Job Discussion Forums

ex DIFA - LMMES Canadian · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:36 am Post subject: Resume

Well I have re-initiated the process once again! (for the 3rd round to the Kingdom!)... Has anyone ever did 3 stints in the Kingdom yet? Well I understand that I am the only Westerner who has been employed at all 3 Saudi Air Bases! This time I will NOT depart Canada without PROOF that there will be an Iqama on the other side of the fence for me!

Oh, and just for info for the crowd, I came to Jeddah with "Junior" Forgot his name, but I sure remember his height! Sept 2004.

Well, Not too sure if I'm jumping the gun, but I've started to flood the Kingdom & Florida with my resume.

We'll see just who responds on the 4th of April now.

Great to see how Paul and a few of my friends have hung in there through thick and thin! Shocked

Oh, BTW, I am presently employed in the Oil Patch in Saskatchewan! Yes, I love the money, but I also love the absence of -50 deg C winters!

(EDITED: I guess I should have stated in support for the C130 Program, as this is a DIFA Thread... Sorry about any misunderstandings)

johnslat · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:41 am Post subject:

Has anyone ever did 3 stints in the Kingdom yet?

I've done 4 (but no more)

1980 - 1987

1990 - 1993

1995 -1996

1997 - 2003

Regards,
John

ex DIFA - LMMES Canadian · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:56 am Post subject:

I tip my hat to you, John! Thanks for your input and for sharing. Now I can put this misbelief to rest once and for all.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

1970-1972
1990-1991
1996-2002
2003-2004
2005-now

007 · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject:

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:26 pm Post subject:

007 · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:11 pm Post subject:

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

This may be my last post to this marathon. The DIFA/ARINC contract ends at midnight.

1. ARINC (the US firm) says they will pay us a portion of our End of Service Bonus for the period of time they were in charge of the contract in the next seven days.

2. As for the DIFA (the Saudi firm) portion, we might get it, but management (and ARINC) has washed their hands of it.

3. We turned in our line badges, so we cannot get on base on Saturday. No contract from the new company, so no work. The local hires are not impacted as they all seem to have new contracts.

4. If we do not get contracts by the end of the month or so, we have to fly out as this compound is only paid to the end of the month.

If all promises are met, then I have no real beef. I will let this thread drop. If we get a new contract, I suppose that will be cause for a new thread, rather than letting this one go on.

Still, you all have to admit, it was a remarkable turn of events.

Thank you for your indulgence.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Yes... we might even miss the soap opera covered in this 21 page saga... Cool

Good Luck Paul...

VS

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject:

God Bless, Paul. I worked for AlSalam under the F-5 contract in Taif and the AWACS contract at Riyadh AB. I met my first D*** I'm F*****, Again buddy whilst working the Raytheon effort in Jeddah and found it quite disconcerting when we were entertaining the DIFA folk with our band at the compound there in Jeddah, the management, who had flown out from Riyadh, started the "festivities' with an apology.

Apparently, things have never gotten better. I salute those of you who have put up with, in my humble opinion, intolerable circumstances. For those of you who have survived, how could you possibly fail at any other endeavour?

Over and out.

NCTBA

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:00 am Post subject:

Wazzup?!?...or is this thread dead?

NCTBA

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Well, since DIFA/ARINC no longer has the contract, it seems inappropriate to continue this for much longer. We have not been to work in a week; after all we have no sponsor and so no base passes. The new company, Al Salam seems to have some paperwork issues with hiring Americans. Those issues might be resolved soon.

DIFA/ARINC has promised to pay us our End of Service Bonus "in a week." That week ends today and there is nobody knocking on my door to give me money. ARINC refuses to pay us our ESB for the period when their partner DIFA was in charge, so we will lose over half our ESB.

(They gave us a phone number in Riyadh to call about our DIFA ESB. I have not troubled myself.)

The compound is paid up to the 4th or so of May, by then we need a new contract or an exit-only visa.

It is very unsettling, as we are just sitting around waiting for the phone to ring.

sweeney66 · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 147 Location: "home"

um, wow, this is the most amazing thing I've ever read. you guys should write a book. much respect. hey, paul, are you from nebraska? the jackalope?

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

No, but m family used to raise jackalopes, the small ones for fur, not those big riding ones. Those are dangerous.

Rumor is someone from someplace will be here sometime today to make offers to the Americans. We shall see.

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

That was weird.

Two guys from Zan (the parent of the now-belly-up DIFA) came by for a town meeting. I can't say as I took any notes. They said nothing anyone believed.

It seems that they will send us our end of service bonuses in a few weeks. I asked where they would send the checks once we all depart to the four corners of the world. They said we should call (someone) at Riyadh to tell them where we would be.

I have no idea why they came down here. Certainly did not calm people down.