As you probably know, private military contractors represent a large and very lucrative job market for Vets these days, including military officers — or, at least, for those with the right stuff.

Companies like Blackwater USA (now Xe), Sandline, Military Professional Resources, and numerous others have six-figure jobs for highly-skilled combat professionals, with a marked preference for former special ops personnel (although so-called “Tier 2” jobs are also available for former commissioned and non-commissioned military officers with traditional infantry or combat experience).

However take note that jobs for military contractors are not for your average green-shaded bookkeeper. Are you the kind of person who loves adventure and danger and who might, some years past, have gotten a genuine rush from roaming Southeast Asian jungles, taking fire in Baghdad, or hunting terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan?  Before you say yes consider that hundreds of PMC’s were killed in the Iraq war — clearly, this is a job that puts you in harms way.

But the pay is excellent with some PMC’s (also known as “Security Contractors”) earning, as said, in the the low six figures (up to about $350K is possible, around $175K – $225K more likely).  So how does a Vet get a military contractor job?

First, you need to be ex-military (with only a very few exceptions).  Although not essential, it’s best to approach employers with a specialization, such as explosives, weapons, security, intelligence, or jungle combat.  Particularly good specializations are extractive security and VIP close protection. Also, though it sounds a little overwhelming, learning an Asian or Middle Eastern language is a huge plus (but don’t worry, very few PMC’s have this skill).

The number one qualification sought by employers is special services experience (SEAL, Ranger, etc).  Employers are primarily looking for fighting machines and they are not interested in any candidate not in peak fitness. This is where being a PMC differs so much from being, say, a private bodyguard.  As a PMC you will quite likely face action and life-threatening situations. Most bodyguards, as you probably know, never find themselves in life-or-death situations like this.

Who are the employers?  You can find a list of virtually all of them posted at PrivateMilitary.org.  Another great resource for PMC jobs for military is DangerZoneJobs.com.

Jobmarket Trends

Believe it or not so-called sequester and DOD budget cuts when they occur are actually favorable from the standpoint of PMC’s and security (now a $100 billion business).  The reason is that, as DOD reduces our military presence overseas, the US State Department ramps up its PMC hiring.  For example, in Iraq, PMC’s performed a wide array of missions funded by State, such as training, security and reconstruction.

Another trend is anti-piracy operations, which have been assisted in many cases by PMC’s. Piracy in the Horn of Africa has declined by almost 30% as more and more commercial fleets have hired private armed guards to safeguard their vessels.  But piracy continues to be an issue worldwide nowadays, not just in the Horn of Africa region.

Then there’s the spread of radicalization, evidenced in the murder of US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US citizens in Libya some years ago.  At present PMC’s are in high demand throughout the entire African continent to provide security, especially around oil fields in the north.

The important point is that, DOD cutbacks or budget revisions notwithstanding, opportunities for PMC’s are strong with other government agencies like the State Department, and commercial entities as well as the military.

For more background on this field, check out Contracted:  America’s Secret Warriors by Kerry Patton.