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**FROM THE EDITOR:** |
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
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Gary Jackson
President
Blackwater
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QUOTES FOR THE WEEK |
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
- Abraham Lincoln
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PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS |
I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES. PLEASE DO NOT
HESITATE TO SEND ME SOMETHING YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT MIGHT
BE OF INTEREST TO OUR READERS.
Biometric Readers Fooled With Fake Fingerprints
Researchers fooled biometric systems with fake fingerprints made out of Play-Doh nine out of ten times, demonstrating a weakness of some computer security systems. Led by Stephanie Schuckers, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Potsdam, N.Y.-based Clarkson University, the researchers tested 66 Play-Doh copies of real fingerprints of 11 different people. The fake fingerprints were verified as the real deal 90 percent of the time.
http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=WarReports&file=index&view=863
Too Much Light?
By: Ken J. Good
Words have meaning. Concepts, both good and bad, can take on a life of their own. Therefore it is incumbent upon responsible individuals and groups to push back when ill-conceived or erroneous information is tabled as viable doctrine or policy. Frameworks of thought built on fallacies or half-truths need to be destroyed as fast as they are erected. I feel it is imperative to address just such a framework that was recently circulated through the November 2005 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. The article was entitled, "Perspective - Use of Force and High-Intensity Tactical Police Flashlights Policy Concerns" ~ By R. Paul McCauley, Ph.D.
The rest of the article: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/articles/hitpf.htm
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BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Feds sniffed for nukes at Muslim sites
Federal counterterrorism agents secretly have tested the air for radiation near hundreds of Muslim sites in New York, Washington and other major cities since 2002, officials confirmed yesterday.
The daily radiation testing near Islamic mosques and other sites was a response to intelligence that Al Qaeda sought to detonate a nuclear or radioactive "dirty" bomb, U.S. News & World Report said.
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/377413p-320558c.html
Russia deploys new set of strategic nuclear missiles
The chief of Russia's strategic forces on Saturday attended the deployment of a new set of state-of-the art intercontinental ballistic missiles, boasting of their capability to penetrate any prospective missile defense, news reports said.
Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, took part in a ceremony that marked the commissioning of the latest set of Topol-M missiles at a missile base in Tatishchevo in the Volga River's Saratov region.
http://drudgereport.com/flash3.htm
Iran Detains German and French Tourists
Iran said Sunday it is holding a German man and a Frenchman whose boat strayed into its territorial waters while they were on a sailing vacation last month.
The men were detained for "illegal entry into Iran's territorial waters," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters. He said the men were healthy and had spoken to their embassies by telephone but were still being questioned.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051225/D8EN8UFO0.html
Not Home for the Holidays
This time of year is particularly tough for military families, but several grass-roots groups are stepping in to help
Brody Comeaux has had one of the telltale signs of post traumatic stress disorder for nearly a year. Any sudden, loud noise-even a balloon pop-can send him running for cover. PTSD is a fairly common side effect of trauma experienced during war. But Brody isn't a soldier. He's an eight-year-old boy living in Thibodaux, La. His father, Kurt, was killed in Baghdad on Jan. 6 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Bradley fighting vehicle.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10436363/site/newsweek/
The Job Ahead: 'They're Not Going Back'
America's top general in Iraq tells what can and can't be done.
General George Casey has been in charge of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq since June 2004. He oversaw U.S. forces when they quelled a Shiite rebellion in Najaf and has since pulled U.S. troops out of the city and handed control over to the Iraqis. But Casey also ordered the huge assault on Fallujah one year ago in which more than 50 U.S. Marines died and where the insurgency continues to retain a broad base of popular support. Last week, Casey was in the air in a Blackhawk helicopter over several cities watching Iraq's historic election with a bird's eye view.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10511649/site/newsweek/
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It can be deployed in minutes with minimal training for tactical surveillance and protection applications.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
SECURITY
Blackwater USA is looking for highly qualified, subject matter experts for several overseas opportunities.
Applicants for the following positions:
Must be US Citizens
Have a current security clearance
Must have extensive experience in high-threat environments in such countries as Iraq and Afghanistan
Coordination Officer
The Coordination Officer will serve as the primary liaison between Iraqi officials, Coalition Forces, and US Government officials. This individual will fill a key position that will be critical to the transition of management of training and camp programs to the Iraqi government.
General Requirements:
Must have a valid U. S. Passport
Must be in good health and able to travel overseas
Must have served in a leadership position for five years (5) as member of a military or police special operations
Must have excellent command of the Arabic Language
Must have at least three years experience of working with both Military and Department of State in special police and protective service operations
Please send your complete resumes to bwtraining@blackwaterusa.com
VIP Protection Trainers
Blackwater USA is looking for highly qualified, subject matter advisors and trainers to assist in the training of Iraqi security personnel. Individuals will be expected to liaison between Iraqi, Coalition, and US government officials.
General Requirements:
Must have a valid U. S. Passport
Must be in good health and able to travel overseas
Former/retired US Department of State diplomatic Security Services; or
Former/retired US Secret Service or equivalent
Must have a minimum of 3 years of working high level, high threat, and overseas protection detail assignments
Please send your complete resumes to bwtraining@blackwaterusa.com
Training Department Head
Blackwater USA is seeking a highly qualified manager to oversee training being conducted in Iraq. This manager will be responsible for a wide spectrum of financial and logistic reporting as well ensure that the training is being conducted as required by the contract. This position will support a multi-phase, multi-year contract in Iraq.
General Requirements:
Must have a valid U. S. Passport
Must be in good health and able to travel overseas
Must have a minimum of 3 years of working high level, high threat, and overseas protection detail assignments
Must have experience in leading and managing a training cadre of highly specialized trainers and advisors
Please send your complete resumes to bwtraining@blackwaterusa.com
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SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
Sponsored by Blackwater Security Consultants |
Al Qaeda fiend targeted Bush
Before he was captured last spring, Osama Bin Laden's top operational commander was solely focused on killing President Bush and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharaff, the Daily News has learned.
The capture last May of Al Qaeda's No. 3 leader, Abu Faraj Al-Libi, apparently thwarted plots to assassinate the two partners in the global war on terror, said a senior Pakistani official, whose information was corroborated by two senior U.S. counterterrorism officials.
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/377213p-320445c.html
Rumsfeld Serves Up Grub to Troops in Iraq
In a festively bedecked dining hall, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld served Christmas Eve dinner to dozens of U.S. soldiers, then fed them his view - with a mix of optimism, caution and emotion - of why the war that has cost more than 2,150 U.S. lives must be won.
"We will win this war. It's a test of wills, and let there be no doubt that is what it is," he said. Rumsfeld told the troops that "generations before you have persevered and prevailed, and they too were engaged in a test of wills."
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051225/D8EN7OM84.html
Army Seeking to Hand Iraqis More Posts
The U.S. Army is hastening efforts to hand over command of military posts to Iraqis after parliamentary elections that many hope will produce a more stable government and set the stage for American soldiers to begin going home.
Seventeen of the 109 former Iraqi bases used by coalition troops since the 2003 invasion have already transferred to Iraqi command, while 30 have been shut down, Army officers say. The Pentagon is pushing for more in the coming months.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051225/D8EMUKPO0.html
Aceh rebels disband armed wing
Indonesia's Aceh rebels formally disbanded their armed wing on Tuesday in a major step toward ending one of Asia's longest separatist conflicts.
Peace efforts gained momentum after Aceh province was devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004, killing more than 131,000 people in the province and leaving half a million others homeless.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/12/26/aceh_rebels_disband_armed_wing/
Dispute Delays Handoff to Iraqi Unit
A dispute between the U.S. military and Iraq's Defense Ministry over who will command the Iraqi army unit assuming responsibility for some of Baghdad's most sensitive sites has led to the postponement of a formal handover scheduled for Tuesday.
Since August, Col. Muhammed Wasif Taha has served as acting commander of the 5th Brigade, 6th Division of the Iraqi army, the unit set to take charge of a section of the capital including the airport road and the perimeter of the fortified Green Zone. The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division currently controls both areas.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600748_pf.html
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FRANKS REVIEW |
Service Equipment Review:
TeamSD AirSoft M4
Courtesy of Steve Forgues
While surfing about the internet one day, I came across the TeamSD line of airsoft guns. Although TeamSD does have the inexpensive toy type airsoft guns like what you see in your local department store, they specialize in realistic guns like what military and law enforcement typically use. Some of them, like the one I am reviewing are licensed replicas of an actual weapon. This gun is part of their Auto Electric Gun (AEG) series.
It made me start thinking about how one of these guns would fit into force on force (F.O.F.) training. More and more departments around the country and world are starting to do this type of training. There are several options available when it comes to F.O.F. training, such as Simunition, Paintball and now Airsoft. Here is my view on the options; I don't know everything about Simunition, but from what I have seen, it is very expensive, plus you have to modify the weapon or change out the barrel. Paintball is inexpensive, but the guns are not like what you use on duty or with a tactical/military unit, unless you spend a considerable amount of money. Airsoft on the other hand is inexpensive in comparison to Simunition, realistic to what you use, plus you can also get marking rounds. I'm sure that you have, but have you ever heard the saying, "train the way you fight, fight the way you train." With this in mind, I feel that the TeamSD line of products allows you to do just that.
For the rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/guns/airsoftm4.htm
Recreational Equipment Review:
BlackHawk CQC Tactical SERPA Holster
Although obviously not designed as a general outdoors use holster, the CQC Tactical Holster has some excellent design characteristics that make it suitable for hunting and/or camping/backpacking activities (where allowed by law). Not only is the holster available for most firearms popular for duty use (1911, Beretta M9, Glock) but the material it's made from allow it to conform to the shape of your thigh (intead of vice-versa). The hangers are flexible and the "Y" design means less stress on your hip as you walk or climb. With the accessory rails, you can attach pouches for extra magazines, a folding knife, or flashlight. I expect that BlackHawk will expand those accessory options in the future.
For the rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/campback/bhcqctacserpa.htm
Frank Borelli
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We at SWAT digest are just ordinary, professional law enforcement officers
who have unique skills and experiences that have taken an idea, put it
together and just did it. We at SWAT digest have put together a writing staff
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Check us out here>http://www.swatdigest.com/ |
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CHAPLAINS CORNER |
TO AND FOR PEACE KEEPERS OF THE MILITARY AND ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AT ALL LEVELS AND ALL OF THOSE IN THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND ALL
WHO CARE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WELFARE.
LIFE IS ARBITRARY AND CANNOT BE AVOIDED..OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IS MERCIFUL TO US, HE MAKES PROVISION WHEN WE REQUEST IT
WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT...
(Author of the following poem is not known to me... I made a search but
I did not
locate the origin. It has been around for a while. It made the
circuit last Christmas,
too. My deepest thanks to the origional author for this inspiration.
I have altered it
somewhat as I am remembering my own Christmases in the ice and snow
alone.)
THE PEACE KEEPERS OF CHRISTMAS, HANUKAH, KWANZA..
AND WHATEVER THE SEASON... ALL THE TIME...
(Dedicated to All Peace Keepers)
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My child beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
transforming the yard to a beautiful sight.
The sparkling lights of the tree I perceive
completed the magic of that Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep.
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2005/articles/122605chaplain.html
Be Blessed(a condition to be envied by the world).
Be Successful. Be SAFE.
VSP ALUMNI 757-431-2190
Chaplain D.R.Staton, VBPD (Don, C1)
chpln1@verizon.net
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BUMPER STICKER (As seen on our highways; send your sightings) |
Smile and let it go
LEGAL NOTICE
Blackwater USA (the "Company"), provides this Newsletter as a source of diverse information to its readers. The Company does not warrant or endorse the products or services advertised in or reviewed in the Newsletter. The views and statements of the reviewers and commentators presented in the Newsletter are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Company or its affiliates. The Company does not monitor or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the material provided in this Newsletter or presented at any of the third-party websites to which links are provided in this Newsletter. WARNING: Use of certain of the products and services discussed or reviewed in this Newsletter can lead to personal injury or death. It is critical to follow manufacturers' instructions in using such products or services. The Company will not accept any liability for damages, injuries, or death resulting from the use or misuse of any such products or services.
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