Evidently it’s a consistent problem and now to find out the W-2’s are not correct. GREAT!
I would love to hear it all. And if there is a particular manager who is causing the problems, name names. Are any of these problem managers former KBR?
Keep us posted!
Call the DI ethics hotline:
Company Hotline: hotline@dyn-intl.com
877-396-4685 877-396-4685 or 703-560-1203 703-560-1203
Senior management is starting to become aware of how fucked up things are on those programs, and they are not happy. And when I say senior management, I mean the CEO, Sr VP of HR, etc. The CEO made all his direct reports listen to some of the hotline calls a few weeks ago, unedited and verbatim. Sooner or later some of these managers are going to go. Hopefully sooner.
Taken from the Dyncorp website…..
DynCorp International Afghan Operation Warning
We have become aware of an internet scam using the DynCorp International name, and pretending to offer employment placement with “DynCorp International Afghan Operation” in return for payment to a recruiter. This scam may also involve a request for personal data in connection to a visa application for Afghanistan. The false recruiter contact may use an e-mail of dynrecruiting@dynafghan.com, although other e-mail addresses or organization names may be used as well. Please do not send any money or any personal information to this organization or e-mail address, or to any other request for money to secure employment with DynCorp International or any of its subsidiaries.
DynCorp International has absolutely no connection with this internet scam. No legitimate recruitment effort by DynCorp International will ever include a request for payment from job applicants. Any attempts to request such payments should be reported to DynCorp International, to corporate.security@dyn-intl.com.
THANK YOU!! I think it is time to blog about this in earnest. I have received several complaints and questions involving several scams!!
I just sent this to snopes.com.
The Dyncorp link is: http://www.dyn-intl.com/afghan-operation-scam.aspx
Good thinking!!! I will blog about it this week. Do you know how they got your contact information?
Someone sent the job information to an employee at the NY State Dept. of Labor. He sent it on to me and suggested that I apply for one of the jobs, which I did. The tip off was the atrocious English used in the emails sent to me from “fristlight.hr.croker@googlemail.com.”
I have just received a job offer on the mail address in the Dyncorp warning…thank god i checked first
Very smart man!!
Thanks..are there any other scams in this vein??? Im trying to get work in afghan and Iraq and dont need to get ripped off…have been in Iraq and kurdistan and need to get back asap…i certainly dont need to waste my time with bloody rip off artists
As a general rule – if you are not contacted via telephone by someone who states they are a Dyn, Fluor or KBR recruiter – you can bet it is a scam.
All of the companies I know of who are recruiting for employment may collect your resume via a web site – but they are sure going to want to ask you some questions before they come anywhere close to offering you a job.
Do all of the contractors: KBR, Dyncorp Halliburton etc.. pay close to the same amount for similar jobs in Iraq and Afghansitsn? Thnaks in advance
For LOGCAP that should be the case since the contracts specifically incorporate the pay scales for the positions. Although the pay may not be EXACTLY the same it should be pretty close and no one is going to be paying a lot more than anyone else. There are also different salary levels for US Citizens and TCN’s.
These rates can not be changed without the written authorization of the KO.
Additionally, there is a clause that prohibits the contractors from competing for staffing resources via increased salary.
The Uplift amounts are also set by law and approved by the KO, so they should pretty much be the same.
The biggest differences may come in the areas of bonuses and R&R benefits. But there will not be one that is extremely better than the other two either.
Sorry to tell you this but you are mistaken on more than one of your statements. Some companies DO pay more than othes for the very same position, uplift percentages are different between companies, R&R has major differences, some offer bonuses and others don’t. I just felt that this should be stated.
I know uplift and hazard pay is established buy the State Department not the Defense Department. I believe it is evaluated every two weeks. As far as wages go, they should be close. But you are right it’s all the extras R&R etc that are different.
I know that not all contractors received uplift and hazard pay in Iraq. But their wages were 2-4 times higher than mine so maybe it was factored in to that.
I did not say that they DON’T pay different amounts. What I said and intended to convey was that there should not be BIG differences between the salaries – for example one company should not be paying a LOG Coordinator $15 and hour and another $40 an hour. As this was the question – do they pay pretty much the same.
There is infact a CEILING on the amount that can be paid for each position and these are stated in attachments to the contract.
There is also a CEILING on the amount of the Uplifts – this does not mean that everyone is paying exactly the same uplift. For example in the offer letter from Fluor for the Haiti TO they are offering a 30% hardsip allowance – the actual DOS hardship allowance for Haiti at State.gov is 35% so they could actually pay up to 35% hardship allowance.
Also you will note that I DID state that the biggest differences would be in the areas of Bonuses and R&R benefits.
Below is the section of the contract that addresses salary and allowances
H-36 Hiring Practices
The Government is concerned about the possibility that certain contractor hiring or sourcing practices may materialize and be detrimental to the LOGCAP IV Program under this multiple award IDIQ contract. While we recognize that there may be heavy competition between execution contractors for scarce personnel or other resources, contractors are cautioned to be vigilant of fair compensation contract requirements and also mindful of LOGCAP IV Program interests.
The Government will not reimburse the contractor for any costs in excess of what we consider reasonable or for unallowable costs.
In an effort to minimize recruiting and retention practices for scarce resources that may be harmful to the LOGCAP program as a whole, the following provisions apply to work performed under this contract.
The contractor shall seek written approval from the Procuring Contracting Officer prior to increasing base pay or allowances over 10% in a single year over the amounts proposed for the basic contract. Any labor cost increases inconsistent with this clause, or without written approval, shall be strictly unallowable.
During the term of the contract, the contractor agrees it will not knowingly solicit employees directly involved in the work on this Program employed by other unaffiliated companies without the prior written consent of such other company. This agreement is not intended to restrict the rights of the employees of the other company from seeking and obtaining employment from the contractor on their own initiative, or in response to publicly posted employment advertisements or job fairs, so long as no knowing solicitation or proselytizing occurs on the part of the contractor.
I have a question why does Fluor pay 80 percent uplift in Afghanistan and Dyncorp offers 70 percent? KBR still pays 75 percent. I was offered 70 percent uplift from Dyncorp so that is why i am asking this question.
thanks
You got me on that one. I was told the uplift is set country to country by the State Department. They determine the risk and set the % for uplift accordingly. Now…I must find out. Any contract administrators want to chime in on this?
Ms. Sparky
You can go to http://www.state.gov search allowances. You can then find the allowance for each country. In order to determine what is exactly payable you will also need to read the directives.
I suspect that Dyn is paying lower uplift in order to save money and come in lower on their proposals in hope of winning more of the work. But then again they could just be behind the times and still be using the allowable amounts from 2007.
Can’t tell you why there is a difference other than the companies bid and were approved for differend allowances. According to http://www.state.gov the MAXIMUM allowances for Foreign Service, Danger and Hardship for both Afghanistan and Iraq is currently 80%.
That said according to H-36 of the contract the particular contractor can not increase their allowance more than 10% without Government approval.
I suspect that the difference has to do with what the individual contractors included as their uplifts in their particular proposals.
AFCAP Uplifts:
Hardship Allowance 35%
Danger Pay 35%
Foreign Service Premium 15%
Danger Pay for Iraq is currently 35% of base salary and may go or down, in according with USDOS guidelines.
Baboo is correct on the exact allowances. It needs to be pointed out however that the entire 15% foreign service allowance is only payable if the person is responsible for their own housing and food. The allowance must be reduced if housing and subsistance (food) is provided by the Government which it is under LCIV. The reduction when housing is provided is to 10% – the allowance when both housing and subsistance is provided is to 5%. Hence the difference in our two numbers. In order to determine the reductions one must read the entire guidance from the DOS.
I wonder where a tent with 2 squares at the Dfac and a lunch of K-rats puts me.
Does anyone know any contact name’s for HR in Afghanistan for either Fluor or Dyncorp? I’d really like to get in touch with one of the recruiters if possible.
Thanks in advance for any info.
Rob:
I can’t speak as to DynCorp is doing, but the Fluor recruiters in Afghanistan are only dealing with transitioning KBR employee’s who are already in country.
To get with a Fluor recruiter, you’ll have to apply on line, but before you do, make absolutely certain your resume is the very best it can possibly be – you want to make your first impression count.
Check out the article “Resume Advice for LOGCAP Job Seekers” with the accompanying comments and replies here on Ms Sparky’s site by using the Search feature or going to:
http://mssparky.com/2010/02/resume-advice-for-logcap-job-seekers/
Remember, a well-prepared, informed candidate is a better candidate.
What is Qatar,Bahrain and Kuwait uplifts for Fluor and Dyncorp?