But not as a member of the US Military, rather as a proud member of a security company (I forget which one, I'll ask my dad). The point is, he was offered $90,000 for 3 months. That's 1 grand a day. They said that, among other things, he's to provide training for Iraqi Army men, but that's not the only part of his job. His current job, a police officer in Arlington TX, only pays 38 grand a year, and he jumped at the chance to get an opportunity to use the skills he developed in the Marines (as a sniper) in Iraq.
My dad's friend is also his business partner (the two of them run their own two-person company), and lost a kid two years ago (my age, in a terrible car accident), and my dad's scared that if he loses another kid he'll be totally wrecked. Terrible conundrum. The son needed the job and will be headed out soon. Kos, I know you don't like mercenaries, but they're people just like everyone else, and need to make a living with the rather unique skills they have. I don't really know the guy (only met him once, at his younger brother's funeral), but I know I don't want him dragged through the streets of Fallujah.