Mr. Sorokin, an engineer, got a job as a helicopter mechanic.

Mr. Boyd, a helicopter mechanic, said he passed the man as he walked back after buying a Coke at a machine near the motel office.

Mr. Johnson joined the Missouri National Guard in 1977 and within five years was working full time as a helicopter mechanic.

Sign-up bonuses for jobs in high demand, like intelligence analysts and helicopter mechanics, are now as high as $20,000, up from $15,000 a few years ago.

Deployed to Iraq on 10 January 2005, for 18 months, as a helicopter mechanic.

Pietrzak joined the Marines in 2003, became a helicopter mechanic and was sent to Iraq.

"I've been drinking a lot of bottled water," said Sgt. Scott Mathis, a marine and a helicopter mechanic.

Today, Mr. Guardado and his brother continue to live at an air force base, where they work as helicopter mechanics.

On 26 December 2012 ten technical personnel of the Suriname Air Force left to India to be trained to become certified helicopter mechanics.

He enlisted in the Marines at 18 and served four years, working as a helicopter mechanic but dreaming of becoming a pilot.