NcDeuce
11-05-2003, 01:52 PM
Civilians to help guard post
Company will hire 400 local people to relieve soldiers securing gates
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Fort Campbell's gate guards will be getting some relief and the community will benefit from more local jobs when a private company takes over security on post before year's end.
Akal Security, Inc., a New Mexico-based firm, has recently been awarded a nearly $10 million annual contract to hire about 400 local people for post security. The positions should pay wages starting at $12 an hour, plus benefits, Akal officials said.
The move is in line with the Department of Defense's goal to streamline military installations to save taxpayers' money and let service members take care of other jobs. Most of the security on post now is done by Army active duty and reservists who need to be freed up for training, overseas duty or just some time off.
"During a time of extreme personnel constraint with Army active duty, Army Reserves and National Guard, this contract will allow military police to perform broader mission-related security versus infrastructure security operations," said post Deputy Public Affairs Officer George Heath. "This is expected to positively impact the economic and employment statistics in all the surrounding communities. This contract best serves the needs of the American people, the U.S. Army and the American soldier."
Akal's senior vice president, Daya Khalsa, said the 23-year-old company is one of the largest providers of private security on government installations and expects to take over at Fort Campbell by mid-December.
But before it can happen, about a month of training is needed for those hired to prepare them for checking IDs, inspecting vehicles and looking for anything suspicious.
Rob Mauk, project manager for Fort Campbell, said recruiting qualified people is the company's main focus now and expects several hundred people to apply for the jobs.
"I spoke with the garrison commander (Col. Larry Ruggley) and he's quite satisfied with this and thinks it's a good idea," Mauk said. "The whole purpose is to put contractors on the gates and relieve these (reserve) soldiers from active duty and send them home before Christmas."
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20031105/localnews/583122-212257.jpg
Staff Sgt. Curtis Carter, left, waves traffic forward as Spc. Ray Frederick checks a vehicle's identification at Fort Campbell.
Very interesting...I need a job. :|
Company will hire 400 local people to relieve soldiers securing gates
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Fort Campbell's gate guards will be getting some relief and the community will benefit from more local jobs when a private company takes over security on post before year's end.
Akal Security, Inc., a New Mexico-based firm, has recently been awarded a nearly $10 million annual contract to hire about 400 local people for post security. The positions should pay wages starting at $12 an hour, plus benefits, Akal officials said.
The move is in line with the Department of Defense's goal to streamline military installations to save taxpayers' money and let service members take care of other jobs. Most of the security on post now is done by Army active duty and reservists who need to be freed up for training, overseas duty or just some time off.
"During a time of extreme personnel constraint with Army active duty, Army Reserves and National Guard, this contract will allow military police to perform broader mission-related security versus infrastructure security operations," said post Deputy Public Affairs Officer George Heath. "This is expected to positively impact the economic and employment statistics in all the surrounding communities. This contract best serves the needs of the American people, the U.S. Army and the American soldier."
Akal's senior vice president, Daya Khalsa, said the 23-year-old company is one of the largest providers of private security on government installations and expects to take over at Fort Campbell by mid-December.
But before it can happen, about a month of training is needed for those hired to prepare them for checking IDs, inspecting vehicles and looking for anything suspicious.
Rob Mauk, project manager for Fort Campbell, said recruiting qualified people is the company's main focus now and expects several hundred people to apply for the jobs.
"I spoke with the garrison commander (Col. Larry Ruggley) and he's quite satisfied with this and thinks it's a good idea," Mauk said. "The whole purpose is to put contractors on the gates and relieve these (reserve) soldiers from active duty and send them home before Christmas."
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20031105/localnews/583122-212257.jpg
Staff Sgt. Curtis Carter, left, waves traffic forward as Spc. Ray Frederick checks a vehicle's identification at Fort Campbell.
Very interesting...I need a job. :|