Overseas Contractor Pharmacist Job

Started by Xarelto-10
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Xarelto-10

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5+ Year Member
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Kind of tested the waters and heard back from a company that wants to deploy me to the middle east (Afghanistan or Iraq) not yet determined.
The process itself I guess takes for clearance about 4-6 months.
I am wondering if you have personal experience or know someone who has firsthand experience of what it’s like working as contracting civilian pharmacist abroad?

is it really worth the safety issues ?
I’d like hear from you...
Thanks!
 
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Just out of curiosity and if you don't mind my asking, do you have work experience as a pharmacist or are you a new grad?
 
I am curious what organization sends pharmacist contractors to Afghanistan? Is it an NGO, mercs, FMIC, GDPA, or something else? There was a post back in 2012 for an Iraqi position. I know some people who have been pharmacists in Afghanistan but not like this (nor paid like that!)
 
Xarelto-10 said:
Kind of tested the waters and heard back from a company that wants to deploy me to the middle east (Afghanistan or Iraq) not yet determined.
The process itself I guess takes for clearance about 4-6 months.
I am wondering if you have personal experience or know someone who has firsthand experience of what it’s like working as contracting civilian pharmacist abroad?

is it really worth the safety issues ?
I’d like hear from you...
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Curious as well! As a contractor where will you live and where will you work? Would it be on the base? At least in the military you're surrounded a few thousand other people with bigger guns.
 
jurassicpark said:
Curious as well! As a contractor where will you live and where will you work? Would it be on the base? At least in the military you're surrounded a few thousand other people with bigger guns.
Click to expand...

I have yet to obtain more info on it. But I think it is in clinics or hospitals for military and civilian personnel.
I don’t know safety is a big risk but I was trying to see if anyone has first hand experience...
 
jurassicpark said:
Curious as well! As a contractor where will you live and where will you work? Would it be on the base? At least in the military you're surrounded a few thousand other people with bigger guns.
Click to expand...

I have to get more info but I assume they have hospital for military and civilians. I think it will be on base. But from reading online, rockets have been fired at US bases before- so it is 50-50
 
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The job is inherently unsafe, and deploying a uniformed pharmacist to the front lines was probably ruled to be not cost effective, so they decided on a contractor (to my knowledge, there have only been less than 10 and all of them were mustang). The job will be ok, just a bit more stressful than the norm from the environment. Think of it as working knowingly at the worst neighborhood in Baltimore and you won't have much of a social life afterwards (although unlike the uniformed, you have no limits on fraternizing with them). The money needs to be worth it to take the assignment, and you need to make sure your death and injury benefits are in writing and you have had time to review them as your normal life insurance policies do not cover private security firm work and they are almost always exclusionary clauses for war zone or conflict areas.

If you are ok with that, the clearance alone is a major perk. It makes you very eligible for certain kinds of work afterward that is extremely safe to hold and very high paying even by pharmacist standards.

By the way, in a hazard zone, all of the "civilians" are either other contractors like you,or the quiet Americans club. This isn't going to be a pediatric run.
 
Xarelto-10 said:
Kind of tested the waters and heard back from a company that wants to deploy me to the middle east (Afghanistan or Iraq) not yet determined.
The process itself I guess takes for clearance about 4-6 months.
I am wondering if you have personal experience or know someone who has firsthand experience of what it’s like working as contracting civilian pharmacist abroad?

is it really worth the safety issues ?
I’d like hear from you...
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ha ha "ABROAD" and "Safety issues"

You won't be going to the red light district in Amsterdam to get high and and get laid. You statement reflects a total disconnect with reality. If you went to Iraq you would be going to a country where 200, 000 some have died and Afghanistan 30,000 due to the USA. The comparison to Baltimore is an expression of ignorance too. You could die, be kidnapped perhaps beheaded. If that's not enough you will experience social hardship and unrelenting climates.

Is it worth It? It's your life you decide but I wouldn't do it for a job.

BTW I have deployed as a uniformed service member. Something happens to you it's a big deal a contractor not so much.
 
johnpharm01 said:
Ha ha "ABROAD" and "Safety issues"

You won't be going to the red light district in Amsterdam to get high and and get laid. You statement reflects a total disconnect with reality. If you went to Iraq you would be going to a country where 200, 000 some have died and Afghanistan 30,000 due to the USA. The comparison to Baltimore is an expression of ignorance too. You could die, be kidnapped perhaps beheaded. If that's not enough you will experience social hardship and unrelenting climates.

Is it worth It? It's your life you decide but I wouldn't do it for a job.

BTW I have deployed as a uniformed service member. Something happens to you it's a big deal a contractor not so much.
Click to expand...
I hear Kandahar is lovely this time of the year! (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Can any of us be sure we couldn't get beheaded, thrown off a roof for being gay, or burned alive in a cage in Baltimore? Oh wait...those things never happen in CONUS. But really, confirm whether it is the US military who is contracting out. I have heard the gravy train stopped a few years ago with the drawdowns.
 
right500 said:
I hear Kandahar is lovely this time of the year! (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Can any of us be sure we couldn't get beheaded, thrown off a roof for being gay, or burned alive in a cage in Baltimore? Oh wait...those things never happen in CONUS. But really, confirm whether it is the US military who is contracting out. I have heard the gravy train stopped a few years ago with the drawdowns.
Click to expand...

There is some false basis for your argument. If you are going to offer your sarcasm at least throw in some intelligence.
 
johnpharm01 said:
There is some false basis for your argument. If you are going to offer your sarcasm at least throw in some intelligence.
Click to expand...
Someone is being a Mr. Grumpy Gills
tumblr_llsk878UtR1qc6kk6o1_500.png
 
johnpharm01 said:
Ha ha "ABROAD" and "Safety issues"

You won't be going to the red light district in Amsterdam to get high and and get laid. You statement reflects a total disconnect with reality. If you went to Iraq you would be going to a country where 200, 000 some have died and Afghanistan 30,000 due to the USA. The comparison to Baltimore is an expression of ignorance too. You could die, be kidnapped perhaps beheaded. If that's not enough you will experience social hardship and unrelenting climates.

Is it worth It? It's your life you decide but I wouldn't do it for a job.

BTW I have deployed as a uniformed service member. Something happens to you it's a big deal a contractor not so much.
Click to expand...

I think the security situation is much different now thann it was in 2008-09
Causalities are in the low teens in recent years. but then again anyone can be a statistic.
so since you have first hand experience CE can you share some light on say where clinics or hospitals were? And if it was in a safe place or not ?
I can’t imagine pharmacist being in the forefront of danger...
I know my guesses and assement of the situation is uninformed so I appreciate any and all input to can offer from your first hand experience.
You may inbox if you wish.
Thanks!
 
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