OVERSEAS INTEL

$1B intelligence center at Lajes Air Base, Azores could keep base open

July 21, 2015 | OVERSEAS INTEL

Congress is investigating the U.S. military to evaluate charges that it manipulated studies to justify building an intelligence center in the United Kingdom.

Earlier this year, the Pentagon sent its European Infrastructure Consolidation plan to Congress, proposing to build the new base for about 1,000 intelligence analysts attached to European and Africa Command and to a related NATO intelligence center. The plan caught the attention of Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and other lawmakers who consider the Lajes Field strategically important and thought the intelligence center would be a good fit there.

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The controversy was first reported last month by the Wall Street Journal, but House Republicans have been fighting to save Lajes since 2013. Back then six members of Congress, led by Nunes, urged then-Secretary Leon Panetta not to reduce the capabilities of Lajes Air Base, arguing that the base in the Atlantic Ocean was a unique strategic asset to counter rising terrorist threats in North Africa.

Nunes has taken an interest in Lajes since 2003, his freshman year in the House. He served as Congress's liaison to Portugal on the eve of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and he began visiting the air field the same year.

Defense Department initially had not considered Lajes as an alternative in the base studies for consolidating that intelligence work. "You have the nicest base that you have in all of the Department of Defense, with cheaper annual costs on the cost of living, the housing allowance, not to mention the size and scope of the base," he told me. "It was built to house 2,000 airmen. With Croughton you would have to build or rent this housing out."

More recently, the Pentagon has shared its own estimates with Congress and the media that say putting the intelligence base at Lajes would cost $1 billion more over time than the Croughton proposal would.

Nunes said that that estimate is "laughable," and that his proposal to put the intelligence center at Lajes would end up saving hundreds of millions of dollars, by avoiding new construction at Croughton and by avoiding the cost of winding down the air field at Lajes.

The Pentagon nonetheless says Lajes Field is not a viable option. "The bottom line here is that this is a decision about operational needs and responsible use of taxpayer dollars," Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright told me. "Our previous personnel numbers at Lajes exceeded our operational requirements. With the increase in range of modern aircraft, the frequency and volume of flights requiring the capabilities provided by Lajes Field have changed. Lajes has supported only an average of two U.S. military aircraft arrivals each day in the last couple of years."

Other senior military officers have made this case directly to Congress in recent weeks. In May, the two generals in charge of European and Africa Command, David Rodriguez and Philip Breedlove, wrote a classified letter to Nunes and the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, urging them to support the proposed plan to build the intelligence center at Croughton.

By Eli Lake Bloomberg View

Sources Say, Special Operations roles overseas are being contracted out to Gurkhas

July 19, 2015 | OVERSEAS INTEL

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It was recently revealed that the British SAS commandos have, since about 2010 recruited a dozen Gurkhas. The SAS, who were the original modern commandos and were first formed during World War II, are a very selective and elite organization. There are only about 200-300 SAS operators active and several years ago it was decided to recruit some Gurkhas.

What was unusual about this was that the Gurkhas are not British and it is very rare for commando organizations to recruit foreigners. The Gurkhas are different in that they have served Britain loyally for a long time. While the Gurkhas are native to Nepal (a small country north of India) for two centuries Britain has recruited Gurkhas from the Gurkha tribes. This was mainly because Gurkhas have an outstanding reputation for military skills including discipline, bravery and all round kick-ass soldiering.

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Having served in the British Army, most can speak good English and all are familiar with British weapons, tactics and military customs.

There are currently 3,500 Gurkhas serving in the British army, and recruiting more is not a problem. Because of high unemployment in Nepal, a job in the British army is like winning the lottery. British military pay is more than 30 times what a good job in Nepal will get you. There are over sixty applicants for each of the few hundred openings each year. The men who don't make it into the British army, can try getting into the Indian Army Gurkha units. There are about ten times as many Gurkhas in the Indian army, but the pay is only a few times what one could make in Nepal, and the fringe benefits are not nearly as good. Then again, you're closer to home.

When the SAS quietly sought Gurkha recruits they found fifty willing to try out. A dozen of these passed the screening and survived the training. That’s a slightly higher pass rate than the usual SAS volunteers (British citizens serving in the army or Royal Marines). This was not surprising because Gurkhas have an outstanding military record. Such mercenary duty is now a tradition in the Gurkha tribes, where warriors, and things like loyalty and courage, have been held in high esteem for centuries. Nepal was never conquered by the British, although they did fight a war with the colonial British army in the early 19th century. Although the Nepalis lost, they became allies of the British after a peace treaty was worked out. It was during these border wars that the British noted the military prowess of the Gurkha tribesmen. The British colonial army in India tended to hire from tribes and ethnic groups that appeared to make better soldiers, and Gurkhas soon made a reputation for themselves in British service. Since then, over half a million Nepalis have served in the British army, with about ten percent of them dying in combat (over 80 percent of those during the two world wars.)

The United Kingdom now pays retired Gurkha soldiers at the same rate as other British soldiers. That means a Gurkhas annual pension is nearly $12,000. The average income in Nepal is about $200 a year. The British pension (for 15 years service) makes veterans living in Nepal quite wealthy, by Nepalese standards. However, an increasing number of Gurkhas have been retiring in Britain, instead of returning to Nepal. Britain is the nest place for retired Gurkha soldiers to find a job. Being a bodyguard is one of the more attractive second careers for retired Gurkhas in Britain. There are several companies in Britain that specialize in providing Gurkhas for security work. Many Gurkhas were hired for key security jobs in Iraq, and then Afghanistan. These Gurkhas earned a reputation of reliability that has spread, as has the number of potential employers.

The SAS wanted Gurkhas because most speak Urdu (the most common language in Pakistan and widely used in Afghanistan) and Gurkhas, being from South Asia, can more easily pass as locals. That plus their military experience and skills all of which are enhanced by the SAS training and experience.

Things you should know before accepting an Overseas Job

July 18, 2015 | Hiring Information, OVERSEAS INTEL

Working overseas can be a wonderful experience. You might be looking at an overseas job or expatriate assignment with your current employer or you could have found a job on your own. Either way, don't embark upon an overseas employment opportunity without resolving issues related to the type of assignment or employment, your compensation and adapting to a new culture.

Whether you're accepting an overseas job as an expatriate assignment with your current employer or you're contemplating accepting a job with an overseas employer, you need to know how long you'll be there. You decision may depend on the length of time you're going to spend in a foreign country.

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For example, if you're going to accept a job overseas for the summer months, you might be able to sublet your residence for a short period. However, if you accept a two-year expat assignment, consider a longer-term solution to what you'll do with your home while you're out of the country.

Compensation

Many organizations with overseas locations provide additional compensation to employees who accept expatriate assignments. The money helps you adjust to a new country, which includes settling into a new home, learning a new language, navigating your way through the region and finding suitable schools for your children. They will also pay for your relocation expenses, as well as travel expenses for you and possibly money for house-hunting trips. You'll need to know what amount of compensation you're entitled to in addition to your salary. If you're accepting a job overseas, you need to know your salary, the cost of living and whether the salary you're offered is enough to maintain your standard of living. Also, you need to be aware of your tax liability for income earned in the U.S. vs. overseas.

Work Authorization

Before you earn a dime in the host country, you'll need authorization to work overseas. If you've found employment with an overseas company, you must determine whether your prospective employer will assist you in obtaining a work visa. During the process of learning how to obtain a visa, you should also verify that your job opportunity is a legitimate one. If your spouse or partner intends to work, you also need to know if a spousal visa is permitted or available. U.S. employers that send employees on expatriate assignments assume responsibility for their employees' visas and work authorizations, as well as spousal visas, depending on the host country's labor regulations.

Health

Having an illness in a country far away from home can be scary if you're not familiar with the availability of medical treatment and health care in your host country. Sort out any health insurance issues -- check the limitations of your current medical coverage or consider purchasing health insurance specifically for foreign travel and long-term overseas stays. Ensure you are fully covered or that you can access health care while living abroad.

Cultural Assimilation

Moving to a new country requires assimilation into a new culture, which can be difficult for some employees, based on the length of the assignment and perhaps the reason for the overseas assignment. Even if your employer pays living expenses and offers additional compensation to make the adjustment easier, you still need to know if your company provides a support system once you accept the overseas job. If you've found overseas employment on your own, you may be left to your own devices to transition into a new culture without much assistance from your new employer.

Coming Home

Returning to the U.S. after a lengthy stay abroad requires repatriation, the process of assimilating back into your home culture. Depending on the extent to which you embraced your host country's culture, repatriation could take time and assistance from your employer, family and friends. Repatriation completes the cycle of expatriation, which is important to the overall experience of working and living abroad.

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