Paramilitary contracting is an extreme niche sector of the private security industry mostly filled by former armed forces personnel who retire from active military service, but choose to utilize their hard earned skills to make a very profitable living. Unfortunately, while pay and demand for trained paramilitary specialists is at an all time high, the danger factor of this particular job makes it prohibitive for all but the few who can stare death in the face daily and laugh. It sounds dramatic; but this is the reality of a military contracting job.
A paramilitary contractor is a technical name for what has been known through the ages as a mercenary. Basically, these are soldiers for hire, who work for money, rather than ideology, loyalty or patriotism. Other common names for the profession include security contractor and paramilitary operative. These individuals are trained in warfare and must be well armed with a variety of knowledge including: weapons usage, explosives ordinance, tactical driving, covert operations, survival tactics, unarmed self defense, interrogation, crowd control, threat assessment and counter-terrorism training, to name a few…
Paramilitary contractors can work all over the world, both domestic and abroad. However, they are always in greatest demand in war torn and unstable parts of the globe. Currently, although contracting assignments are available in almost every country on earth, the greatest salary and benefits can be derived from working in active hotspots, such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Of course, Iraq and Afghanistan are the 2 areas which employ the most private security contractors and have been in the news frequently due to the alleged abuses perpetrated against civilian targets by many of these same professional soldiers.
As previously mentioned, the vast majority of paramilitary specialists are retired armed forces personnel. These soldiers have received the very best training courtesy of their governments and have served until deciding to put their skills to better use in the private sector. It is common for private security specialists to earn 5 to 20 times the pay they did while in active military service. This is on top of other benefits and forms of compensation, as well as the ability to enjoy relative autonomy compared to the strict rigors of a Spartan armed forces lifestyle. Many private soldiers work for a few years and earn more than enough to retire comfortably. This is a great incentive for recent retirees from active duty.
The risks of a paramilitary lifestyle are extensive and go far beyond the dangers faced in the traditional sense. Of course, there is always the risk of being injured or killed in active duty. In many areas of the world, contractors are targets of kidnapping, torture and beheadings, mostly by terrorist organizations. Many contractors are killed, or worse, in the performance of their job functions overseas and all the money in the world will not make their losses justified... However, there are also risks for civil litigation and criminal prosecution against contractors and their employers for any violation of conduct against military or civilian targets. This very real aspect of the paramilitary contracting sector has been well documented in the news media and has changed the rules of engagement in even the worst terrorist filled regions of the world.
It can be difficult for many former military personnel to make the transition back to the “normal” world. This is particularly true for younger soldiers who have recently seen action in global conflict. In many cases, these soldiers opt out of continuing service with their military sponsors and choose instead to work in the private sector in order to transition into civilian life a little at a time. The main factor cited in the decision making process for paramilitary specialists is certainly the financial one, since a few more years working will likely set them up with a far better civilian life than a basic military pension ever could…
Adam Rostocki spent a decade working as a professional detective in New York. His website, Private-Investigator-Info.Org details paramilitary contractors and a variety of private investigator information.
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