Readers; Thanks for the feedback on the new look. You will see some more minor changes over the next couple of weeks as we seek to further incorporate your comments and suggestions.

I would also like to address some of your concerns about the Stanford article, “Should America Employ Mercenaries? You Bet!” We found it refreshing that a leading academic institution, which is frequently a bastion of liberal thought, showed support for our industry and our company in particular. The title could be construed as provocative, since we believe the term mercenary is an inflammatory adjective the liberal media frequently uses, but in this case it was deliberately used to make a point - a point we agree with.

As always, we will try to provide you articles that generate critical thinking and discussion along with developments in our industry.

Thanks again for all of your correspondence.

Michelangelo

February 21, 2008
Grant Thornton.com
Kerry B. Hall

Great overview of trends in government contracting, contradicting mainstream liberal medial claims of huge profits by government contractors.

Report shows big profits elude contractors. According to a report released Tuesday by Grant Thornton, 42 percent of surveyed government contractors had either no profit or profit rates between 1 percent and 5 percent of revenue. This is contrary to the large profits watchdog groups and politicians think contractors are making, according to yesterday's Federal Times. The 13th Annual Government Contractor Survey gathered business information from more than 100 companies representing a cross-section of the government contractor industry. Among its findings:

* On average, participants report 90 percent of total revenue comes from government contracts.

* Only 12 percent of respondents had profit rates from their government contracts over 15 percent.

* Nearly a third of respondents said they do not account for all hours worked, putting them at risk for underbilling time-and-materials contracts.

* 40 percent of revenue from federal contracts was from cost-reimbursable type contracts.

* 27 percent of respondents reported having contracts that require use of an earned value management system (EVMS), and of those, 41 percent said they rarely if ever receive government feedback on the information in EVMS reports.

* Executive compensation remains the cost most frequently challenged by the Defense Contract Audit Agency, yet 90 percent reported that their relationship with the agency is good.

“Government contract terms and conditions impose unique compliance burdens in practically all aspects of the company's business and those burdens are continually increasing,” the report states.

Full Story

Code Red
American Police Beat
Jim Pola

Editorial critical of current trend in police training.

Law enforcement in America is under attack. As of November 2, 2007 there have been 150 law enforcement officer deaths, which would put the profession on pace for the deadliest year since the early 1980s.

Full Story

Important progress in effort to restore peace and democracy in Kenya, a critical country/ally in East Africa. This will affect the global stability industry.

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya's rival political parties have nearly finalized a deal to end the political crisis that has kept this country on edge for almost two months, with the government agreeing to create a prime minister position, one of the opposition's key demands, a high-ranking government official said Thursday.

This is an article that seems to have generated some heated discussion among our LE brethren. I will let you be the judge.

A brief video clip that I posted on PoliceOne.com and also on BLUtube advocating the depressed muzzle position when we have our guns drawn but are not in the act of shooting someone drew some heavy negative response.

Full Story

Although this happened late last week, it is great example of a functioning missile defense shield or the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), that President Reagan proposed and which the critics said was impossible. Possible message for our friends the Chinese and Russians?

A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth's atmosphere.

Full Story

Free Law Enforcement Newsletter With Training Tips

The Backup Training Corporation is the premier digital training provider for law enforcement. Known for outstanding computer based training courses, their training is used in more than 9,600 police departments nationwide. Courses are approved for in-service training in 39 states and college credits are available. The library of 46 courses totals over 300 hours of free training to sworn officers, military and corrections personnel who act in a law enforcement capacity. Partnerships with several colleges provide funding for the training and the only cost to the officer is a $6 per course charge to shipping and handling - Click here to subscribe or learn more!

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.

Article on some non-kinetic weapons, possibly more relevant during counter-insurgency campaigns, as we try to limit damage to both personnel and property - winning hearts and minds.

As a result of growing demand in Iraq for handheld lasers, the Defense Department is reevaluating its long-term funding priorities for non-lethal weapons.

Full Story

Innovative way to use technology to create a realistic training scenario.

WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Md. - Inspired by a concept found in the “Star Trek” television show, scientists and videogame designers have joined forces to build an immersive simulation that will replicate realistic battlefield and field hospital scenarios to train combat medics and surgical teams.

Full Story

New type of UAV or Micro Air Vehicle (MAV). Dangerous in the wrong hands.

If you feel something crawling on your neck, it might be a wasp or a bee. Or it might be something much more dangerous.

Full Story

Great tip to prevent your customers from being victims of phishing scams or reduce direct competition from unscrupulous competitors.

WASHINGTON D.C. - Companies and political organizations should put more effort into registering mis-typed versions of their primary domain, not only to protect visitors to their Web sites but also to prevent e-mails from accidentally leaking out, a security researcher said on Wednesday.

Full Story

Bit of a long read (46 pages), but details strategy for protecting the U.S. from attack, plus roles and responsibilities of all players including local authorities.

Protecting the United States from direct attack is the highest priority of the Department of Defense. The military has traditionally secured the United States by projecting power overseas. While our current missions abroad continue to play a vital role for the security of our Nation, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 emphasized that we are confronting fundamentally different challenges from those faced during the Cold War.

Full Story

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

In my much younger days (before I was old enough to go in the service) I remember partaking of C-rations. I also remember thinking that, as good as I thought they were, carrying them around wouldn't be fun. All that water content made them heavy. So, what came along? MREs. Little to no water; easier to hump; not necessarily easier to eat or digest (matter of opinion and preference). The trend continues as companies create either meal bars or nutritional supplements you can add to your water to create the equivalent of a meal. The ASAP (Any Situation Always Prepared) high protein meal replacement supplement is such an item. Let's take a look at it…

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

Recreational Equipment Review

Everyone seems to have their own idea of what a "good" knife looks like and how it functions. Many folks lay out the requirements for their ideal knife in complete detail right down to how many millimeters thick the tang should be and how many teeth there should be in the serrations. I'm a more simple kind of guy: the knife should be strong; it should stand up to abuse; the grip should be secure even when wet; I should be able to hammer with it; I should be able to perform small cutting chores and minor chopping chores. I should be able to use it as a weapon if I must. The Miller Marine Model - or "M3" from Mil-Tac meets all my requirements.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/toolknife/m3.htm

I believe we all have a voice inside us that will guide us… If we shut out all the noise and distractions from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do… unless we have been brainwashed or some other method has been used to silence it, still it, dilute it or replace it! It is wisdom to learn and listen!

Emphasizing core strength training and use high tension techniques to function as one complete unit will allow you to perform better.

Full Story

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) has been the number-one cause of death in the U.S. in almost every year since 1900 (the exception was 1918, the year of the influenza epidemic). With the aging Baby Boomer population, experts project the death rate due to CVD will rise significantly over the next 10 years…

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 state of North Carolina has long been known for farming and Blackwater Worldwide is introducing a new crop, wind. Well, Blackwater isn't exactly farming wind but the ten-year-old firm known for its training and contracting will be generating electricity by means of harnessing wind energy through a wind turbine. A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Blackwater's headquarters in Moyock, N.C. is expected by March 1, 2008.

Article

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)
Format Editor – Jennifer Granoff (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
Frank’s Review – Frank Borelli (frank@borelliconsulting.com)
Chaplain’s Corner – Chaplain D. R. Staton(chpln1@verizon.net)
Advertising – Melissa Cuthbert (MCuthbert@blackwaterusa.com)

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

To subscribe to the BTW, Click Here

To view an archived BTW, Click Here