Feral Jundi

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

UAE: The UAE Military Is Recruiting 3,000 Colombians

Filed under: Colombia,Military News,UAE — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 11:11 AM

The UAE has 80,000 square kilometers and have some military forces of around 50,000 troops. Because oil is one of the world’s richest nations. Although only 900,000 native citizens, has a population of 6 million people from countless nations. “What we realized the UAE, and is the reason why they are rapidly strengthening its army incorporating soldiers of different nationalities, is that they have several threats that make them very vulnerable. Our mission further includes different aspects ranging from urban defense against terrorist attacks and control civil uprisings and even be prepared against possible border conflict with Iran. “explains exoficial.
One reason why the government decided to accelerate UAE recently hiring former military around the world has to do with what has happened in countries hit by the so-called Arab spring, consisting of civil uprisings that ended with the overthrow governments in several countries in the Middle East.

Check this news out. This came through a Google Alert I set up, and I had to translate it in order to see what was up. The above quote is what grabbed my attention. The UAE is planning for a future where refugees and problems are streaming from other ‘collapsing’ countries, or even having to deal with internal rebellion or their own Arab Spring. That, and protecting oil infrastructure and pipelines requires a lot of muscle.

Not to mention that if Iran lashes back if they are attacked by Israel, then the UAE might be a potential target. Either way, they are wanting to recruit a bunch of foreign soldiers with combat experience.

Now this is a separate deal from the Reflex Responses gig, at least from what I can gather. The UAE military is directly recruiting these guys and paying them pretty good.

An active soldier in Colombia earn on average 950,000 pesos a month. Figure down to 690,000 when they are pensioners. Being part of the UAE Army soldier to that pay almost 5 million pesos. The figures are based on range. A lieutenant, who earns approximately 1,400,000 pesos in Colombia, is tempted to go for a salary of 6 and a half million pesos a month. The offer for a colonel in Colombia perceived 5,500,000, can reach $ 18,000.

Colombia is probably a little worried that the UAE will draw all of their top tier retired guys, or even motivate some folks to leave the military just to join this crew. I also imagine Colombians will be popular contract soldiers in Mexico, now that Nieto has won and his ‘security adviser’ is a retired Colombian general. lol –Matt

 

Former members of the homeland to the United Arab
June 30, 2012
More than 800 former military nation Colombians, many of them elite, have enlisted in the Army in the UAE. We pay up to $ 18,000 a month. One that does not stop bleeding.

For the past year, dozens of the best soldiers in the country are leaving the ranks of the Colombian Army. Most of them are seasoned experienced military who fought in elite units and special forces, among others. The reason why many have decided to hang up their uniforms after ten or 15 years of service is as exotic as controversial. Resigned from the army of his country to travel and sign up to join the Army and military in the UAE.

The matter has not been away from controversy and in some sectors of the disbanded army has caused discomfort. “They have recruited experienced soldiers in combat, men with years of valuable service and that the Army also has invested heavily in their training. It is certainly a loss for the Army. But there’s not much you can do because it is not nothing illegal, “said to Semana a general. What says the officer summarized the official position of the Armed Forces, who are powerless such recruitment. “The trouble is we can not do anything to retain and prevent the lower request because it is a matter of supply and demand. To go to UAE are paid wages that are five to ten times more than they earn here,” says the general.

The closest precedent Colombian military overseas contract led to a series of scandals, due to complaints against a company called ID System that recruited Colombian ex-military to go to work as mercenaries in Iraq. In August 2006, Semana revealed that many of those former members had been deceived by promising wages of $ 10,000 per month, but on reaching Baghdad were paid only $ 1,000. Several of them took away their passports to meet the service time and were stranded in Iraq. Part of the controversy at the time was that these former members were trained Colombian Army installations.

“It is very different now to what happened in the past. We are not mercenaries. The contract is people traveling directly to the UAE government. There is a contract, all documents are in order,” said Semana a Colombian Army exoficial is who is in charge of recruitment. “Those who are selected have a resident visa. The contract is with the government, not with a particular company, in which case, according to international standards, they would apply the label of mercenaries. We also use Colombian military installations for do the interviews and selection process, “he says.

Since May last year to now 842 former members have traveled to the United Arab Colombians, of which 152 have done between January and June 2012. And it certainly wage differentials are quite large and have become the main incentive for leaving tens rows. An active soldier in Colombia earn on average 950,000 pesos a month. Figure down to 690,000 when they are pensioners. Being part of the UAE Army soldier to that pay almost 5 million pesos. The figures are based on range. A lieutenant, who earns approximately 1,400,000 pesos in Colombia, is tempted to go for a salary of 6 and a half million pesos a month. The offer for a colonel in Colombia perceived 5,500,000, can reach $ 18,000. “Here there is nothing illegal. What we do is offer an economic alternative to the military who choose to enlist,” says the excoronel commissioned by the government of UAE to recruit the Colombians.

The mission

The UAE has 80,000 square kilometers and have some military forces of around 50,000 troops. Because oil is one of the world’s richest nations. Although only 900,000 native citizens, has a population of 6 million people from countless nations. “What we realized the UAE, and is the reason why they are rapidly strengthening its army incorporating soldiers of different nationalities, is that they have several threats that make them very vulnerable. Our mission further includes different aspects ranging from urban defense against terrorist attacks and control civil uprisings and even be prepared against possible border conflict with Iran. “explains exoficial.

One reason why the government decided to accelerate UAE recently hiring former military around the world has to do with what has happened in countries hit by the so-called Arab spring, consisting of civil uprisings that ended with the overthrow governments in several countries in the Middle East.

When former members are selected Colombians in Colombia must travel to Zayed Military City, a database of the United Arab Emirates located in the desert, 20 kilometers from the airport of Abu Dhabi. There are a number of screening tests lasting about four weeks, including skydiving practices, field reconnaissance, testing, snipers and hostage rescue, among others. If you pass the tests are employed and if not, return to Colombia. “I retired from the Army as a sergeant after ten years because a friend told me this. This has a quota of sacrifice for one serving for ten months in a row and give him a month off. During this month we give one the ticket to return to Colombia to visit family. The accommodations and food are very good, as well as equipment numbers and weapons. Although it is hard being away from home for me has been very good. I saved 53 million pesos a year, which helped me to buy a house. That would not have been able to do in ten years in the Army, “he told the officer retired WEEK.

Although there are many testimonies of former members who claim to be consistent with the fact of wearing the camouflage of another country, some who have returned from there with some reservations. “I returned because I received a paycheck, but after nearly a year had not signed that contract and did not give any guarantee. We are not there or protect facilities caretakers characters. There is a high risk because there are soldiers and we are part of the Army of the United Arab Emirates, and although it was not in my time, one is aware that you can enter combat. It was clear what would have happened if I had touched terminate someone or kill me, “he said a professional soldier.

Beyond the clear economic incentive, the concern in some sectors of the Army is that while the former military and are 800 who are in UAE, the government’s goal is to recruit a total of 3,000 Colombians. And that’s a big hole for the Colombian Army, considering that most of the recruits are some of the best soldiers in the country.
Story here.

8 Comments

  1. Google Alerts FTW.  How the hell you been man?

    Comment by MattFanning — Thursday, July 5, 2012 @ 9:35 PM

  2.  @MattFanning I am doing fine and thanks for asking.

    Comment by feraljundi — Friday, July 6, 2012 @ 2:08 AM

  3. So I’m curious…..is this force different from the one reported by the New York Times last year when Eric Prince was heading the project? The stated goals sound the same, the personnel coming from Columbia as they were with the training Prince was reportedly conducting.

    Comment by tde2749 — Friday, July 6, 2012 @ 7:58 AM

  4.  @tde2749 This is a separate deal. The UAE is recruiting these guys directly into their military.

    Comment by feraljundi — Saturday, July 7, 2012 @ 1:17 AM

  5. Hey Matt, you ever hear about the Saudi’s renting whole units of the Pakistani Army during the 1970’s?  I ran across the claim in a book recently and had never seen it before.

    Comment by MattFanning — Saturday, July 7, 2012 @ 9:25 AM

  6.  @MattFanning I haven’t heard that one. Although Pakistanis seek security and police related jobs all over the middle east.
     
    https://feraljundi.com/2052/bahrain-the-fauji-foundation-hundreds-of-pakistani-veterans-recruited-to-serve-in-bahrains-national-guard/

    Comment by feraljundi — Saturday, July 7, 2012 @ 11:29 AM

  7. […] of Latin Americans directly to fight for the UAE armed forces. I talked about that transition here and here. It has been quite the drain on the Colombian market of force. Those guys must have been […]

    Pingback by Yemen: UAE Deploys It’s Colombian Mercenaries To Yemen « Feral Jundi — Wednesday, November 25, 2015 @ 8:55 PM

  8. […] cool article and this is a follow up from a post I did on it awhile back. Although this was translated through Google Translator, so it is a little […]

    Pingback by UAE: Former Colombian Soldiers Talk About Life In The UAE Military « Feral Jundi — Tuesday, March 28, 2017 @ 12:20 AM

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