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Neil McBeath
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 277
Location: Saudi Arabia
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 Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:19 am Post subject: |
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"You say this like it was a good thing..."
It WAS a good thing. The RAFO contract officers, by and large, did a far more professional job than either their loan-service counterparts or many of the civilians.
The loan-service officers were sometimes there because their own service commsanders wanted to get rid of them - that was DEFINITELY the case with one education officer who the RAF sent out in the early 1980's.
The civilians often spent years back-biting and conniving to get one step ahead of their colleagues. They were obsessed with status, and were partially cushioned from reality because their native-speaker status gave them an edge over their Omani counterparts. I know it shouldn't have, but it did.
With the mercenary officers - you want to know my status, look at my badges of rank, but remember, the moment an Omani officer can do the job as well as I can, I will be out.
And you bet your life the military is a step up from working for some drug lord....
The last time the Sultan's Armed Forces were deployed en masse was to help the victims of Cyclone Gonu. The Royal Navy of Oman lasnded relief supplies at Quriyat, because all the roads to the town had been washed away. The Royal Air Force of Oman used helicopters to rescue people from vehicles that had become stuck in flooded wadis. The Royal Army of Oman sent out their Engineers to clear debris of the main roads while the rain was still slackening off.
"I guess it all comes back to how we interpret our own morals"
Yes, it does. The Sultan's Armed Forces are a thoroughly professional organisation. They have never instigated a conflict. They have worked tirelessly for the development of Oman.
Get off your high horse and try to look beyond some simplistic "four legs good, two legs bad" attitide to people in uniform. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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I am a notoriously anti-military person... and the word mercenary tends to have bad connotations.
BUT, I will agree with Neil 100% here about the role of the military in Oman. They have consistently played a positive role in Oman since Sultan Qaboos took power. I give much credit to the Sultan himself who studied at Sandhurst and made sure that his "mercenaries" would there to help, not to rule.
... though we digress...
VS |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| I give much credit to the Sultan himself who studied at Sandhurst and made sure that his "mercenaries" would there to help, not to rule.VS |
Well, you have to rebember that Uncle Qaboos has used his 'mercenaries' with the help of the British to overthrow his father and took the power in 1970. So, the 'mercenaries' have been used by Uncle Qaboos to rule! |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Who used whom... they used each other and it was the best thing that every happened to Oman.
VS |
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Balzac
Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 266
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| Neil McBeath wrote: |
| BAE Systems is quite happy to hire Americans, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders. I seem to remember South Arficans and Zimbabweans as well. |
Just curious, but does this mean that they won't hire Brits? That would seem to suggest that Scot was correct about his Yanks and colonials comment.  |
No Scot47 is rarely correct about anything related to BAE. I suspect that if he were analysed by a psychiatrist, they would say that he or his mother must've had a bad experience in the past with a BAE employee! How else could you explain his almost pathological hatred of a company he has never worked for?
Veiled Sentiments,
all the nationalities that Neil Macbeath mentions are represented at BAE and probably more although there is a drive towards saudiaisation in many of the positions currently on offer and has been for some time. As for Americans not being welcome that is a figment of someone's imagination as they too are well represented here.
The only thing I will add on this particular topic is that an American teacher was recently hired and is (a) being paid in SAR (not GBP) and is being paid considerably less than his counterparts from other parts of the world. The figure I heard was $2,000/month less. Go Figure as the yanks like to say!
Cheers
B |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| Balzac seems happy to work for BAe. Good for him. I will stay where I am thanks. From what I hear teaching at BAe is hardly a rewarding pedagogical experience. Lots of money though. |
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Neil McBeath
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 277
Location: Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:00 am Post subject: |
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| You don't have a lot of choice, Scot. You're far too old to apply for a job with BAE, even if they would take you. |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:47 am Post subject: |
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| How old is too old to work at BAE? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:31 am Post subject: |
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Too much exposure to the "Yoof Kulchur" in UKofGB&NI has made certain posters assume that age=senility.
I can assure "Biggles" McBeath that I may be aged but I still have all my faculties. |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| I can assure "Biggles" McBeath that I may be aged but I still have all my faculties. |
Indeed, Uncle Scot.
Age discrimination is against the law in UK.
It does not matter how old or young you are.
Respected employers do not focus on age, they focus on potential, skills and abilities of a candidate, regardless if he is 20 or 60 years of age.
I wonder if the merchant of death, BAE, respects the age discrimination law for its employees who work outside UK? |
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Balzac
Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 266
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| From what I hear teaching at BAe is hardly a rewarding pedagogical experience. Lots of money though. |
Scot47,
I think you'd be hard pressed to find any establishment in the kingdom that provides "a rewarding pedagogical experience". I''ve met a lot of people over the years who've come into the education sector because they thought they could really make a difference in the lives of their charges. However, I've yet to meet any such people here. The fact is that 99.9% of people who come here do so for the money and the lifestyle, not to make the world a better place.
cheers
Balzac |
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Balzac
Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 266
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
I wonder if the merchant of death, BAE, respects the age discrimination law for its employees who work outside UK? |
Yes, it does. It follows the same retirement laws as if the company was operating with the UK.
Balzac |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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Balzac
The quote was from 007 not scot47.
Too much of the old Sid ? |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
Balzac
The quote was from 007 not scot47.
Too much of the old Sid ? |
Good call, Scot! You gotta keep 'em honest! I've had crackpot posters (not you, Balzac!) try to put words in my mouth...and in this space...silence is agreement...or a come-uppance.
NCTBA |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I wonder if Balzac is brave enough to drop into the office of the Saudi CO and tell him that his cadets are unteachable ? |
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