FROM THE EDITOR

January 23, 2006

Professional

A professional learns every aspect of the job. An amateur skips the learning process whenever possible.

A professional carefully discovers what is needed and wanted. An amateur assumes what others need and want.

A professional looks, speaks and dresses like A professional. An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.

A professional keeps his or her equipment clean and orderly. An amateur has dirty gear.

A professional is focused and clear-headed. An amateur is confused and distracted.

A professional does not let mistakes slide by. An amateur ignores or hides mistakes.

A professional jumps into difficult assignments. An amateur tries to get out of difficult work.

A professional remains level-headed and optimistic. An amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.

A professional persists until the objective is achieved. An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.

A professional produces more than expected. An amateur produces just enough to get by.

A professional produces a high-quality product or service. An amateur produces medium-to-low quality product or service.

A professional has a promising future. An amateur has an uncertain future.

Are you A professional?

Gary Jackson
President
Blackwater

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave."
---Thomas Stonewall Jackson

PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS

Two articles this week from our friends at the Terrorism Research Center (http://www.terrorism.com)

Man Goes on Stabbing Spree in Synagogue

A man armed with a knife stabbed several people in a downtown Moscow synagogue Wednesday, with some seriously wounded, before the rabbi's son wrestled the assailant to the ground, police officials and witnesses said. At least six people were hospitalized in the attack at the Chabad Bronnaya synagogue, a duty officer with the Central Moscow district police precinct told The Associated Press. http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=WarReports&file=index&view=915

U.S. Embassy in Malaysia Reopens

The U.S. Embassy in Malaysia reopened with enhanced security Thursday, six days after it was shut due to fears it was under surveillance, officials said. The embassy in Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur, was closed Friday due to "recent suspected surveillance incidents" but these concerns "have been addressed satisfactorily," said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Kathyrn Taylor. "As of last night, we decided that we had met our criteria to reopen. Our security posture is such that we feel it is safe to reopen for staff and public," she said. http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=WarReports&file=index&view=897

Stop Teaching Our Soldiers To Die

So you read the title of the article and you think to yourself, "Huh? Why would anyone be teaching our soldiers to die? We teach them to fight hard and let the other guy die for his country or beliefs, right?" On the surface the answer is yes. If you delve into the training methods though, you find out that, in some ways, we are conditioning our soldiers to accept death - and to do so in circumstances where it is unnecessary.
Not that many years ago I spent three years in a Light Infantry unit. Now before I go much further I need to recognize a few realities:
http://www.borelliconsulting.com/articles/stopteachingdeath.htm

Catalogue of Standard Reticle Patterns by Manufacturer

Compiled by Dale A. Kopas
The Reticle Patterns in this Catalogue were generated from the following Original Manufacturer’s Web Sites. These images are for educational usage only and not intended for commercial publication or sale. (Power Point presentation 1.3M download) http://www.borelliconsulting.com/articles/stopteachingdeath.htm

BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Dangerous Alliance: Terrorism and Organized Crime

Last October, Italian investigators confirmed a disturbing trend in the War on Terrorism: the growing link between terrorism and organized crime. The investigators revealed that al Quaeda was using the Naples-based Camorra mafia, with its extensive network and expertise in forging documents, to move its operatives through Europe to safe houses in such cities as Paris, London, Berlin and Madrid. According to DIGOS, Italy’s political crime unit, the number of al Quaeda operatives passing through Naples may have exceeded a thousand. Il Mattino, Naple’s major daily newspaper described the arrangement: “Should any trouble arise at any time, the Camorra’s alliances will send them (al Quaeda operatives) off on one of the many trains leaving the city’s main station, or via speed-boat—the same vessels the Camorra uses to traffic cigarettes, drugs and other contraband.”Test http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=1541&cid=11&sid=64

Citizen volunteer force proposed

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed a citizen volunteer force to fight growing crime and hooliganism spilling from the urban ghettoes of the country.
The "citizens' reserve" would be unpaid and patrol the "sensitive areas," he said.
http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060117-100430-5659r.htm

Mexican military incursions reported

The U.S. Border Patrol has warned agents in Arizona of incursions into the United States by Mexican soldiers "trained to escape, evade and counterambush" if detected -- a scenario Mexico denied yesterday.
The warning to Border Patrol agents in Tucson, Ariz., comes after increased sightings of what authorities described as heavily armed Mexican military units on the U.S. side of the border. The warning asks the agents to report the size, activity, location, time and equipment of any units observed.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060117-121930-3169r.htm

Google in court over refusal to let US examine search requests

GOOGLE users will face US government monitoring if the American authorities win a court case aimed at getting the website to hand over copies of every search conducted.
The world’s most popular search engine, used by 90 million people every month, has been asked to hand over an entire week of search requests made at Google.com.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2002328,00.html

JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

SECURITY OPPORTUNITIES
Blackwater is providing qualified and trained Protective Security Specialists (PSS) for the purpose of conducting protective security operations in Iraq.

These positions currently include:

Protective Security Specialist (PSS)

PSS/Designated Defensive Marksman (DDM)

Explosive Detection Dog (EDD)/Handler

Administrative and Logistics Security Specialist (ALSS)

Intelligence Analyst (IA)

Armorer

Maintenance Positions

Medical Officer

Physician Assistant PSS/Emergency Medical Technician (EMT1) To be considered for a position as an Independent Contractor for Blackwater as a Protective Security Specialist (PSS) - Fill out and application and submit your DETAILED RESUME and a copy of your DD-214:
TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME AND DD-214 CLICK HERE https://secure.blackwaterusa.com/

SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Israeli Hints at Preparation to Stop Iran

Israel's defense minister hinted Saturday that the Jewish state is preparing for military action to stop Iran's nuclear program, but said international diplomacy must be the first course of action.
"Israel will not be able to accept an Iranian nuclear capability and it must have the capability to defend itself, with all that that implies, and this we are preparing," Shaul Mofaz said.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060122/D8F9EEN00.html

Army Officer Found Guilty in Iraqi's Death

An Army interrogator committed negligent homicide when he put a sleeping bag over an Iraqi general's head and sat on his chest as the man suffocated, a military jury found.
Attorneys for Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer Jr. said he believed the general had information that would "break the back of the whole insurgency" at a time when soldiers were being killed in an increasingly lethal and bold resistance.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060122/D8F9MUMG0.html

Predator and Prey

More than four years after 9/11, bin Laden issues another threat. Can new technology help to silence him?

That familiar voice, at once menacing and gently lilting, was back. After more than a year in which some U.S. officials had speculated openly he might be dead, Osama bin Laden resurfaced in his usual way, unannounced, dressing up threats of death in reasonable tones. Holed up in some remote region believed to be along the Afghan-Pakistani border, the impresario of 9/11 seemed to be talking to his enemies more than his followers. And in his audiotape, recorded in recent weeks and secretly couriered as usual to an Al Jazeera bureau, there was also something new: an offer of an olive branch. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/13/school.shooting.ap/index.html

U.S. Navy captures suspected pirates

U.S. Navy vessels pursued a suspected pirate ship in the Indian Ocean off Somalia’s coast and fired warning shots to capture its crew on Saturday, U.S. Navy Forces Central Command said.
The guided missile destroyer Winston S. Churchill and other U.S. naval forces located the vessel after receiving a report of an attempted act of piracy, but it failed to respond to orders to stop.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10966413/

FRANKS REVIEW

Service Equipment Review:

Dexter Meadows Spec-Ops Clip-on Kneepads

Okay, so we all know the jokes about "putting on the kneepads", but the reality is that, under circumstances, we'd better put them on or risk doing crippling damage to our knees. As much as soldiers and law enforcement professionals run, jump, walk, etc, our knees take quite a beating. It doesn't help when we're crawling along with a ruck, weapon, water, etc and all that weight is on our hands and knees. To protect our knees we've all worn kneepads in the past. Some are hard-shell pads held on with velcro bands - which can be quite restrictive, binding and uncomfortable. Some are made of thick neoprene and held on with elasticized velcro bands. I find these a little more comfortable, but less protective against puncture and laceration. Now comes an answer that should have us all smacking ourselves in the forehead and asking, "Why didn't I think of that?" Because a guy named Dexter Meadows did.

The rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/other/dexterkneepads.htm

Recreational Equipment Review:

Perris Valley (CA) Skydiving Adventures

Courtesy of Chuck Bennett
Having just relocated (again) to Southern California, I am once again treated to the clear skies and warm weather of the left coast. Having been doing most of my jumping on the East Coast of the U.S. lately, I’ve come home, so to speak, to Perris Valley Skydiving. Located about an hour from Los Angeles (if you’ve got the right foot for it), Perris offers three Twin Otters and a Skyvan to keep the loads turning. With all the jumping you can handle, Perris even gives the non-jumper (although I don’t know many) something to do with their Verticle Wind Tunnel. Now you can experience the feeling of falling without ever getting on the plane. It’s a tremendous training aid also.

The rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/sky/perrisvalley.htm

CHAPLAINS CORNER

OBSERVATION...
The most important talent for a Peace Keeper, at least when in the field, could be a
highly developed power or ability of observation. Being able to see what most do
not see. Being able to discern what is wrong and does not fit... being able to
separate the pertinent revealing information from that which does not apply to the
situation at hand. If a person is going to be successful and survive the career of
Peace Keeping this attribute must be developed to the highest sense possible...
and practiced in all situations.

The eye must become adept at seeing all that is there... recognizing that which does
not fit... recognizing the important aspects... recognizing that which is or could become
a threat to peace and safety... RECOGNIZING WHAT COULD KILL YOU!

Successful snipers have developed this skill. If you cannot see it you cannot take it
out. Investigators have developed this skill. Forensic Technicians as well as
investigators must be trained in this skill and practice it until it is honed to it's very
best sensitivity. So, too, must the officer on the street and the soldier in the field
develop and practice this skill. This skill is an attitude of alertness and practice that
keeps the Peace Keeper alive. What you do not see could kill you.

http://blackwaterusa.com/btw2006/articles/012306chaplain.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

BUMPER STICKER

Saturday has a morning?

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.