Blackwater wants to fight pirates

[abninf05]

This is about a week old, but didn't see any posts on it:



MOYOCK, N.C. — Private security contractor Blackwater Worldwide is meeting with shipping and insurance companies this week to describe what the company can do to protect vessels traveling through the volatile Gulf of Aden.


http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/ap_blackwaterantipiracy_120208/

[NCdross]

Blackwater... dont have laws. They get out of anything they need to. Basically have more rights than a normal citizen and dont have to follow orders by military.

[HereWeGoAgain]

You can pretty much classify them as mercs

[NCdross]

Really that's what they are. No respect lost to them or anything like that, they are putting their lives on the line, but i'm pretty sure they get paid more than most military folks. Corporate mililtary.

[abninf05]

Dude, they make mad bank.

I'd love to be a merc

[Draco771]

[QUOTE=HereWeGoAgain]You can pretty much classify them as mercs[/QUOTE

How many of them do you think are prior Army SpecOps?

I saw a show on the history channel, about the UN trying to outlaw and abolish Mercenaries, because in some 3rd world in Africa, a group of Mercenaries did in one month what the Army's of seven UN Nations "Couldn't do" in 10 years...

It was in the past, which is why they now call themselves "Private Security Contractors" , and have restricted Mercs from being used as offensive troops to take the place of front line Soldiers...

It was actually a very interesting documentary...

[Draco771]

Dude, they make mad bank.

I'd love to be a merc

Yeah, but thing that would worry me, is having to look over your back everynow and then, wondering what the guys who hired you plan on doing next... Especially if they somehow "Can't pay your bill"....

But yeah... It would be nice to not be under very many restrictions...

But than again, I want to fight for my country, and not some 3rd world who can't create a competent government on it's own...

[Draco771]

Here's a question...

Since Mercs aren't permitted by the UN to be used as Offensive Forces...

Would it be "Legal" for them to go head to head with pirates???

[abninf05]

Theres a show on history channel every friday night called "Shadow Force" which is a group of PMC's (private military contractors) that go around to other countries and help them out. The show has only been on like 3-4 weeks, but sadly no fire fights yet.

One of the guys on the team is prior army SF, some dude was SF for another country and so on


It depends on where they're at if they're allowed to confront the enemy if they get shot at. Some of the countries they were in they weren't allowed to have weapons, other ones they had gats

[Draco771]

Theres a show on history channel every friday night called "Shadow Force" which is a group of PMC's (private military contractors) that go around to other countries and help them out. The show has only been on like 3-4 weeks, but sadly no fire fights yet.

One of the guys on the team is prior army SF, some dude was SF for another country and so on


It depends on where they're at if they're allowed to confront the enemy if they get shot at. Some of the countries they were in they weren't allowed to have weapons, other ones they had gats

I heard of that show, but havn't seen it though...

[Tigerforce]

Theres a show on history channel every friday night called "Shadow Force" which is a group of PMC's (private military contractors) that go around to other countries and help them out. The show has only been on like 3-4 weeks, but sadly no fire fights yet.

One of the guys on the team is prior army SF, some dude was SF for another country and so on


It depends on where they're at if they're allowed to confront the enemy if they get shot at. Some of the countries they were in they weren't allowed to have weapons, other ones they had gats


They had that show it was the A-Team
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/ateam.jpg

[NCdross]

If hired by the cruise lines or the insurers of the ships. Remember their "security". So if their life is in danger when they get face to face with pirates it's self defence.

[Draco771]

If hired by the cruise lines or the insurers of the ships. Remember their "security". So if their life is in danger when they get face to face with pirates it's self defence.

There's always a loop hole :D :rolleyes: LOL

[Draco771]

They had that show it was the A-Team
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/ateam.jpg

Don't take this the wrong way..................

But.................


I havn't heard about the A Team, since I was a little boy...

wow.......

[HereWeGoAgain]

If you can get accepted to work for Blackwater the training is intense. I read somewhere about it and the whole application process and yes, they do make bank. It was somewhere up in the $100,000 a year range starting out. That was a few years back, so I don't know if it's gone up or down since then. The Shadow Force show is pretty good, but when you think they're going to get into a fire fight they never do, so it got kinda old after a few episodes.

[NCdross]

If you can get accepted to work for Blackwater the training is intense. I read somewhere about it and the whole application process and yes, they do make bank. It was somewhere up in the $100,000 a year range starting out. That was a few years back, so I don't know if it's gone up or down since then. The Shadow Force show is pretty good, but when you think they're going to get into a fire fight they never do, so it got kinda old after a few episodes.


They may not show a fire fight, it may get negative reviews/remarks to the network.

[HereWeGoAgain]

They may not show a fire fight, it may get negative reviews/remarks to the network.

That's true b/c I watched the episode where they were with those park rangers in the Congo or somewhere looking for rebels cutting down the forest to make coal. At one point I thought for sure they would have contact, but it never showed it.

[ctfrasier]

I'm sure those guys make at least 6 figures. My buddy's making 90k running a bar in Qatar.

[HereWeGoAgain]

I'm sure those guys make at least 6 figures. My buddy's making 90k running a bar in Qatar.

All private contractors of any type in the Middle East are sittin good right now.

[NCdross]

Have yall seen that movie War, Inc.?

[HereWeGoAgain]

Nah....But I heard Hilary Duff has long left those Lizzy McGuire days.

[NCdross]

HAHA, she really did, I didnt even realize that was her til I read the back of the case.

[HereWeGoAgain]

I might make it a Blockbuster night:D

[JonTheBaptist]

Yeah, but the movie ******. They took a good, serious topic and made a really bad comedy.

I had a friend who was a water purification specialist with KBR, and he was making $8,000 a month in Iraq... said if he didn't have a family, he would have stayed there longer and would have been caking for years.

People say that the combat MOS's in the military are non-transferable in the civilian world... but I guess that's not true afterall!!! Blackwater will always be hiring, and there role will go beyond Iraq/Afganistan.

[NCdross]

Like I said before it's a corporate military.

[Draco771]

Yeah, but the movie ******. They took a good, serious topic and made a really bad comedy.

I had a friend who was a water purification specialist with KBR, and he was making $8,000 a month in Iraq... said if he didn't have a family, he would have stayed there longer and would have been caking for years.

People say that the combat MOS's in the military are non-transferable in the civilian world... but I guess that's not true afterall!!! Blackwater will always be hiring, and there role will go beyond Iraq/Afganistan.

Indeed...

Have you ever talked to a "Black Water Recruiter" about the stuff they look for?

68W, 11B, 11C, 21B, 19D, and 13F are Army MOSs apparently they really love... ;)

[Draco771]

Like I said before it's a corporate military.

How many contracts/deployments do you think those guys get?

[HereWeGoAgain]

I think if given the chance I'd get a job with Blackwater. I don't have the experience yet though. So maybe years from now who knows

[abninf05]

Yeah, I think they want 6 years military experience with 1 of them being in a hostile area

[NCdross]

They are all around the world, Blackwater has over 300,000 employees worldwide.

[HereWeGoAgain]

The pay would be worth it, but I don't think they spend alot of time at home. Just like this "pirate hunting" they're about to do. Those guys will be gone for months and only come home for a weeks in between. When I looked into it they were doing 6 month deployments to Iraq with only 2 months at home and then back again. I don't know how they're working it now.

[Draco771]

Yeah, I think they want 6 years military experience with 1 of them being in a hostile area

A position one of their recruiters was telling me about the other day, (don't know how he got my e-mail address is beyond me... I honestly don't know where/who/how he got it... One of my friends gave it too him... Don't know who because he wont say... But we've spoken a bit regarding some things...)

If you're an 11B, for 12 or more months, and go 68W, you get a sign-on bonus as long as you've been 11B, and 68W qualified...

Or another thing he was talking about, is regarding 68W, if you're a 68W with combat experience (award of CMB, and been in direct combat against the enemy) and an EMB, and have served in an a Reconnaissance, Infantry, Armor, or Combat Engineering unit they'll take you...

Or if 68W and hold F5 (is that the current for Flight Medic?) you can land a spot in their SAR programs... etc.

It's actually pretty interesting how they mount the stuff up...

But 68W, 11B/C, 19D, 21B, and 13F are the MOSs (unless you've served in 75th RR, 160th SOAR, or held CMF 18) in the Army they love to get...

[Draco771]

The pay would be worth it, but I don't think they spend alot of time at home. Just like this "pirate hunting" they're about to do. Those guys will be gone for months and only come home for a weeks in between. When I looked into it they were doing 6 month deployments to Iraq with only 2 months at home and then back again. I don't know how they're working it now.

That would be a bit hard to adjust to... idk though...

How much strain do you think that puts on their families?

[HereWeGoAgain]

TONS.... Just when you get settled back down, you're off again. At least it's not like SF in the sense that you kinda know when you're leaving again. SF just gets a call and laces up whenever.

[Tigerforce]

I wouldn't want to rely on some guy who is looking for a big paycheck to watch my six!

[HereWeGoAgain]

You don't think someone could want money and be good at what they do. I mean if someone was in it just for the money and didn't do the job worth a d@mn they wouldn't be there for long. They'd be dead or fired. I was just sayin that the nice paycheck is a good incentive.

[Tigerforce]

You don't think someone could want money and be good at what they do. I mean if someone was in it just for the money and didn't do the job worth a d@mn they wouldn't be there for long. They'd be dead or fired. I was just sayin that the nice paycheck is a good incentive.


I can think of better ways to earn a buck. I put my life on the line for my country and the guy standing next to me, not some company. I don't doubt that they have some great shooters in their ranks, but ask yourself this how many good soldiers have we lost to that greed because they got offered a better paycheck?

[HereWeGoAgain]

Hince the reason I wouldn't really do it. I'm willing to join an infantry unit in the Guard and leave my wife and kids at home to fight for our country, so money really doesn't matter to me. I was saying it would be nice to make that much doin something I love

[Tigerforce]

Hince the reason I wouldn't really do it. I'm willing to join an infantry unit in the Guard and leave my wife and kids at home to fight for our country, so money really doesn't matter to me. I was saying it would be nice to make that much doin something I love

yes it would be.

[Phantom]

I can think of better ways to earn a buck. I put my life on the line for my country and the guy standing next to me, not some company. I don't doubt that they have some great shooters in their ranks, but ask yourself this how many good soldiers have we lost to that greed because they got offered a better paycheck?

There are other ways to work for companies like this outside of being in a force on force. Blackwater, is just one of the most heard about ones, especially with the 5 guys convicted last week. Majority of the companies also offer training that is used in different SOF training. I have been to a few of them. Outside of training they offer security for large corporations and security for high risk movements inside the country.

[Tigerforce]

There are other ways to work for companies like this outside of being in a force on force. Blackwater, is just one of the most heard about ones, especially with the 5 guys convicted last week. Majority of the companies also offer training that is used in different SOF training. I have been to a few of them. Outside of training they offer security for large corporations and security for high risk movements inside the country.


I have no problem with a guy going into a security position. I just have a problem with subsidizing our military for these types of people who have no bounds to military laws or local authority. This is an industry that needs to be regulated by the government and quick!

[Recruiter yosis]

You can pretty much classify them as mercs


Lol they are mercs.