How does the military community feel about working with Private Security Contractors in overseas environments?

PV2 Robert H. — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 21:28:36 -0400

Given that a majority of people who enter Private Security Contractor positions are current or former military service members, how do/did you feel about working with PSC personnel? Where they typically treated with respect? Or did/do you have a distane for them? I would love to hear stories of missions that where successful/failures due to their presence. How do they effect your everyday life on patrols. Are they professional or did they carry the "gun for hire" attitude that is looked down on?

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Sep 20 at 2019 9:45 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 21:45:24 -0400

No one cares about them. They are like KBR mechanics lol Some of them just think they are a little cooler than the KBR guys and gals lmao

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2019 10:18 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 22:18:17 -0400

I always treated them like one of our own. Some of them were pretty cool, fit right in, and no issues. Some of them had a "I'm better than you attitude" which caused issues.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Sep 21 at 2019 12:06 AM

PO1 Brian Austin — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 00:06:00 -0400

I had no issues with contractors while on active duty, aside from some paycheck envy...lol.

While I was a IT contractor working as part of the Signal Battalions, I didn't really have any serious issues with the military it mainly depended on the unit. Some barely tolerated us, other's welcomed us as part of the team.

USMC was very easy to work with. Regular Army was hit and miss. Guard and Reserve units were good to work with. Worked with one Navy unit for a short time, it was meh.

The biggest issues I had were with fellow contractors, especially the ones with no prior military experience.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Sep 21 at 2019 1:45 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 01:45:34 -0400

It really depends on the individual and the company. The best experiences I had were with those who understood their mission was to SUPPORT my mission. When the contractors start to get the attitude that we are there to support/serve them, that is when things start to go south. Had one experiwnce where Access Control Point contractors developed their own SOP for searches and implemented - without consulting the Base Commander. The day this was discovered was not a good day for a LOT of folks.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Sep 21 at 2019 10:08 AM

SGM Erik Marquez — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 10:08:10 -0400

Like any Soldier you may meet... There are good
mediocre and bad security contractors.
You respect and play well with the first two groups as best you can, and work diligently to get the last group sent home

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Sep 21 at 2019 2:35 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 14:35:03 -0400

It depends on if they are good or bad. I worked with Blackwater and Presidential Airways contractors who were the best at what they did. I would have done anything for them. I worked with a contract outfit out of a former Soviet Republic who also was very good. I went to bat for them too.

There were others not to be named here that were not good. I bailed them out a couple times. I did not go out on a limb for them. They were in trouble because they were cowboys in over their heads.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2019 2:29 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 02:29:58 -0400

I couldn't stand it. The ones on my deployment constantly complained about "only making 90k a year". Regular overseas areas, I've met very few that I actually liked, many of the other would walk around with their chest popped out like they're best thing in the world.

Don't get me wrong, there are alot of great contractors out there, but, there are alot of big-headed ones too. I've unfortunately worked with too many big-headed ones.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Sep 22 at 2019 1:24 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 13:24:41 -0400

I never had a problem on either side of the fence. Oh we sometimes butted heads. But where's the fun if you can't do that?