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Sending money home from the Bakken

Bismarck Tribune -- TURTLE LAKE, N.D. — North Dakota has thousands of foot soldiers in this battle for energy independence.

In the Bakken oil shale battalion are men and women by the score, billeted in camps, standing in line for food and showers and counting the long, lonely hours between phone calls back home.

They have come from everywhere to work in this remote and often cold place.

Most leave their families behind, if they have one. They send a hard-earned paycheck from the Bakken, endorsed with love.

In many ways, it’s like enlisting in a war with no bullets.

One of those enlistees is Jeff Morrison, 43, who mustered out of Cedar City, Utah, in September 2011, to take a job with Marathon Oil at its New Town office.

What he was headed toward was the best job of his life. The salary and benefits were

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Submitted Feb 03, 2013 By: EZExit

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drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,924 Points:748,960 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 8, 2013 12:59:14 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse Honda0105 states "lots of violence there (including rape of the few women who are there)" ======================================== Interesting, since the Attorney General of North Dakota shows a drop in rape of 6.8% from 2010 to 2011.
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:32,915 Points:2,341,510 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 4:05:00 PM Ignore tomok Report Abuse Sending money home from the Bakken - 'in a war with no bullets!' North Dakota, very Cold in the winter and very Hot in the summer, and No place to go. What a place to work! You have to do, what you have to do! Sit on your butt, do nothing or find a job that can help your life, your family and your future. A job that can use your life experiences, knowledge and abilities. Go where the jobs are because the jobs will NOT come to you. I had to work swing shift and missed the kids when they were in high school and have always regretted it but that was the job I was 'stuck' with. Sometimes there was lots of overtime and some very good paychecks came my wayI stayed with it and now have a pension and 401k to live with. And, the kids have grown up without too much worse for wear because I was Not there during the evenings. Vehicle manufactures Produce and the population ‘Drives’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe, reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. The price of fuel at the pump is too high!
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,580 Points:1,605,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 6, 2013 11:01:13 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse Kar: lots of violence there (including rape of the few women who are there) and extremely high housing costs. Many aren't so happy, and would rather do w/out the small windfall.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,924 Points:748,960 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 6, 2013 7:52:00 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse KAR120CSII, the locals are enjoying the gains from the boom as well. Like in the days of the gold boom, it was the shopkeeper, the restaurant owners and so on that made the fortunes.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,580 Points:1,605,520 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 6, 2013 4:57:33 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse it's the same as migrant workers, except these folks stay in the same country.
listerone Champion Author Boston Posts:3,362 Points:874,905 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 7:26:12 PM Ignore listerone Report Abuse If it's there let's produce it.The "environmentalists" can freeze in the dark for all I care.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,595 Points:1,201,110 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 6:52:21 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Thanks for posting EZ, good article!
KAR120CSII Champion Author Oregon Posts:3,157 Points:616,720 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 5:08:42 PM Ignore KAR120CSII Report Abuse thanks -- interesting story. Might like to hear about the local folks who have to put with the 'boom' also.
doctorindyj Champion Author Santa Fe Posts:3,438 Points:836,035 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 3:28:38 PM Ignore doctorindyj Report Abuse You've gotta do what you've gotta do.
Wizrd03 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,132 Points:1,628,335 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 6:06:15 AM Ignore Wizrd03 Report Abuse Old gold rush type news
Straitliner Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,470 Points:233,300 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2013 5:24:20 AM Ignore Straitliner Report Abuse What a life, similar to pipelining.
JagXKR Champion Author British Columbia Posts:3,134 Points:1,086,855 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:45:37 PM Ignore JagXKR Report Abuse This is a common story. In Alberta there is ahuge amount of maritimers from the east coast of Canada working in the north of Alberta on the rigs. You sometimes have to go where the work is.
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:2,935 Points:828,705 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:35:03 PM Ignore regout Report Abuse I don't know them.
VikingWoman Champion Author Washington Posts:1,244 Points:247,850 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:34:28 PM Ignore VikingWoman Report Abuse BOOM Towns!
Robert44 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,567 Points:1,216,630 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:33:35 PM Ignore Robert44 Report Abuse God Bless North Dakota!!!
SteelPenny Champion Author Dallas Posts:30,909 Points:2,603,490 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:32:03 PM Ignore SteelPenny Report Abuse Never been there.
JasTheAce All-Star Author Raleigh Posts:950 Points:168,335 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:31:04 PM Ignore JasTheAce Report Abuse boom town
wang91554 Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,145 Points:1,196,830 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:30:50 PM Ignore wang91554 Report Abuse rough life
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,517 Points:1,854,370 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:30:48 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse People who really want a job will go almost anywhere to get it.
Bigwaynef Champion Author South Carolina Posts:11,444 Points:2,076,760 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:26:59 PM Ignore Bigwaynef Report Abuse Been there done that!
Rageagainsttm Champion Author Tampa Posts:8,283 Points:1,898,980 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:25:37 PM Ignore Rageagainsttm Report Abuse Where's mine
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,221 Points:2,250,020 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:24:53 PM Ignore 10k Report Abuse often cold ??..i would think north dakota IS cold at least 6 months of the year.. wonder what -50 actually feels like ??..
rbutterw Champion Author Raleigh Posts:1,160 Points:289,500 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:24:53 PM Ignore rbutterw Report Abuse Sounds a bit like the '49 gold rush
Doomsday64 All-Star Author Austin Posts:839 Points:332,030 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:24:39 PM Ignore Doomsday64 Report Abuse Good
FrankTA2 Champion Author New York Posts:4,279 Points:1,090,805 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:23:54 PM Ignore FrankTA2 Report Abuse Jobs is jobs.
DrLyon Champion Author Michigan Posts:6,635 Points:1,208,205 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:23:39 PM Ignore DrLyon Report Abuse Good...
CivicMA Champion Author Boston Posts:1,877 Points:530,895 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:23:14 PM Ignore CivicMA Report Abuse Many have to make sacrifices to pay their bills. It's a choice to be made very carefully.
Panama Red Champion Author San Diego Posts:11,057 Points:2,495,265 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:22:47 PM Ignore Panama Red Report Abuse It's a job.
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,965 Points:2,522,335 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:21:33 PM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse old news
bridgerunner Champion Author Virginia Posts:4,767 Points:1,002,835 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:19:59 PM Ignore bridgerunner Report Abuse What an opportunity for an adventure.
RQCraig All-Star Author Texas Posts:550 Points:149,575 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:19:54 PM Ignore RQCraig Report Abuse Brrrrrrrr. Too cold for me
unicornpmb Champion Author Buffalo Posts:8,471 Points:1,625,515 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:19:15 PM Ignore unicornpmb Report Abuse Its a job.
Glock26 Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,509 Points:629,360 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:17:49 PM Ignore Glock26 Report Abuse Old News!!!
wshokie12 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:1,300 Points:212,560 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:17:17 PM Ignore wshokie12 Report Abuse Old news.
pastorpaulcg Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,615 Points:775,785 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:16:07 PM Ignore pastorpaulcg Report Abuse If I were younger I might consider doing something like this
noonedwagfan All-Star Author Dayton Posts:945 Points:238,080 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:15:44 PM Ignore noonedwagfan Report Abuse Old news!
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:15:22 PM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse At least some people get jobs, and good ones, if they care to give up a faair part of a family life.
bevmill Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,557 Points:596,320 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:15:07 PM Ignore bevmill Report Abuse good
Matt G Champion Author Boston Posts:4,513 Points:2,769,040 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:12:37 PM Ignore Matt G Report Abuse Good, at least some people accept responsibility
obimerrill Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,420 Points:285,715 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:12:24 PM Ignore obimerrill Report Abuse Good for them
momsno1_taxi Champion Author Toronto Posts:35,724 Points:1,271,540 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:11:45 PM Ignore momsno1_taxi Report Abuse my hubbys nephew is working at the Alberta tarsands, family finally moved west so they could see him at least once per week.
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,698 Points:383,975 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:10:38 PM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse Sounds like he's doing what he needs to do.
Cheney Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,022 Points:2,530,935 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:10:02 PM Ignore Cheney Report Abuse a real tear jerker. Now how does an irrelevant anecdote get up here?
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,188 Points:514,625 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:09:29 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse Gotta admire a man working to provide for his family.
RAKARWOWSKI Champion Author Chicago Posts:3,980 Points:817,125 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:08:31 PM Ignore RAKARWOWSKI Report Abuse Need to get that check.
N5EXY Champion Author Austin Posts:5,472 Points:1,506,380 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:07:57 PM Ignore N5EXY Report Abuse No saloons or bordellos there?
mrreferee Champion Author Savannah Posts:1,336 Points:553,780 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:07:23 PM Ignore mrreferee Report Abuse old
YumaFellow Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,265 Points:617,620 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:07:09 PM Ignore YumaFellow Report Abuse No doubt that it is a hard life. Of course, the workers are the pawns in this game played by the oil companies.
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,544 Points:1,508,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:06:44 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse ok
NAVYHM All-Star Author Cleveland Posts:761 Points:1,382,705 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2013 11:06:41 PM Ignore NAVYHM Report Abuse AGAIN...