10th Mountain asks for civilian help in Iraq

[unhappycamper]

10th Mountain asks for civilian help in Iraq
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 17:53:43 EST

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Fort Drum commanders are looking for volunteers to serve in Iraq and are asking the post’s 1,000 civilian workers if any are interested.

The civilians would assist soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division’s 1,000-member Headquarters brigade, which will deploy to Iraq next spring to provide overhead and support for other combat troops already there, Lt. Col. Paul Swiergosz said Tuesday.

In a memo issued last month, Maj. Gen. Michael Oates directed the post chief of staff and garrison commander to “query all” civilians for their interest. Forms were also distributed asking volunteers to list their specialized experience, such as force protection, information management and logistics, as well as what type of security clearance they had, Swiergosz said.

“This is not a manpower crunch. We have enough soldiers to do the job,” Swiergosz said. “Commander Oates simply wants to take advantage of the civilian expertise that we have developed here.”

Volunteers will be allowed to select the length of deployment, ranging from four months to 15 months, he said. Accepted volunteers will be paid their salaries plus an additional 70 percent — half of that amount is mandatory danger pay given to all military personnel deployed to a combat zone, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_drumcivilians_071211/