KBR, the major supplier of American civilian contractors supporting American troops in Iraq, is currently hiring about 300 Americans a week, and has over 100,000 resumes on file. While its relatively easy to find low skilled labor, what KBR is most interested in is former military personnel with skills they need, and experience in Iraq. There are dangerous areas in Iraq where KBR needs to use Americans (for security reasons), and prefers people with recent military experience, especially in Iraq. So the KBR recruiters spend a lot of time at marine and army bases, looking for troops whose enlistments are about to expire. KBR offers 12 month contracts, which enable troops to make a lot of money, and then come back and re-enlist. The money is very good ($80-100,000). The first $80,000 is tax free if the worker is out of the United States for 330 days of the year. KBR gives employees ten days off every four months, and $860 for travel expenses. Many simply go to nearby Kuwait or Bahrain. The work schedule is rough, often 12 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Generally, the military doesnt try to keep the KBR recruiters away. If the troops want to take a year off to make a lot of money doing what theyve done before, that cant be stopped. And the military gets most of these men and women back eventually anyway.