Readers;

Over the next couple of issues you will begin to see some minor changes to the BTW format and content based on your comments and recommendations. Thanks for some great suggestions, please keep them coming.

Thanks also for all of your enthusiastic support. It is great knowing we have such a loyal following. After last week's BTW we had a flurry of membership applications for our Alumni Association. For you new members, you should be receiving your e-copy of Communiqué, which has some great stories about recent company happenings and new developments within Blackwater.

Just a quick recap, by joining the Blackwater Alumni Association you will receive a $35 certificate for one of our open enrollment classes, our monthly publication Communiqué, which provides news about the company, and the bi-monthly magazine Serviam, aimed at the global stability market.

For a complete overview of benefits you can click on the alumni association link in the BTW or go directly to:

http://www.blackwateralumni.com where a link to the application form is provided at the top of the page.

Again, thanks for you support and readership, please send all comments to: btw@blackwaterusa.com

This week we'll focus on first responder issues, with an emphasis on gangs. Enjoy.

John Wrenn
Managing Editor, Blackwater Tactical Weekly
Director, Corporate Communications

Sun Tzu

Bills target Utah's gang problem

It's interesting to note that gang levels have risen in proportion to rising illegal alien levels. Is this a coincidence? Utah is trying to address the problems with SB65 and SB75.

A pair of bills aimed at tackling Utah's escalating gang problem today earned the approval of the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee.

Full Story

Elements of Bush's Budget

February 4, 2008

The Associated Press

Good news for HLS in President's proposed budget.  Standby for the critics to start taking shots at it.

President Bush is sending Congress a $3 trillion budget for 2009.

For Gangs, Tattoos Out; College Look In

www.knowgangs.com

www.knowgangs.com is a great site for information on gangs along with the problems they bring to our communities. This is some relevant news on how adaptive gangs are and how serious the threat is.

Chimaltenango, Guatemala (AP) - Tattoos, baggy pants and tank tops are out. Smart blazers and university recruits are in. It's an extreme makeover for Central America's gangs. Facing harsh crackdowns by government security forces and citizen vigilante groups, they are trying to lower their profile.

Full Story

To view the latest contract opportunities at Blackwater, visit our Contract Web Page.

TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME CLICK HERE

Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email webmaster@blackwaterusa.com.

Afghan Police Trainer Cites Steady Progress

American Forces Press Service
Seaman William Selby, USN

Some success overseas in training Afghan police to be a professional force.

Coalition forces are making slow but steady progress training the Afghan police force, a top leader in the effort said Jan. 25.

Full Story

SEPTA gets federal funding for emergency communications upgrade

Good news story on how political intervention can provide necessary equipment funding for first responders.

SEPTA will receive $656,600 in federal funds for a communications network that will enable it to communicate with police and emergency response teams in the five-county region that now operate on various communications systems, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey announced Wednesday.

Full Story

NBC2 Investigates: Gangs take recruiting online

www.knowgangs.com

Here is another www.knowgangs.com article, detailing the use of social networking sites as recruiting tools.

LEE COUNTY: The NBC2 Investigators discovered gangs are recruiting kids using popular social networking sites like YouTube and MySpace. Experts say gang videos are the newest threat on the internet.

Full Story

Icy water refreshes first responder training

WQAD.com
John David

Innovative training idea for cold water rescues.

IOWA QUAD CITIES -- It looks like a scene out of an action movie, but this is a long way from Hollywood. Firefighters spend a frigid Saturday engaged in a real-life drama. They're taking to the icy water to practice rescues.

Full Story

Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared

U.S. Senate

A very long read (do we expect brevity from our professional politicians?) but still important as it details our continued lack of governmental preparedness.

This book summarizes the results of a comprehensive and bipartisan investigation of the many failures at all levels of government in preparing for and responding to the Hurricane Katrina disaster of late summer 2005.

Full Report

National First Responder Appreciation Day

September 25, 2007

First Response Coalition

Feel good story from last year, recognizing the importance of first responders.

Washington, D.C. - September 25, 2007: Members of Congress, public safety representatives and national supporting organizations joined the First Response Coalition (FRC - www.FirstResponseCoalition.org) on the first annual "National First Responder Appreciation Day" to thank the country's first responders for their contributions, sacrifices and dedication to public service. In a Capitol Hill event, the FRC called on the House of Representatives to pass H.Res.592, the "National First Responder Appreciation Day" resolution and finally give first responders their national day of honor.

Press Release

Free Terrorism Daily Newsletter Now Available as an RSS Feed

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

From The SHOT Show Floor 2008

It's SHOT Show: what would you expect? The Las Vegas Convention Center isn't apparently big enough to hold all the exhibitors as there is the "Gold Hall" set up out in the parking lot. I had to laugh: "Gold Hall": a huge tent in the parking lot. But it's a testament to how big SHOT Show has grown. Last year ('07) I walked between 15 and 20 miles each day. This year I think I'm going to easily beat that. But it's everything you would expect SHOT to be and then some. Let's take a look…

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/other/fromshot08.htm

Recreational Equipment Review

Lest We Forget: SHOT Started With Outdoors

It's easy for those of us in the military and law enforcement industries to view SHOT Show as an event for US. However, we have to remember what the acronym stands for and how the event started 30 years ago: Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade Show. Since a large part of our recreational activities (those of cops and soldiers) take place in that place we call "outdoor", I felt we needed to have a larger focus on it this year in our reviews. Here's an early take on the true SHOT atmosphere that reaches back to its roots: the great outdoors.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/campback/preshot08rec.htm

Deadlines will catch us all at sometime. I am having trouble adjusting to my newest one.
Every Peace Keeper faces and deals with deadlines. My newest one is the submission deadline for CHAPLAIN CORNER. It falls in the middle of my difficult work week. I deal with my most difficult deadline four mornings a week when I am assigned to be on duty at 0600. That 0600 deadline is difficult because I seldom get enough sleep. The lack of sleep is due to several crisis... Some mornings my eyes just refuse to see and when I force them open they hurt for lack of rest.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2008/article/020408chaplain.htm

Black Five (http://www.blackfive.net)
Blackwater Facts (http://www.blackwaterfacts.com)
Blogs of War (http://www.blogsofwar.com)
Fifteen Months (http://www.fifteenmonths.blogspot.com)
Iraq Slogger (http://www.iraqslogger.com)
The Long War Journal (http://www.longwarjournal.org/)
Small Wars Journal (http://www.smallwarsjournal.com)
The Spy Who Billed Me (http://www.thespywhobilledme.com)

The Blackwater Tactical Weekly is a free weekly e-publication.

The BTW provides readers valuable information from diverse sources regarding tactical and strategic security issues.

Editor-in-Chief – Gary Jackson (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
Managing Editor – John Wrenn (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
Frank’s Review – Frank Borelli (frank@borelliconsulting.com)
Chaplain’s Corner - Chaplain D. R. Staton(chpln1@verizon.net)
Advertising – Melissa Culbert (btw@blackwaterusa.com)

Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488

Editorial Calendar:
Each week, the BTW will be geared toward a distinct market sector.

1st Monday of Month First Responder
2nd Monday of Month Military
3rd Monday of Month Homeland Security
4th Monday of Month Corporate Security
5th Monday of Month (if applicable) Editor’s Choice

The weekly theme may change at the discretion of the Editor based on current events.

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