Not had any experience of recruitment agencies in the US but the ones in the UK (especially for contract work) can be very much hit and miss, usually miss.

They are quite obessed with getting references from you even though the contract doesn't even exist. Been caught out when I was a noob contract but takes experience to work out what is real and genuine and what is not.

Lynn, can I ask what it was like to work out in Afghanistan? That sound like an interesting gig.

qh