The UAE today
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
By the way, I'm not writer or an editor and realize that I have made some type-o's, etc. in my post. I can no longer edit it. I should have given it a look before submitting. I'll try harder next time. 
- Elite 1K
- Posts: 1447
- Joined: 30 Oct 2006, 04:31
So ... with the final Raptor being bolted/screwed, and glued together, what are the chances of these LM guys applying for the jobs in the UAE 
They would be hired first, correct?
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-16067.html
They would be hired first, correct?
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-16067.html
My eyes have seen the glory of the Lord and the esthetics of the Flightline
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
It is my belief that the final production of the F-22 will have little effect on this program. Why? It is because we are talking about two completely different animals. The F-22 is produced in a factory, flown by only U.S. pilots, and will not be sold to foreign militaries. The F-16 is also produced in a factory, however, this is a flight operations base in a foreign country. We do not produce the F-16 here; we make it fly on a daily basis with foreign military members. Those who move from the F-22 factory positions will more than likely move into other factory positions if available.
Lockheed Martin has a VERY large factory in Ft. Worth, TX. They do perform flight operations at that location to test aircraft and accessories that have been built there, but, you would be best served not to compare what they do to what we do. If you want to travel the world and work with foreign military operations, look for Greenville, SC positions. I’m not sure if you are aware, however, there are many “parts” to Lockheed Martin. Most of those who work at this location are from the part of Lockheed Martin which resides in Greenville, SC. A large number of employees who work for Greenville are prior military, and act as contractors working in the field on various aircraft. Many of the people in Ft. Worth are factory sheetmetal workers. They cannot fill any of the open positions here, and probably wouldn’t want to change from Ft. Worth to Greenville if they could.
The short answer to your question is no, they will probably not be hired here first unless they have the experience on F-16’s. We are looking for F-16 experienced personnel to train the Emirates. We are not here to train Americans. Some of those who work on the F-22 may move into positions for the F-35 and F-16. I can’t say for sure without knowing all of the variables. I do believe that because the F-35 is still “new,” they are more willing to train those who have previous fighter experience. At this location, one would need to be able to hit the ground running. There is very little time for training Americans. We are here to work with, and train, the Emirates. It’s just that simple.
Lockheed Martin has a VERY large factory in Ft. Worth, TX. They do perform flight operations at that location to test aircraft and accessories that have been built there, but, you would be best served not to compare what they do to what we do. If you want to travel the world and work with foreign military operations, look for Greenville, SC positions. I’m not sure if you are aware, however, there are many “parts” to Lockheed Martin. Most of those who work at this location are from the part of Lockheed Martin which resides in Greenville, SC. A large number of employees who work for Greenville are prior military, and act as contractors working in the field on various aircraft. Many of the people in Ft. Worth are factory sheetmetal workers. They cannot fill any of the open positions here, and probably wouldn’t want to change from Ft. Worth to Greenville if they could.
The short answer to your question is no, they will probably not be hired here first unless they have the experience on F-16’s. We are looking for F-16 experienced personnel to train the Emirates. We are not here to train Americans. Some of those who work on the F-22 may move into positions for the F-35 and F-16. I can’t say for sure without knowing all of the variables. I do believe that because the F-35 is still “new,” they are more willing to train those who have previous fighter experience. At this location, one would need to be able to hit the ground running. There is very little time for training Americans. We are here to work with, and train, the Emirates. It’s just that simple.
- Senior member
- Posts: 267
- Joined: 15 Feb 2006, 16:06
Hey "The crewdog", that was interesting reading. Having spent 3yrs in the Middle East before, I was curious about the vacation/R&R. In the old days you would get 1 week vacation after 6 months, a 30 day after 1yr, and then a 1 week after the next 6 months, and it would just keep repeating as long as you stayed there. For the 30 day you were paid all the way to your home of record and you had to leave the country. For the 1 week you were paid round trip to London.
Also, at the end of your tour you got a 5% bonus, and it increased every year by 5% until it maxed out at 25%.
Oh and the company took care of doing your taxes, is this still true?
Can you talk to these issues?
ViperDude
Also, at the end of your tour you got a 5% bonus, and it increased every year by 5% until it maxed out at 25%.
Oh and the company took care of doing your taxes, is this still true?
Can you talk to these issues?
ViperDude
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
ViperDude – Thank you for the compliment. It has changed a bit from when you were in this area last. It seems to change constantly with today’s economy, so don’t quote my exact figures or description. If offered a position, your contract may be different than that which is outlined below.
Please understand that with the unstable economy of today, Lockheed is tightening the belt to find profit in places that we may not like so much. In doing so, we are seeing some changes with the contracts. This has also affected the Ft. Worth side of the house. I feel as though the package is still very reasonable.
1. Rather than deal with finding the current ticket prices to London, per diem in other countries, etc. the company seems to have found a nice round number to give to us. We are paid $2200.00 after four months on station. This is used for “special leave” (we know it as R&R). We may take our R&R anytime after four months. I believe that this is because of the number of people on station needing to take it within a year. It is a one week (5 business days) paid vacation. We purchase tickets with the money given to us. We may also just stay here and pocket the money. I’m not sure if leaving the country is a requirement because of the way it is now paid.
2. We receive the same amount at the 10 month mark for our home leave. It is not 30 days. It is only one week; however, we may take longer if we request it in advance. We may request the extension if we have PTO time or just want to take some unpaid time off. This is up to the manager. Also understand that we are allowed 20 days away from our duty station per year. These twenty days do not include the R&R and home leave. They do, however, include PTO time (earned at a rate of 2 hours per week) and unpaid days off. Furthermore, it does not include local holidays. By the way….we just had a week off for Eid, and there is another Eid in Nov or Dec. Don’t let the numbers scare you. We have plenty of time off. Added up, that is already over three weeks of vacation for the first year of employment, and there are more holidays than mentioned. What other companies offer this many days off per year….for the first year of employment?
3. The bonus has recently changed, and I do not know the exact numbers for anything beyond one year. At the end of our first year, we receive a $2000 completion bonus. We must remain here for a year to receive it… I believe that it goes up by $1000 per year after, all the way to the cap of $7000. That’s a nice paycheck at the end of the year!
4. Taxes are up to you! Lockheed Martin will take no responsibility when it comes to doing taxes. We are tax exempt up to a certain amount. Consult a CPA for any additional information on the subject. They know best. I have an Ex-pat CPA who does my taxes. I have received a return every year that I have been overseas. I do believe that Lockheed has someone who we may contact for tax information, but, I do not have that information in front of me.
I am sure that some of you out there did not realize all of the fine details about contracts overseas. I hope that all of my information helps you to gain a better understanding of the situation and just how great it can be to live here. Following our Eid holiday, I’ve heard nothing but fantastic stories about where people traveled to during their days off. Two men went to Cyprus, Greece, others went to the Philippines, Thailand, Oman, and even back to the U.S. I ask you, could you do that while working in the States? Probably not. “Hey honey, I know it’s last minute but pack your clothes and get the kids in the car….WE’RE HEADING TO GREECE FOR A WEEK!” I simply love it.
I will also add that my daughter joined me for a year at my last assignment. While overseas she blossomed into a more confident, intelligent, and open-minded little lady. Children tend to “bend” more easily after being submerged into a completely different culture. They absorb things that most of their classmates in the States will never be able to. I know that it made a huge difference in my daughter. Don’t get me wrong, being away from her has taken its toll on me; however, I know that I am made for this kind of work. She now better understands this about me, and she’s already talking about coming to stay with me again. Overseas contractor work is not for everyone, but, I believe that many have found a nice balance while doing it.
I hope that this information is helpful. Please ask if you have anymore. Just remember that I am giving my opinion and round-about figures. Other contracts/conditions may be different, so don’t quote me.
Please understand that with the unstable economy of today, Lockheed is tightening the belt to find profit in places that we may not like so much. In doing so, we are seeing some changes with the contracts. This has also affected the Ft. Worth side of the house. I feel as though the package is still very reasonable.
1. Rather than deal with finding the current ticket prices to London, per diem in other countries, etc. the company seems to have found a nice round number to give to us. We are paid $2200.00 after four months on station. This is used for “special leave” (we know it as R&R). We may take our R&R anytime after four months. I believe that this is because of the number of people on station needing to take it within a year. It is a one week (5 business days) paid vacation. We purchase tickets with the money given to us. We may also just stay here and pocket the money. I’m not sure if leaving the country is a requirement because of the way it is now paid.
2. We receive the same amount at the 10 month mark for our home leave. It is not 30 days. It is only one week; however, we may take longer if we request it in advance. We may request the extension if we have PTO time or just want to take some unpaid time off. This is up to the manager. Also understand that we are allowed 20 days away from our duty station per year. These twenty days do not include the R&R and home leave. They do, however, include PTO time (earned at a rate of 2 hours per week) and unpaid days off. Furthermore, it does not include local holidays. By the way….we just had a week off for Eid, and there is another Eid in Nov or Dec. Don’t let the numbers scare you. We have plenty of time off. Added up, that is already over three weeks of vacation for the first year of employment, and there are more holidays than mentioned. What other companies offer this many days off per year….for the first year of employment?
3. The bonus has recently changed, and I do not know the exact numbers for anything beyond one year. At the end of our first year, we receive a $2000 completion bonus. We must remain here for a year to receive it… I believe that it goes up by $1000 per year after, all the way to the cap of $7000. That’s a nice paycheck at the end of the year!
4. Taxes are up to you! Lockheed Martin will take no responsibility when it comes to doing taxes. We are tax exempt up to a certain amount. Consult a CPA for any additional information on the subject. They know best. I have an Ex-pat CPA who does my taxes. I have received a return every year that I have been overseas. I do believe that Lockheed has someone who we may contact for tax information, but, I do not have that information in front of me.
I am sure that some of you out there did not realize all of the fine details about contracts overseas. I hope that all of my information helps you to gain a better understanding of the situation and just how great it can be to live here. Following our Eid holiday, I’ve heard nothing but fantastic stories about where people traveled to during their days off. Two men went to Cyprus, Greece, others went to the Philippines, Thailand, Oman, and even back to the U.S. I ask you, could you do that while working in the States? Probably not. “Hey honey, I know it’s last minute but pack your clothes and get the kids in the car….WE’RE HEADING TO GREECE FOR A WEEK!” I simply love it.
I will also add that my daughter joined me for a year at my last assignment. While overseas she blossomed into a more confident, intelligent, and open-minded little lady. Children tend to “bend” more easily after being submerged into a completely different culture. They absorb things that most of their classmates in the States will never be able to. I know that it made a huge difference in my daughter. Don’t get me wrong, being away from her has taken its toll on me; however, I know that I am made for this kind of work. She now better understands this about me, and she’s already talking about coming to stay with me again. Overseas contractor work is not for everyone, but, I believe that many have found a nice balance while doing it.
I hope that this information is helpful. Please ask if you have anymore. Just remember that I am giving my opinion and round-about figures. Other contracts/conditions may be different, so don’t quote me.
- Newbie
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 21:35
Hello to the company here.First of all, forgive my english I try to do my best.I am Greek, F-16 Weapon Loader and made some thoughts about these jobs, because of the economicall crisis in my country, as most of you, might know. I must say that the details that I found here, because of Thecrewdog and the rest were very very usefull. Despite this fact I have some questions, you might could answer.
1.Do I need to be a us citizen to work for LM?
2.Working for LM, you work as a civilian personel?
3.Is there any connection at your duties, with UAE airforce or not?
4.Is it sth like a squadron for rent to UAE?
5.What is the minimum and the maximum contract time for these flight line jobs?
I would appreciate any answer to these.
Thanks in advance
http://www.freewebs.com/sacwpn/1H.jpg
1.Do I need to be a us citizen to work for LM?
2.Working for LM, you work as a civilian personel?
3.Is there any connection at your duties, with UAE airforce or not?
4.Is it sth like a squadron for rent to UAE?
5.What is the minimum and the maximum contract time for these flight line jobs?
I would appreciate any answer to these.
Thanks in advance
http://www.freewebs.com/sacwpn/1H.jpg
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
bluestation- Thank you for your interest in our company. Firstly, I would like to say that I can understand your English just fine. I am sure that my ability to speak or write Greek is far worse than your English. Thank you for taking the time to ask the questions. Secondly, the current economic situation is unfortunate, and many are affected by it. My hope is that the economic situation will bring countries of the world closer so that we may avoid such negative downturns in the future. To the best of my knowledge, here are the answers to your questions. I am not 100% sure of all of the details. These answers are based on my knowledge of company rules, etc. They may, or may not, be correct, and should not be used for contract negotiations. The information contained throughout this post should only be used for general reference purposes.
1.Do I need to be a us citizen to work for LM?
Yes. Employees for this position are required to have a secret security clearance. You must be a U.S. citizen to get one.
2.Working for LM, you work as a civilian personel?
Yes. LM employees are civilian. Many LM employees were in the military before.
3.Is there any connection at your duties, with UAE airforce or not?
Yes and No. LM employees in the UAE are not a part of the UAE Air Force, however, we do work directly with them. It is like two companies doing the same job together.
4.Is it sth like a squadron for rent to UAE?
No. It is the UAE Air Force operations. There is no squadron for rent. We are a company working with the UAE on U.S. built fighter aircraft. We support and train the UAE AF.
5.What is the minimum and the maximum contract time for these flight line jobs?
Employees will sign an offer letter with all of the contract details written in it. The contract changes nearly every year, however, it seems that the minimum is one year with an extension for each year following. Some people have been here from the beginning of the contract (5, 6, and 7 years). I do not believe that there is a maximum at this time.
What is your experience level? Did you gain your experience from the Greek Air Force? What aircraft have you loaded? I will try to direct you in the best direction for employment.
1.Do I need to be a us citizen to work for LM?
Yes. Employees for this position are required to have a secret security clearance. You must be a U.S. citizen to get one.
2.Working for LM, you work as a civilian personel?
Yes. LM employees are civilian. Many LM employees were in the military before.
3.Is there any connection at your duties, with UAE airforce or not?
Yes and No. LM employees in the UAE are not a part of the UAE Air Force, however, we do work directly with them. It is like two companies doing the same job together.
4.Is it sth like a squadron for rent to UAE?
No. It is the UAE Air Force operations. There is no squadron for rent. We are a company working with the UAE on U.S. built fighter aircraft. We support and train the UAE AF.
5.What is the minimum and the maximum contract time for these flight line jobs?
Employees will sign an offer letter with all of the contract details written in it. The contract changes nearly every year, however, it seems that the minimum is one year with an extension for each year following. Some people have been here from the beginning of the contract (5, 6, and 7 years). I do not believe that there is a maximum at this time.
What is your experience level? Did you gain your experience from the Greek Air Force? What aircraft have you loaded? I will try to direct you in the best direction for employment.
- Newbie
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 21:35
Thanks for your quick answer.Despite our different nationality, seems that the motivations, to leave our country for a better paid job are all over the world the same.Also thank you very much for your detailed answers.I guess that my biggest problem to all this is the security clearance.I have to apologize, but I cannot give such informations, you ask for, in public.You see I 'm still on duty, so if you don't mind I 'll sent you a pm.It might sounds strange having already a job and look for another one but believe me, the 1000 euros, that we earn in Greece, per month, are not enough, even for our car gus and our house rent!!!
As you said, I also hope this strange worldwide economic situation have a happy end for everybody.
As you said, I also hope this strange worldwide economic situation have a happy end for everybody.
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
You are welcome, bluestation. I have sent a reply to your email. Good luck, my friend. 
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
To all weapons loaders, two new positions are posted on the LM Careers web page for the UAE. I'm not sure if they have been filled, but, it would probably be a good idea to submit your resume to Travis (contact listed previously) to be considered. Good luck!
- Newbie
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 29 Sep 2011, 20:09
- Location: Mississippi
Anybody know if any Egress positions will be opening soon?
- Enthusiast
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 12 Nov 2006, 18:48
Excellent os7! Good luck to you. You are very welcome for the info.
tbirdegress95-98 - I do not know of any egress positions opening soon. You should continue to check LM's careers page for any open positions. I'll post them if I see them first. Good luck!
tbirdegress95-98 - I do not know of any egress positions opening soon. You should continue to check LM's careers page for any open positions. I'll post them if I see them first. Good luck!
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest