I remember back when military Contractors were revered and respected. Back when they would step up and go into the worst places on this planet, risking their lives so young American warfighters wouldn’t have to.
Yes they got paid more than Soldiers or Marines, but they also did not usually have as much protection, supporting forces or even as powerful weapons as the warfighter. Yet they were right there, on the left and right. Contractors also performed then and still do today many jobs that soldiers can be freed up from in order to perform their jobs and focus on the functions they came in the service to perform.
Contractors were and still are more of subject matter experts in their area of work. Many that I know are also veterans themselves, even though I know there are many that aren’t. However for those that are, they bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge that they can bestow on young and eager warriors.
So I am trying to figure out when did being a “contractor” become a bad thing? When did calling someone “one of those contractors” become the same as calling them a four-letter word? Was it when Blackwater had four of its employees (all were vets I believe) tortured and hung from a bridge in Fallujah? Or was it when some other Blackwater contractors were accused of killing 17 “innocent” Iraqis in Baghdad (by the way, they were all cleared of those charges). Continue reading →
