Readers;

Happy Tuesday, I regret the delay, but I trust you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend - the unofficial start to the summer. Of course I also trust you reminded your friends and families why we observe this national holiday.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day started as a day to honor Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. Following WWI, the holiday expanded to include all American's who died in our nation's service. Formerly celebrated on May 30th, Congress moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May to create a 3-day weekend. This move may have contributed to a perceived disconnect for some Americans who often regard the event as a vacation or an opportunity to buy at discount holiday prices. Those in service to or country now and in the past deserve our respect and appreciation. If you are serving or have served in the U.S. military or U.S. law enforcement, Blackwater Worldwide salutes you!!

Please keep the comments coming. I am always open to what interests you, and have received tons of positive comments about our 2nd Amendment articles, gang articles and articles about the problems on our southern border. This week in our Fitness Corner you will see a pair of articles from one of our readers.

So keep them coming, and as always, stay safe.

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

The Mentor Program
Blackwater Assists the Naval Community
May 2008
Dana C. Richardson

Blackwater is assisting the Navy in mentoring recruits.

With the Global War on Terror (GWOT) entering its seventh year and the ever increasing demands it places on the Special Operations community, innovative recruitment efforts to find qualified personnel are now required...

Blackwater is offering a new K-9 Tactical Course

Now is the time to register for the Blackwater K-9 Tactical Course June 16-19, 2008. This course is 3.5 days and is designed to educate the working dog handler and his canine partner

with advanced skills in tactical dog handling with faced with high-risk/high-threat situations. This is a challenging course that will test the handler's decision-making ability.

This course is approved by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) for twenty eight (28) hours of Law Enforcement In-Service Training credit.

For more information visit: http://www.blackwaterusa.com/courses/AT_nc_k9.html

To register for the class please call Michele at (252) 435-2035 or email her at:
training@blackwaterusa.com

While the U.S. military seeks to adapt some of USSOCOM's tactics and techniques, ADM Olsen, Commander USSOCOM, is defining SOCOM's mission.

WASHINGTON - The military's elite Special Operations Command has quietly stepped back from a controversial plan that gave it the authority to carry out secret counterterrorism missions on its own around the world.

Some good news in the GWOT.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Al Qaeda terror group in Iraq appears to be at its weakest state since it gained an initial foothold in the aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion five years ago, the acting commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Wednesday in an Associated Press interview.

Congress has introduced a bill to curb DoD from outsourcing work in the upcoming years.

U.S. lawmakers have taken the strongest steps yet in recent years to rein in federal contracting.

In bills to authorize the Defense Department and intelligence agencies, House and Senate lawmakers have called for a three-year ban on outsourcing Defense Department civilian jobs, new boundaries on what work can be outsourced, and new curbs aimed at preventing conflicts of interest when contractors assist agencies with their procurements.

A look at proposed oversight rules for contractors.

Contractors may soon be required to police their employees' personal conflicts of interest. In March 2008, the Government Accountability Office issued a report entitled, "Defense Contracting, Additional Personal Conflict of Interest Safeguards Needed for Certain Department of Defense Contractor Employees," recommending new department-wide safeguards and policies to limit personal conflicts of interest involving contractor employees working alongside government employees.

The Backup Training Corporation has introduced a free new Law Enforcement Newsletter. Delivered in electronic format, the newsletter contains a variety of brief training articles in each issue. These articles have been based on portions of the company's extensive library of law enforcement courses and provide practical tips that you can use in your everyday police work. Read these articles and you will want to see the full courses. The Backup is the premier digital training provider for law enforcement.- 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

Nice overview of how the Army is improving the Stryker to meet its tactical and operational needs.

The US Army plans to improve its fleet of Stryker vehicles with the introduction of improved suspension, increased power generation and distribution, implemented by new power management systems...

A technological improvement that will not only help military aircraft, but should eventually migrate to civilian aircraft and improve commercial airline safety.

New aviation-safety sensor technology that relies on millimeter-wave radar and infrared imaging is permitting C-130H transport pilots to land their aircraft in zero visibility conditions--including heavy fog, smoke and snow.

New development in mail screening systems.

DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - May 19, 2008) - DualDraw, LLC and Smiths Detection announced today that the two companies have agreed to market an advanced suite of mail security solutions. The initial product will be a mail screening system that integrates DualDraw's downdraft air filtration tables and booths with Smiths Detection's state-of-the-art hand-held chemical and explosives trace detectors.

Information on ways criminals are trying to access online bank accounts.

The latest threat to online banking accounts involves fraudsters using multi-step schemes that involve different interaction points with financial institutions.

Another look at a new use for radar.

The same technology that allows fighter pilots to detect enemy planes in the skies may one day help ground troops peer around buildings in cities to track down insurgents.

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

Having been issued a Government Model 1911 .45ACP when I was a Military Policeman years back, that weapon became the standard by which I judged other pistols. It wasn't until the Glock came along a few years later that I found something of a newer design that I felt would stand up to "the standard." Decades later now, I've come to enjoy my Glocks almost as much as my 1911, but there are a few things I'd change about them if I could. One of those things is the Connector. For those of you who aren't Glock savvy, the Connector is that piece which pulls the trigger bar away from the striker mechanism, allowing the weapon to fire. How that connector I shaped, angled, smoothed, etc can translate into trigger pull differences. This week's review is of a Connector made by Ghost Inc. and it really made a noticeable difference in how my Glock trigger feels.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

Recreational Equipment Review

Well fans, it's that time of year again. For the last few weeks I've been reminding folks to check their emergency gear; make sure supplies were fresh and/or updated; add a few new things that have come onto the market; take out a few that have been replaced by something better. The end result (for me) is a Go Bag (or Bugout Bag) that is repacked, resupplied, and (I hope) better than ever. Because such a bag can also serve as an excellent "grab and go" weekend camping backpack - prepacked and ready to go - I felt it was appropriate to review the bag and its contents. The one control statement I have to put out is this: this is MY bag and has contents specific to MY situations and potential emergencies. YOU have to determine what's right to put in yours. I've made a few suggestions below.

Memory - noun

1. the mental capacity or faculty of retaining and reviving facts, events, impressions, etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences.

2. this faculty as possessed by a particular individual: to have a good memory.

3. the act or fact of retaining and recalling impressions, facts, etc.; remembrance; recollection: to draw from memory.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2008/article/052708chaplain.htm

Here is an article from one of our readers about a method to stress your muscles to get the greatest gains.

One of the most effective ways to train is to structure your workout so that you perform exercises for opposing or antagonistic body parts one after the other. This is often referred to as antagonistic training. The benefits of antagonistic are that it allows you to: do more work in less time, use more weight with exercise, and increase the overall intensity of your workout. Simply put, this type of workout produces big-time results.

Here is the supporting article about the best whey protein to use to build muscle.

The supplement market is flooded with protein powders that all claim to be the best for building muscle. Some companies claim that whey protein alone is best while others market a blend of proteins, many of which you have probably never heard. With so many products to choose from it is difficult if not impossible to get a product that will actually help you achieve your goals and not waste your money. This article tells you which type of protein supplement has been shown through research to be the best for building muscle. We'll also tell you and which products use this type of protein.

Positive thinking is 90% mental.

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

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