Contractors navigate complex maze of laws, policies for health care
Release Date: 05/15/2019
From Military Matters: SF Veteran and son extradited to Japan
Force for Hire
Former auto industry mogul Carlos Ghosn was smuggled out of Japan in true Hollywood heist movie fashion while awaiting trial for corporate fraud. Now Special Forces Veteran Mike Taylor and his son Peter have been extradited to Japan in connection with Ghosn's evasion of Japanese authorities.
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Coming soon: Military Matters
Force for Hire
Stay tuned for Military Matters, the new podcast from Stars and Stripes. Listen as U.S. Air Force veteran and Force for Hire host Desmon Farris and U.S. Army warrant officer Rod Rodriguez examine the topics that matter to service members, veterans, and the people and communities that support them. Subscribe now to Military Matters, launching in January 2020.
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Wrapping up, a look at key issues, and farewell
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The Force for Hire team looks back at the series and examines some key issues about the world of private military contracting.
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'Mercenary Mum' talks leaving military, joining contracting world
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Neryl Joyce was an Australian servicemember who turned to contracting when she wasn’t allowed to deploy with her fellow soldiers.
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Richard Clarke, special cybersecurity adviser to President George W. Bush joins us this week and addresses digital threats and how military contractors have helped and hurt U.S. national security.
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Fighting for justice in a lawless land
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This week Force for Hire welcomes Kimberley Motley, who has made a career out of fighting corruption in Afghanistan and has helped bring justice to those working to support the U.S. military.
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Dodging bullets, execution during rise of ISIS in Iraq
Force for Hire
Johann Raath talks about his experiences working in Iraq during the rise of ISIS and how he escaped death more than once – and came back for more.
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Fighting piracy on high seas often job for private military contractors
Force for Hire
Maritime security operations are complex. The mesh of international politics, private company procedures and the uncaring nature of the open seas make for a security situation best handled by professionals. More often than some may think, those professionals are private military contractors. It’s those security professionals often tasked with keeping vital shipping lanes open, fighting off threats and keeping the goods people worldwide depend on, safe. On this week’s episode of Force for Hire, we welcome aboard a pair of former Royal Marines – both maritime security experts...
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Kidnapping, death of US contractor leaves behind shattered family
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The day Russell Frost and two former American soldiers were kidnapped was an unusual one, even by the standards of 2016 Baghdad. What followed was 31 days of hell, a life lost far too soon and a family shattered by tragedy.
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The legend of 'Mad Mike' Hoare
Force for Hire
Michael Thomas Hoare has lived a life that, were it not endlessly documented, would seem a pastiche of barroom brags, urban legends and anecdotes lifted from mid-21st century military pulp fiction. Hoare, better known as “Mad Mike,” is a soldier of fortune. A mercenary. He has seen combat in multiple battles during World War II with the British army, and in numerous conflicts across the Congo and elsewhere. He recently celebrated his 100th birthday — apparently, living hard is no predictor of longevity. Hoare is a decorated combat veteran. He’s been an African safari guide, an...
info_outlineAs complex as military health care can be, servicemembers don’t have to worry about the Department of Defense shutting down overnight. Contractors who work for smaller private military or security firms have faced exactly that, leaving them without continued care.
Even though that was an extreme case, contractors commonly face a tangled web of regulations, insurance policies and legal loopholes when seeking health care.
A trio of experts joins hosts Michelle Harven and Desmon Farris to help explain the intricacies of contractor health care, provide tips for those in the industry and clear up some of the murkier aspects of the current system.
Among those is Doug Grauel, a lawyer who specializes in helping contractors with injury claims. He’ll talk about a little-understood policy that helps safeguard government workers and will provide advice for any contractors facing medical issues.
Also joining us this week are the two researchers behind a Rand Corp. study about the health of contractors operating in conflict areas. Molly Dunnigan, senior political scientist for Rand, and Carrie Farmer, a senior policy researcher for the nonprofit think tank, talk about the report and what it means for anyone considering a job in the private sector.