Salary: after they pay for all your expenses,food,travel,lodgeing etc. all they can disclose right now is that it will be 'well above minimum wage'.
Yes you will be on the road for the WHOLE 6 mo's with little or no chance to visit home,this is why I compare it to a tour of duty.
You will be required to build several different projects that require many different skill, this is not for the average backyard mechanic! A good comparison would be a cross between the Myth Buster guys,MacGuyver, and Build wars.
if you want the info I have e-me........