Time to re-activate this blog

This blog has been dormant for a while, but I decided to activite it to chronicle my assignment to Kuwait for the Army Contracting Agency. I will be leaving soon on a one-year assignment, leaving my wife and kids at home. I hope that this blog will serve as a central point to which friends and family can be referred to for news and pictures, and also serve as a reference for anyone else who might go through a similar experience.

Like many Americans, after 9/11 I wanted to do what I could to help my country. I left the Justice Department in 2004 for a civilian attorney position with the Defense Department, and found the position extremely satisfying. I found myself wanting to do more, however, and specifically wanted to work overseas. My wife had studied and worked overseas earlier in her life, and the experience sounded appealing. I found myself looking for opportunities to work for the Defense Department in an overseas position, even temporarily.

After the overthrow of Saddam and the beginning of reconstruction in Iraq, I first started looking at reconstruction opportunities there. Reconstruction is ordinarily a State Department responsibility, but the Defense Department stepped in when the State Department was unable to do so. I made an inquiry about temporarily working on a Provincial Reconstruction Team, and talked it over with my supervisor, but we could not agree on terms. The main sticking points were who pays? At that time, the State Department wanted volunteers from the Defense Department, but wanted the Defense Department to keep paying the salaries. That was a nonstarter from my supervisor's point of view.

In July 2007, I learned that the Army Contracting Agency was seeking an attorney to work in Kuwait on employment law, ethics, and contract law matters, which are my primary areas of expertise. I applied for the position, and was interviewed by telephone in mid-September. I could tell from the interview that they were extremely interested, because I seemed to be exactly what they were looking for.

Because it seemed like such a sure thing, I spoke to my supervisor about a temporary assignment (a “detail,” as the government phrases it) to Kuwait. He agreed that it sounded like a good opportunity, and together we began exploring various alternatives (because I wanted to be able to return to DISA on good terms if things did not work out). After consulting with personnel at Army and DISA, and considering various options, including a leave of absence, we agreed that DISA would allow me to leave for one year, but then have the right to return to DISA at my regular rate of pay.

I received the formal offer on October 22, and it contained the terms we had discussed (a significant financial incentive). Housing will be provided and there is not that much danger in Kuwait. I had to get a physical examination from my personal physician and had until October 23 to accept the offer, so I did so. I was required to submit various papers, including employment eligibility papers, a request for travel orders, a questionnaire for living quarters, a financial disclosure report, emergency data, race and ethnicity data, direct deposit info, and other info. I had to take online courses on operational security, human trafficking prevention, and traffic safety.

I do not need a passport to enter Kuwait(only my DoD ID), but I will need a passport to re-enter the United States.

I will travel directly to Kuwait, with a probable stopover in Germany.

I will be provided with a government-leased apartment near Camp Arifjan, as well as a vehicle.

I will be issued a uniform that says "DOD Civilian."

My best estimate for a departure date is 9 December, although as of today (19 November), it is looking like that date will slip a little bit.

I am very excited...