Posted on 06/30/2014 1:55:57 PM PDT by Nachum
Brandon Webb, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and now Editor-in-Chief of SOFREP.com, posted a sobering article today on the failures of the State Department in regards to our former military contractors working overseas. Brandon tells us the story of a CIA paramilitary and former Navy SEAL, Matthew Wojciechowski, who, while on TDY (temporary duty assignment) in the Middle East, endured severe chest pains while on a mission. Instead of the medical professionals at the U.S. Embassy assisting him, they performed a stress test on him, took his vitals and sent him back to work. They denied him further treatment, leaving him with no other option but to receive care from the locals.
Matthew stated:
As a TDY (which means Temporary Duty Assignment) and not PCS (Permanent Duty Assignment) that employees of the CIA and State Department get, I am left to be treated at a local hospital, no matter how bad the care is. While at the hospital with my team, I finally get seen 10 hours later by a guy who appears to be on medication, who does not speak English, nor should be touching me at all, in my opinion. I get diagnosed with HEART BURN for the massive chest pain I was having – yup – and sent home – and not HOME LIKE USA HOME… home like you will be fine take heartburn medicine and give it a few days.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsninja2012.com ...
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The Snake Dept. is supposed to provide 0bama care for US citizens overseas?
“The Snake Dept.”
I like it. Gonna use it too.
“former military contractors working overseas”? Are we supposed to provide them health care through the state dept? I don’t understand what the expectation was here.
If he was working as a private contractor, shouldn’t his employer be responsible for medical care?
I learned a very valuable lesson in 1994 when I went to Bosnia on a White House fact finding mission. I was technically a contractor therefore not protected under the Laws of Land Warfare, not a combatant, and fell under the State Department for support since the U.S. military was not yet deployed.
In that situation, you are on your own and if you get into a gun fight or get sick, tough luck. When I got back, I decided that my days in a combat zone were over. The inability to defend myself or to be able to count on any assistance from the government that sent me there was enough to make that my last patrol.
Wise choice.
Not right but welcome to the world. This is the same thing we have been experiencing now for several years from our clients. For decades in the past contractors without a local large presence in expat locations were part of the host company medical, triage, and emergency evacuation process. No more. We have to charge them a higher rate to inefficiently provide services for our people and in so doing can’t compete with companies who do not do the same.
If he was working as a private contractor, shouldn’t his employer be responsible for medical care?....I’d bet (with good odds) most of the contractors are CIA or some such alphabet agency employees who have been granted time off from their military duties to do dirty work. Very much like the Flying Tigers over the Burma theater (who got military support)and VERY much like Air America who flew missions in Laos, Cambodia and other places and when these missions were cancelled they went back to the Air Force, Army or Navy and resumed their normal duties with promotions. Air America went places where the US Services wouldn’t or couldn’t go because the commanders didn’t want to be responsible for the death or destruction of military personnel or equipment.
You'd lose that bet.
Prove it.
It,s been a long time coming, but well deserved. Foggy bottom should be retired.
Hippocratic Oath? Anyone?
Don’t you read all the posts before you speak? Contractors are not active military. You could go search for the jobs yourself.
here is some news for you...
http://civiliancontractors.wordpress.com/category/state-department/
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/washington/24contractor.html?_r=0
I’m sure you can post newspaper ads all day, but what I said is true before and is very likely today. Air America never answered ads, but they flew as civilians anyways. Until they got recalled to their respective services. Or maybe you believe this government, HMMMMM?
So why aren’t they given benefits?
I didn’t read where they DID not get “benefits”. They were not taken care of. They would not be recognised as US troops, and the State Dept. wouldn’t have recognized them officially, them, any ways. Why weren’t the ambassador and three ‘Navy Seals” given any “benefits” in Benghazi? They MAY have, posthumously, but I doubt that, also.
And you would be wrong ....not the case.
Matthew stated:
As a TDY (which means Temporary Duty Assignment) and not PCS (Permanent Duty Assignment) that employees of the CIA and State Department get, I am left to be treated at a local hospital, no matter how bad the care is. While at the hospital with my team, I finally get seen 10 hours later by a guy who appears to be on medication, who does not speak English, nor should be touching me at all, in my opinion. ....Do civilians get TDY or PCS? I don’t think so. You and the other joker above need to read before you emote.
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