By Well at least one retired NCO in Korea has not forgotten about the contractor issue that led to the loss of many jobs in 2008:
Another election is coming up, and my mailbox is getting swamped with political ads. I have come to view them all with contempt.
In my 56 years, I have written my Florida congressmen maybe four or five times. I never received one whit of assistance from any of them.
The last instance was the most galling. In 2008, I and scores (hundreds?) of other Defense Department contractors lost our jobs when U.S. Forces Korea and Contract Command Korea reinterpreted a USFK regulation and decided retroactively that they should never have given us status of forces agreement status because they had been “misinterpreting” said regulation for the last 10 to 15 years.
All of the affected contractors I know wrote their congressmen, but nothing was done, and USFK got away with it.
The only conclusion I can draw is that USFK can pretty much do as it pleases without fear of congressional interference.
I no longer live under the illusion that I have any representation in U.S. government. And if I no longer believe I have any representation, then what is the point in voting?
I’ve voted in every election since high school, but I won’t be voting this year. Nor any other year. I’m done.
Tech. Sgt. Charles M. Lacy (retired)Songtan, South Korea
11:13 am on September 21st, 2010 1
Boo hoo. Cry, cry, cry.
3:13 pm on September 21st, 2010 2
Insignificant now. Insourcing is the main concern these days. Sucks more now. Recommend finding life preservers now…either repatriate or try going GS.
3:21 pm on September 21st, 2010 3
Many times, contractors are short time (did I just type that??)manpower solutions which some commands and units have used to fill what should be MTOE slots, both military and civil service.
The military leadership comes and goes every year to three years, and along with it, all their bright ideas. Bottom line- if you aren't part of the mainstream of their bright ideas, and you aren't part of some sustaining long term contract presence, watch your back.
Those who know know that much of the long term corporate knowledge in Korea, and a hell of a lot of holding up the roof on this entire lash-up, is done by those long term civilian contract and civil service employees. The way the military system is set up only allows the .mil side to show up, tread water, punch a few tickets, and move on…
4:00 pm on September 21st, 2010 4
Yeah! Fark the contractors! It's funny, until you are one. Most of these guys ARE NOT high paid either. USFK has a history of f@rking US & Korean civilians over, from little stuff all the way up to and including civil rights issues. …and they get away with it.
It's funny also that the Scott Bonner turd who lied to people (an incompetent GS) and screwed people over was a nobody. Hell, if he himself had been held to the standards he was applying to others, HE wouldn't be allowed to work in Korea. Yeah, that's right.
So, Mr. Bonner buys a Harley and wants to hang out. Everyone knows him. From what I heard he has been made unwelcome in many circles. GOOD.
There are so many layers to this onion it would peel forever.
…and YES there are many less competent people in these critical positions, and the war fighter suffers for it. So boo hoo indeed.
4:20 pm on September 21st, 2010 5
Not to mention that the civil service guys have to justify staying on station for more than 5 years… If it wasn't for those guys, and the contract employees, remaining in the ROK, developing local and mil-wide POCs, and dealing with the culture and labyrinthine relationships in the ROK, it would be a hell of a lot of fun to watch the smart officers and senior NCOs show us all how "…it's done.."
6:34 pm on September 21st, 2010 6
I agree on principle with Lacy. But instead of simply not casting a vote, I offer an alternative to laziness…… Bad-mouth the politicians, spread rumors that they are pedophiles and have raped young boys and girls. Add to it they stole and caused elderly to suffer. Cap things off with they abandoned their parents. You can think of more to add depending on your audience – just play upon their fears. You can mumble under your breath at one point in the conversation that you're "just kidding". So you aren't arrested for sedition. Play the same game as the worthless political system the US has. If anyone out there truly believes their single vote counts look up all the national votes in the nation’s history and find one which was decided by one vote. There are several decided by a few hundred or thousand and that’s where the "scare tactics" I've outlined above can make a difference.
As a final note, I called my Senators yesterday, Hagan and Burr. Burr intended to vote to maintain DADT. Hagan on the other hand thought "everyone who wants to join the military should be allowed to". I had her lackey take the following note: If she believes everyone who wants to join the military should be allowed to, then she is telling me that child molesters, rapist, thieves, murderers and convicted felons should be allowed to join. If she believes homosexuals should be allowed, she has no concern for two men on the battlefield sticking their penises into each other’s rectums. I will spread this news in my part of the state where news carries fast as everyone reads the newspaper." I was surprised the lackey agreed.
This is unedited and not checked for spelling or grammer errors.
7:31 pm on September 21st, 2010 7
Is it ironic that in your caveat This is unedited and not checked for spelling or grammer errors grammar is misspelled? Are you messing with us?
8:15 pm on September 21st, 2010 8
I was wanted to misspell spelling – maybe I should have checked the thing.
8:32 pm on September 21st, 2010 9
8:57 pm on September 21st, 2010 10
I'm enjoying listing to all these bitchings and back stabbings. Continue on.
9:33 pm on September 21st, 2010 11
It is dumb that some GS and Contract employees think things would fall apart if they weren't in the position. I have news for you, things will continue to run without you.
9:40 pm on September 21st, 2010 12
I'm popping my pop corn as I enjoy watching the bickerings.
9:47 pm on September 21st, 2010 13
"It is dumb that some GS and Contract employees think things would fall apart if they weren’t in the position. I have news for you, things will continue to run without you."
Yes they will continue to run like total crap but the Soldier and GS 'Army in Korea' doesn't care. 50+ years of 'I just got here' and 'I am short'. Nothing ever gets fixed or improved.
The only competent people are(were?) the contractors who are treated like second class citizens and shit on at every opportunity by the corrupt,incompetent and lazy GS douche-bags who think they are special because they get to dress up and play soldier during UFG.
USFK has a Zero Tolerance Policy on Accountability.
9:57 pm on September 21st, 2010 14
Hey Lemmy,
So you have no problem with men on the battlefield sticking their penises into the vaginas and rectums of female soldiers?
Are you so naive to think that men on the battlefield have never in the past stuck their penises in the rectums of other men just because it was 'illegal' to do so?
Do you think the only thing holding your local closet queer back from inflicting mass gang rape on the rectums of our proud heterosexual men is the DADT policy?
Are you afraid you might be tempted to join in?
11:10 pm on September 21st, 2010 15
The civilian personnel system is broken from what I can see. I've had a $100K billet open for two years; first guy I hired decided to go to Hawaii instead and the second guy just threw in the towel because the bureacracy was too much. Hell it took AF Personnel Center three weeks to notify him that he'd been hired after we selected him. Over 5 months of waiting and he still didn't have orders. On top of that he was told he and his wife needed passports but since he wasn't in civil service yet, they'd have to come to Korea on tourist visas, get issued official ones, and then exit and re-enter Korea. Amazing that you can't fill a $100K/year job (albeit one that requires a TS/SCI but still…).
12:58 am on September 22nd, 2010 16
#14, hmmm….berry berry interesing… Can you elaborate further?
6:40 am on September 22nd, 2010 17
Odor,
I do not believe women belong neither on the battlefield nor in the Armed Forces of the United States. Ask Jessica Lynch how many times the Iraqis raped her, she never fired a shot, was gang raped for a few weeks and has suffered psychological damage as a result. I see women on the battlefield as simply a distraction and hindrance to the cause.
I believe homosexuals to be physically different than the norm. There brains are miswired similar to pedophiles and other sexual deviants like those who like to eat feces or have someone urinate on them.
I am not afraid of you or any of your homosexual friends. You do not like women, but instead crave the sexual attention of other men. Your brain is incorrectly wired, you are physically different. The best thing for any man who has had the first thought of having sexual contact with another of their own sex should drive to the nearest gun range, rent a gun and buy a bullet and shoot themselves in the head.
I am not a homophobe; I don't think homos can control their thoughts. Homosexuals are devients, they are different, strange, and queer, I don't care what you call them, and they are in the same boat as child molesters and pedophiles.
8:20 am on September 22nd, 2010 18
I had a friend who lost his job in this BS. he was competent, qualified, and dedicated, with 2 schoolage kids. Luckily his company found him a position stateside.
I've seen GS jobs given to just about anyone regardless of qualification. The Buddy Buddy system, Sympathy, Payoffs, Favors, and Empire Builders.
Personaly, I control my own little piece of the world and will make sure I have a clear conscience.
8:43 am on September 22nd, 2010 19
It doesn't matter who you are, what you do, or where you work… you are replaceable. I don't know what it is but in Korea it seems Contractors and GS employees believe that the unit will stop functioning if they leave. A new direction is always welcome in my book especially when an individual is complacent. Again, no matter who you are General to private, GS-15 to GS-4, any contractor… you are replaceable and life goes on rather you are here or not so get over yourself if this applies to you.
8:43 am on September 22nd, 2010 20
Here is what I have to say about this.
When corruption in USFK was causing me problems, I named names, documented facts and clearly explained the situations for which no alternative explanations could exist.
Instead of intelligent questions or thought-out alternative explanations, the actual situation was ignored and I was simply attacked personally… which wasn't effective since I deal honestly and correctly with everyone.
Many of the people attacking me and defending USFK corruption, unaccountability, arbitrary actions, lack of due process and lack of transparency were contractors… filled with hate that I would try to "damage USFK" or "attack the military".
When Lt. Davis got arrested for extortion of clubs, one would think my writing might have been taken more seriously… as this not only confirmed many things I was saying, but also opened up a LOT of new questions.
One would think that… but one would be wrong.
Even as Lt. Davis' glide through the "justice system" became obvious farce and an orgy of arse-covering in the higher ranks, I was still attacked personally by those who refused to actually discuss facts and continued to defend the actions of USFK…
…frequently with quotes like, "If you haven't done anything wrong, they wouldn't be causing you trouble."
So…
When this whole contractor thing when down, I supported the contractors against the arbitrary actions of USFK…
…but I had no small sense of glee that many of the people who fanatically supported USFK's dishonest actions against me were suddenly shocked that they could be affected by them as well.
The lesson here is that unnecessary secrecy breeds corruption… and everyone can be affected by that. And, the more honest you are, and the less you are part of that corruption, the bigger the chance you have of being hurt by it.
I doubt that anyone has learned any lessons though.
Many people here know of something dirty going on in USFK… and they can name names and even supply documents in some cases.
But they won't.
To keep feeding off the USFK tit, they will pretend nothing is going on… and they will attack anyone who says otherwise.
And, one day, when the system needlessly starts messing with them to assist someone's greed or career, they will be shocked as everyone closes ranks and pretends nothing is happening.
So…
…eat it, funkers.
You created it, you perpetuate it and you do nothing to change it.
9:30 am on September 22nd, 2010 21
Now we know Lemmy likes little boys.
1:17 pm on September 22nd, 2010 22
At the surface it really looks devious and despicable that USFK fired "hundreds" of contractors just to replace them with civilian spouses.
However, everyone knows most contractors don't do any work and are just riding the gravy train as long as they possibly can.
That one fired contractor dude who was featured in Stars & Stripes wore a hat to cover up his MOHAWK! Yep, that was the typical USFK contractor before the purge.
7:57 pm on September 22nd, 2010 23
First off, I lost faith in our current two-party system a long time ago, and if anybody out there still believes that there's a "major" difference between the two, keep smoking the crack pipe. It's all a show, just like professional wrestling, and when the campaigns are over they eat, they drink, they laugh together, and continue to take this country in the same "general" direction.
Secondly, wasn't Scott Bonner an actual military officer?
Thirdly, the good old boy system isn't relegated to just the GS world. There's plenty of it in the contracting world too, and if you don't believe so you're probably smoking from the same crack pipe as those who still have faith in the two-party political system.
11:04 pm on September 22nd, 2010 24
Yeah, Old Mr. Bonner gave me a phone call once about hanging out with us and riding his bike and because of his actions fucked a couple of my brothers who were hired from other countries as contractors instead of the States like Iraq and Japan. I politely told him to get fuct.
11:06 pm on September 22nd, 2010 25
Got a phone call once from the esteemed gentleman about riding his Harley down to the Hump and hanging out. I politely told him to get fuct.
12:19 am on September 23rd, 2010 26
Contractors: You're paying little if any in federal income tax. Politicians know that so why would they stand up for you even if they were Republicans and you were living their American dream in Korea? Also, you are just jealous because you can't be lazy bums like the DoD civilian employees and still collect a paycheck.
P.S. No, the spouses weren't just "given" your jobs. Smart people got your jobs. I'm a spouse and I'm smart. I got your job by barely lifting my finger!
God loves the gays.
12:59 am on September 23rd, 2010 27
Tom, you must have performed felatio on a man or perhaps a child becaus you likely believe what I wrote is "funny" and you likely giggled. I will no longer support any comment you make and I will do my best to protest your comments whenever I feel like it.
Zont Politicans know contractors don't pay federal income tax – is that so? What about your boy Charlie Rangle or your girl Maxine Waters and her husband? You have nothing to say that anyone believes and I have no idea who your god is, but it must live under a rainbow. I have one finger to lift for you and here it is .!.
10:37 pm on September 25th, 2010 28
I've been trying for about 3 years to get a job in Korea and I'm well qualified for the position but having difficulties getting my foot in the door. Does anyone have any recommendations about accomplishing this?
I had gotten some phone calls about contractor positions but I felt they went with a known person residing in Korea. I'm in the states.
From the sounds of this, work in Korea is great with all the benefits; however I can see this environment turning in to a corrupt one very easily when family members and friends are involved. USFK must try their best to maintain a objective hiring system in place or it will go to the wayside. It is good operationally when you hire people familar with the system to work but you need new ideas and energy to improve the system. I feel this good old boys network damages this big time.
Also this terminating of contractors is crazy. Looks like they are getting back at USFK or making the statement that USFK is a loose cannon. That's why they took drastic actions on these contractors…may be I have a better chance at getting a position now?
Thanks for hearing me out here. Hope everyone lands on their feet except the corrupt ones.