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“More than 2,700 workers in the Highland Industrial Park produce explosive munitions that are used in a variety of weapons, including tank killers, antiair (cq) defenses, and other missiles.”
The town of Camden Arkansas has been producing weapons since World War II.

Defense jobs are more likely to go to US citizens, because of security issues, rather than legal or illegal migrants. Any new road construction jobs will probably go to illegal (or legal) migrants (through subcontractors) – sorry to say. US citizens appear to be largely unwanted employees apart from the defense sector and the military.

“Press Releases
For Immediate Release
03.14.2022
Governor Visits Employees Of Aerospace, Defense Firms That Build Weapons Components Used in Ukraine

EAST CAMDEN – More than 150 employees of aerospace and defense companies gathered at Southern Arkansas Tech University today where Governor Asa Hutchinson thanked them for their part in manufacturing critical components for weapon systems that Ukrainians have deployed to defend their homeland against the Russian invasion.

Their work arms the world to defend freedom in Ukraine and many other countries, Governor Hutchinson told them.

“Your daily commitment to producing state-of-the-art and highly technical components and propulsion systems has made the difference for Ukraine,” Governor Hutchinson said. “Because of your work, Ukraine has surprised its invaders by a strong defense against the onslaught of a cruel invasion. Camden is in a critical front-line position to support the Ukrainians who are stopping the Russian army from overrunning their nation.

More than 2,700 workers in the Highland Industrial Park produce explosive munitions that are used in a variety of weapons, including tank killers, antiair (cq) defenses, and other missiles.

Representatives from various segments of the workforce attended the event. Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston noted the aerospace and defense sector is the Number One export from Arkansas. The Camden area workforce has been producing weapons since 1944.

“Over the decades, Camden-area workers and their companies have supported the front lines wherein the defense of freedom, first in Europe and the Pacific, and now in Ukraine and NATO countries,” Preston said.

Professor Kateryna Pitchford, a native of Ukraine who is an assistant professor at Central Baptist College in Conway, spoke to the employees. “No one expected this barbaric invasion in the 21st century in my home country of Ukraine. While Putin’s war is killing children and women, and destroying the peaceful way of life, your work here empowers the Ukrainian army by supplying defense weapons. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do to save Ukrainian lives. The Ukrainian army and the people will win this war. Glory to Ukraine!” Dr. Pitchford was born in Dnipro, Ukraine. Many of her relatives and friends remain in Ukraine.” https://governor.arkansas.gov/news-media/press-releases/governor-visits-employees-of-aerospace-defense-firms-that-build-weapons-com

“A lot of the frontline weapon systems we get to watch on CNN so intently come out of Camden, Arkansas, in some form or fashion,” as Perrin put it, underlining how the conflict in Ukraine is one of the few in recent decades where so many heavy weapons designed for conventional warfare between opposing armies are actually being used. For many here, that just means more well-paying jobs — many of them in the six-figure salary range.” https://web.archive.org/web/20220911092744/https://aerojetrocketdyne.dejobs.org/camden/arkansas/usa/jobs/ See: “The Struggling Arkansas Town That Helped Stop Russia in Its Tracks Some of the most crucial weapons in the Ukraine war are made in Camden, Arkansas. But a shortage of skilled workers risks slowing the production lines.”. https://web.archive.org/web/20220916020543/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/09/09/ukraine-war-arkansas-weapons-00055124

As far as the military itself, “In addition to your salary and bonuses, the Army provides military allowances to offset the cost of living, meaning more of your paycheck stays in your pocket.” https://www.goarmy.com The signing bonus is currently $50,000.

This is median income which is half make more and half make less: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/wb/data/earnings/median-annual-sex-race-hispanic-ethnicity

World War II allowed women to enter the work force with good jobs:
Women at work on bomber, Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, Calif. LOC

And, hat-tip to Queen Elizabeth II, who trained as an auto-mechanic in WWII:
“Princess Elizabeth explains to the Queen what she had done to the car engine Second World War War Office official photographer Major Horton 1945-04-09,”

Queen Elizabeth photo: H 41644, Imperial War Museums Collection, Non-Commercial Use Only