Elmendorf Richardson Military base plans layoffs for 53 civilians

[wildchild_to]

Originally Posted by freezengirl

Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors

Good link for people to look at regarding the subject of government vs. contractors.

Just remember when a government worker goes to work they don't pay any overhead like building cost, lights, gas, water, vehicles, free cell phone, laptops, etc. The government pays the tab and the government workers just punch a clock.

The extra money the contracting companies get covers all listed below...
Now contracting companies have to charge more because, they need buildings, vehicles, gas, water, electric, insurance, weapons, airline flights around the world, etc. The contracting company puts the money up and then they invoices the government for services rendered. Unless they have some other contract agreement.

[NOTAM]

private message me and i will tell you. i make at least 20-30K more than if i were in the private sector. and i am in a very skilled profession

Originally Posted by NikkiV

I have got to know what field you are in . . . Because I make about 60% of what I could make in the private sector working for the government. As a matter of fact, I took over a $10,000 pay cut to go back to working for the govt. Granted, I had personal reasons for moving to Alaska and taking the job I did . . . But don't tell me thegovt. pays more than the private sector. For skilled professions . . . Never has, never will.

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

private message me and i will tell you. i make at least 20-30K more than if i were in the private sector. and i am in a very skilled profession

What do you do?

[NOTAM]

i definitely am in a skilled profession, college graduate. cannot make more in private sector anywhere, than i do with govt. no doubt about it. and i have worked most of my career in the private sector, and will never go back to it again.

Originally Posted by highlife2

I make more in the private sector than I could ever make in the gov, I sometimes think gov work is for people with no real skills to make good money by skimming tax money off the top from the productive members of society.

[wildchild_to]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

amen! and those contractors dont get VA benefits when their tour of duty is done and get out of the sandbox. they desrve alot more respect, those "just contractors". just cuz they dont wear ACU's, dont mean they aint mission essential
and hey, they might even suffer from PTSD..what kind of mental health care do they get? very limited, unless they are prior service

Many don't get retirements either.
Depending on the contracting job, the ones on the front line like KBR, Blackwater are the ones hunting and killing insurgents. They do Intel, they do jobs that would turn most peoples stomachs. They don't have to abide by the Geneva Convention BS, they do what ever it takes to get the job done period!!! Many of them are former Elite solider like Delta Force, Seals, Airborne Rangers, Green Beret.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

i definitely am in a skilled profession, college graduate. cannot make more in private sector anywhere, than i do with govt. no doubt about it. and i have worked most of my career in the private sector, and will never go back to it again.

A licensed plumber probably earns more than you can earn in the public sector. Well... maybe if you can be the AU president, then a plumber does not have a chance

Electricians, welders, engine mechanics, all can make good money. When the AK pipeline was being built, professionals and non, moved out of town to work out there.

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

A licensed plumber probably earns more than you can earn in the public sector. Well... maybe if you can be the AU president, then a plumber does not have a chance

Electricians, welders, engine mechanics, all can make good money. When the AK pipeline was being built, professionals and non, moved out of town to work out there.

You cant compare now days to the gravey train days of the pipeline. Alot of people made fortunes off the pipeline but thoes days are long gone. There are some old timers that are left on the north slope that are millionares from the davis bacon level saleries that they were making for 20 years straight if you were fortunate enough to not get laid off in the mid 80's.

Very few in this generation will see wages like that. By the time they want to build a gas line very few will have the skills nessicary because big buisness would not support the trades during down times and worked to depress wages thus making thoes trades unattractive to young people.