Civilians still taking jobs in Iraq

The Associated Press

JACKSON - Glen Trehern of Gautier has put in an application to go to Iraq for money, to help his country and for the adventure.

Americans are still taking civilian jobs in the Middle East, even as thousands are leaving the region following the deadliest month of kidnappings and attacks since the war in Iraq began.

Trehern, 52, who runs a seafood business and splits his time between Gautier and Houston, Texas, where his son Terry Trehern, 23, lives is waiting to hear back from a recruiter.

His son Terry, and nephew Jeff Avery 37, of Gautier are also thinking of putting in applications. They heard about the job through a friend who applied.

Glen Trehern said there are so many dangers everywhere in the world.

"I was driving through Houston the other day and saw five car wrecks on the side of the interstate. It may be more dangerous driving roads here in America than it is over there in Iraq."

His wife, Carolyne, thinks he's having a scary mid-life crisis.

"Before he thought of this, he talked about bungee jumping and skydiving," she said. "Does it worry me that he's going? Yes. But it worries me more that the young ones are thinking about going."

By chance, Glen Trehern passed through Macon last week wile making a seafood delivery. He knows it's Thomas Hamill's hometown. Hamill, a fuel tanker driver for Halliburton subsidiary KBR, was abducted when gunmen attacked his convoy April 9 and hasn't been accounted for. He was videotaped alive after the ambush.

The bodies of three of Hamill's co-workers were recovered near the ambush site, and on Saturday an Army reservist missing since the ambush, Sgt. Elmer Kruase, was confirmed dead.

The Hamill family has said Thomas Hamill took the job because his dairy farm was near bankruptcy.

"No one has forced any of these civilians to go over there," Glen Trehern said. "We need to remember that. Everyone is going over there because they choose to."

Jennifer Douglas, a spokeswoman for KBR, said the dangers of the job are laid out up front.

"Once a prospective employee submits a resume', they are contacted personally by a recruiter," Douglas said. "One of the main things a recruiter talks to prospective employees about is security. The recruiter's job, in many ways, is to talk the individual out of going. We want them to understand this is a hostile location and a harsh living environment."

Douglas said the company has received more than 100,000 applications over the computer. A recent check of the Halliburton Web site listed more than 500 jobs available in Iraq, including ice plant operators, security coordinators and a pest controller.

Glen Trehern has applied for a job as a truck driver.

"I would almost rather have myself go over there than someone else," he said. "I'm older. I've been married 30 years. I've had a family. And if I can go over there for a year or so and make some money, then I can come back- if I am lucky enough to come back-and put it away and live better."

"It may be more dangerous driving roads here in America than it is over in Iraq."

From: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/news/stories/20040426/localnews/302249.html