Laptop & Financial Advisor

[Firefight81]

I want to make sure I have a complete understanding.

**A laptop I buy here in the states will not be able to access the internet in Iraq?** And if thats true...you can use KBR laptops leased by WSI (I will be with WSI) or something called a MWR (not sure if I got the letters correct)?

Please forgive my stupidity but I dont know what all the letters are that people write like PX for example, where Victory is, etc...this Iraq thing is new to me and Im excited to go and experience it.
I hope to learn as much as possible and get as many certs that I can possibley get.

**Has anybody used a financial advisor?** What smart decisions did you do with the extra money?

[Firefight81]

So the people that have been there and that didnt like it can post and complain, complain and complain about it...but you can reply to my post answering a simple queston or two?
I would prefer people that have been there with something positive to say can answer my quesitons...I would appreciate it.
Thanks ahead of time to the person that answers my questions on a positive note!

[DFurtman]

You can use laptops from home to access the internet in Iraq. I do. Now.. getting a signal on the other and may not be so easy. Hopefully they will have some sort of provider set up at your base. (It's not free) Don't count on the military computers to get you what you want or to keep you in touch with whomever you choose.

MWR=Morale Welfare Recreation
PX= Post Exchange (kinda like a Walmart..)

-Damien

[Firefight81]

Im not trying to be a d!ck, but I was reading some other peoples posts the day I replied to my post and I was getting annoyed...I cant stand complainers. But of course I havnt been there yet. If things get crappy I will just deal with it.

[pyromike66]

Im not trying to be a d!ck, but I was reading some other peoples posts the day I replied to my post and I was getting annoyed...I cant stand complainers. But of course I havnt been there yet. If things get crappy I will just deal with it.

You will find a lot of these kind of people in the contracting world. they expect to sit around and do as little as possible and get paid the most. And when it comes time for them to actually work for their money, its complain, complain, complain.

[gruntman]

Here who I used for my 2006 tour.

WWW.PALAZZOCPA.COM

[FIRESKEITH]

So the people that have been there and that didnt like it can post and complain, complain and complain about it...but you can reply to my post answering a simple queston or two?
I would prefer people that have been there with something positive to say can answer my quesitons...I would appreciate it.
Thanks ahead of time to the person that answers my questions on a positive note!

Hey firefighter81, I think i confused you a bit. In Iraq there are 3 types of internet, military (which you won't be using), KBR or personal.
KBR sets up the internet cafes that allow military and contractors to use the internet in these cafes on base. The computers in the internet cafes are desktops. You won't be able to go into that internet cafe with your personal laptop and hook up. But you will be able to walk in sign in and use those public desktops to write home or herrass friends via your email account.
Also if your firestation is equipped you will have internet provided by KBR (Kellog Brown and Root) which is used only by KBR laptops issued to the company via a lease progams. Sometimes you can use these to access the internet but there are blocks on the freedom you surf but you will be able to access you email provider.
What i mean is they block like myspace, dating, porno and skype access. this isn't a bad thing since sharing these laptops with other people it will make them use the computers for a smaller amount of time eliminating fights caused by internet hogs.
NOW that doesn't mean at times you cant get the codes or the ip address numbers to access the internet wit your laptop but that is illegal and just an easy to get in trouble or fired. But at least its in house access to emails. At every base or station i worked at we had a laptop that allowed us to access the internet or really our email providers. some stations had one laptop or 3 depending on how lucky your station was to have 3 laptops to share amongst all the firefighters. These laptops don't get taken from their desks since they are ethernet cabled and not wireless.
NOW here is where it gets tricky. How to get to use your own personal laptop with a personal internet. Some WSI firestations have set up Internet service to there station on there own expense.
What that means is some firefighters who worked or still work at that station paid up front for the service, satalite and all the hardware to access the internet. Sometimes this is like 3,000 U.S. dollars split by all the particpants who will use the service. Then each person will have to pay a monthly bill to have that access. Its always cheaper with more people who get involved or the lower transfer rate.
I worked at about 5 different stations and not one had it. However i worked at places where nothing was stable in way of staffing. Transfers were constant and we never knew when we were going to get moved. Sometimes 3-4 times in one year for some guys. I worked at a base for 9 months, stayed at one station for 8 months and then the last 29 days was transferred to another station. Not complaining just stating what went on and why i never opted to the personal service. All the guys i worked with that wanted me to vote yes to getting this service were all transferred out before they could set up the internet service. happy i never voted yes to get involved or i might of been alone to pay for a 3,000 dollars set up. With that said i and no one wanted to front the money to set up the service and also knowing they may be transferred in a week. a month or 3 months. We just didn't know when we would be moved. Again not complaining.
I know of one base right now where they are now paying about 55.00 a month for service. This means they are using their personal laptops with their own internet service and no restrictions.
SO don't expect to see this personal service available at every firestation you work at . Also don't be surprised if you see it at the firestation you work at when you arrive.
Iraq has changes all the time. Its hard to notice the changes while you are there but after returning from a RR you will understand what that means.
I have been away from WSI for over a year now and can't imagine all the changes that have taken place.
Who knows, by now there may be personal service everywhere but i dont know for sure.
Bottom line firefighter81 you will always have access to write home or make a call. Sometimes you will have to be patient and wait your turn or deal with a internet or phone hog but like everything else you'll get use to all that.
YOU WILL get to talk to your family don't worry.
Again if i confused you i'm sorry.
DFAC =dining facility
px= post exchange
bx= base exchange, px and bx r the same thing
mwr= moral welfare and recreation
have any other questions firekeith1221@gmail.com

[Firefight81]

Thanks for the replies! Im taking in as much info as possible right now. Somebody emailed me some info about the internet while in Iraq. He has been there for about 3 months now...

"everyone over here has the internet just about we all have laptops. everyone uses the internet depends on what and who you get the internet from. some bases have iraqi people that sell the internet and some bases the firedept actually bought a dish and you pay for that. internet is slow as **** so dont expect much but it does work somewhat. cant expect much for iraq."

So that gives me a pretty good idea of what to expect.