Post: #1

Has anyone here ever worked for the PMCs (Private military companies) ?
If so what was your experience with them ? also is there a way to join them without being previously in the military ?


I am wondering whether its a realistic career prospect. I know of one other guy that was a military contractor who served in Iraq, never heard from him since then. However the impression I get, is that the pay is very good and there are other benefits.

Post: #2

It's unlikely that any of the more professional companies will look at you if you don't have either extensive military or police experience. Think of it like this, would you want someone who isn't battle tested covering your arse when you're in a high risk situation with limited, if any back up?

Most companies will only recruit from their pool of students, so picking the right course to attend is also important.

Post: #3

(06-08-2014 07:40 AM)Marmite Wrote:  It's unlikely that any of the more professional companies will look at you if you don't have either extensive military or police experience. Think of it like this, would you want someone who isn't battle tested covering your arse when you're in a high risk situation with limited, if any back up?

Most companies will only recruit from their pool of students, so picking the right course to attend is also important.

This is what I expected, I suppose if you know foreign languages such as Russian, Chinese or Arabic, you probably could get a decent job in a non combat role.

Post: #4

pay is very good, but you need an 'in' (someone who knows you and who can vouch for you), and the only way that is possible is to have experience in the real army, that, or be a legendary assassin.

Post: #5

(06-08-2014 07:40 AM)Marmite Wrote:  It's unlikely that any of the more professional companies will look at you if you don't have either extensive military or police experience.

Indeed. Back in the early-mid 2000s there was a hiring craze because of the wars and you could have gotten in in one of the rag tag outfits without any experience, but now you can't. Nor should you want to.
There is no way to fast-track this unless you already have the skills and know an 'old boy' who can vouch for you.

As a good alternative you could look into civillian Executive Protection. It's similar work, but more cerebral and less cowboying.

Post: #6

(06-08-2014 08:03 AM)The PerSev Wrote:  

(06-08-2014 07:40 AM)Marmite Wrote:  It's unlikely that any of the more professional companies will look at you if you don't have either extensive military or police experience.

Indeed. Back in the early-mid 2000s there was a hiring craze because of the wars and you could have gotten in in one of the rag tag outfits without any experience, but now you can't. Nor should you want to.
There is no way to fast-track this unless you already have the skills and know an 'old boy' who can vouch for you.

As a good alternative you could look into civillian Executive Protection. It's similar work, but more cerebral and less cowboying.

During the Oil wars in the 00s, did they recruit people with non military backgrounds and provide training. At the moment its still a specialised field being a MC, but I see in the future as it gets further commercialised, becoming simply an alternative, better paid army.

Post: #7

There is a surplus of contractors compared to a few years ago. There are very few now in Iraq, and the numbers in Afghanistan are dwindling.

While military experience is the easiest way to get a job, it's not always required, especially if you are not interested in doing protective details (i.e. being a bodyguard). Even if you want to do protective detail work, if you are an American, previous experience with federal law enforcement is equivalent to military experience (think Secret Service, Diplomatic Security). For non-protective work, unless you want to be a finance administrator, previous experience in intelligence and global risk analysis is a plus.

Post: #8

(06-08-2014 08:08 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  During the Oil wars in the 00s, did they recruit people with non military backgrounds and provide training. At the moment its still a specialised field being a MC, but I see in the future as it gets further commercialised, becoming simply an alternative, better paid army.

The companies like Blackwater only hired pros. The rag tag outfits hired almost anyone but they didn't provide any training, they just gave you an AK and sent you to work.

Like I said, even if such a thing were possible, you most definitely don't want that. This line of work is dangerous enough even for people who know what they're doing - just check the Route Irish ambush - nevermind for amateurs.

That being said if you're really looking to get into the business, Blackwater does hire people who have never been military or LE, though not a lot. But the skills have to come from somewhere. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of coin on their training courses,and even then there's no guarantee they'll take you, you have to be very good.

Post: #9

Thanks for the above two comments, that is the kind of information I am looking for. I imagine it will be harder to get in through the civilian route being from Europe. I suppose even with the rag tag groups, it depends on who you know.

Post: #10

Forget about it, the market has been shrinking and wages have been going down for years.

There are tens of thousands of special operations-trained veterans with combat experience from NATO countries.

Post: #11

(06-08-2014 09:24 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  Forget about it, the market has been shrinking and wages have been going down for years.

There are tens of thousands of special operations-trained veterans with combat experience from NATO countries.

It is shrinking ? How comes, I thought PMCs were the future for combat. With the Western militaries being cut inside, well thats the case for the British Army.

Post: #12

(06-08-2014 10:01 AM)Constitution45 Wrote:  

(06-08-2014 09:24 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  Forget about it, the market has been shrinking and wages have been going down for years.

There are tens of thousands of special operations-trained veterans with combat experience from NATO countries.

It is shrinking ? How comes, I thought PMCs were the future for combat. With the Western militaries being cut inside, well thats the case for the British Army.

How come? Because two Western wars either have ended or will end in the next 18 months. Military contractors aren't (generally) used for actual combat operations. They are used for protection (think Ambassadors and VIPs), security (around embassies) and training local forces (foreign governments will hire Western contractors to do this). The first two categories have peaked or are already shrinking (the number of American diplomats in Iraq, for example, has shrunk quite a bit since 2012). The last category is the only piece that might be growing, though I don't have specific data. And for training foreign forces, being prior military is almost guaranteed to be a requirement.

Large, mechanized land armies might be going out of style, in favor of drones and special operations units. But that doesn't translate into larger private contractors, those functions are still almost exclusively in the military domain.

Post: #13

I managed to get 4 months of contracting in Afghanistan right after I graduated through a connection and no military experience. I got laid off in the end, but man it was sweet. 12k a month with no real expenses. Might try to get back in at some point.

Post: #14

If you want to get a sense of what type of jobs are available with these contracts and the qualifications necessary, here are two examples:

https://triplecanopy.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/...ch/viewAll

https://jobs-soc-usa.icims.com/jobs/sear...hCategory=

Post: #15

(06-08-2014 11:33 AM)Ardbeg Wrote:  If you want to get a sense of what type of jobs are available with these contracts and the qualifications necessary, here are two examples:

https://triplecanopy.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/...ch/viewAll

https://jobs-soc-usa.icims.com/jobs/sear...hCategory=

Cheers, I will take a look.

Post: #16

(06-08-2014 08:43 AM)The PerSev Wrote:  Like I said, even if such a thing were possible, you most definitely don't want that. This line of work is dangerous enough even for people who know what they're doing - just check the Route Irish ambush - nevermind for amateurs.

Here's another video. It's about Blackwater guys killing scores of insurgents in Najaf, Iraq in 2004:

Post: #17

Great thread, just wondering, do they take fresh college grads or is this an older man's game?

Post: #18

(06-10-2014 11:10 PM)mugen151 Wrote:  Great thread, just wondering, do they take fresh college grads or is this an older man's game?

"They take" combat veterans of the special operations forces of NATO, ANZAC and South Africa of all ages depending on the company and the mission. I saw some companies hiring older retired SAS and SBS, others with younger vets. The Brits tend to hire older, the Americans younger. Maybe retired police and federal agents get hired in a few niches (e.g. dog handlers). Static security has been "outsourced" to Ugandans/Nepalis/South Americans who work for little.

Walter Mittys who think they are going to take some 2 week course and waltz into a high-paying PSC job are deluded, but by all means spend your money, you'll have fun on the course.

Post: #19

(06-11-2014 02:03 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 11:10 PM)mugen151 Wrote:  Great thread, just wondering, do they take fresh college grads or is this an older man's game?

"They take" combat veterans of the special operations forces of NATO, ANZAC and South Africa of all ages depending on the company and the mission. I saw some companies hiring older retired SAS and SBS, others with younger vets. The Brits tend to hire older, the Americans younger. Maybe retired police and federal agents get hired in a few niches (e.g. dog handlers). Static security has been "outsourced" to Ugandans/Nepalis/South Americans who work for little.

Walter Mittys who think they are going to take some 2 week course and waltz into a high-paying PSC job are deluded, but by all means spend your money, you'll have fun on the course.

Would you say that DoD work, or FBI work or something along those lines without necessarily signing up to be a GI or a second Lieutenant would cut it? Do they only take special forces guys? Don't they need higher level white-collar analysts?

Post: #20

(06-11-2014 10:16 AM)mugen151 Wrote:  

(06-11-2014 02:03 AM)Sp5 Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 11:10 PM)mugen151 Wrote:  Great thread, just wondering, do they take fresh college grads or is this an older man's game?

"They take" combat veterans of the special operations forces of NATO, ANZAC and South Africa of all ages depending on the company and the mission. I saw some companies hiring older retired SAS and SBS, others with younger vets. The Brits tend to hire older, the Americans younger. Maybe retired police and federal agents get hired in a few niches (e.g. dog handlers). Static security has been "outsourced" to Ugandans/Nepalis/South Americans who work for little.

Walter Mittys who think they are going to take some 2 week course and waltz into a high-paying PSC job are deluded, but by all means spend your money, you'll have fun on the course.

Would you say that DoD work, or FBI work or something along those lines without necessarily signing up to be a GI or a second Lieutenant would cut it? Do they only take special forces guys? Don't they need higher level white-collar analysts?

"Higher level white collar analysts?" Your snobbery is showing. The companies have intelligence analysts. They are former vetted military intelligence people who have been cleared to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information. They are "higher level," often with language skills. Depending on the mission they are contracted to, those clearances may continue to give them access to government classified information. That is why they want you to have a clearance first.

Of course these companies have the usual human resources, legal and admin staffs, but mostly not deployed. The in-country managers are former military.

If you want to be a private military contractor, you have to join the military first.