Blackwater USA

Blackwater USA is a private military contractor and security firm based in North Carolina. The company describes itself as providing support to "military, government agencies, law enforcement and civilian entities in training, targets and range operations."

Corporate structure

Blackwater USA consists of five companies:

Blackwater Training Center
Blackwater Target Systems
Blackwater Security Consulting (Moyock, North Carolina)
Blackwater Canine
Blackwater Air (AWS)
Blackwater Airships, LLC

Blackwater's president, Gary Jackson, is a former Navy SEAL, as are other executives within the firm.

Facilities

Company literature claims the company runs "the largest privately-owned firearms training facility in the nation." The facility, located in North Carolina, is composed of several ranges, indoor, outdoor, urban reproductions and has over 7000 acres (24 km²) of land spanning Camden and Currituck counties.

Training

Blackwater offers several courses placed sporadically throughout the year, from hand to hand combat (executive course) to sniping. Furthermore one could opt to enroll in Blackwater Academy, a facility that will train recruits, provided they are willing to engage in a rather restrictive contract that places them exclusively in their service.

History

Blackwater USA was formed in 1997 to provide additional support to military and law enforcement organizations. It was one of several private security firms employed following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

Blackwater Security Consulting is one of about 25 private security firms employed during the Iraq War to guard officials and installations, train Iraq's new army and police, and provide other support for occupation forces. ^*

In March 2004, four Blackwater independent contractors who were guarding food shipments were attacked and killed in Fallujah, Iraq ^*. Their charred bodies were beaten and dragged before cameras. One of them was Scott Helvenston, who appeared on the reality TV show Combat Missions. See also United States occupation of Fallujah.

In April 2005 six Blackwater independent contractors were killed in Iraq when the MI-8 helicopter they were in was shot down. Also killed were three Bulgarian crewmembers and two Fijian gunners. Initial reports indicate the helicopter was shot down by RPGs. The six Americans killed have been identified as:

Robert Jason Gore, of Nevada, Iowa
Luke Adam Petrik of Conneaut, Ohio
Jason Obert of Fountain, Colorado
Steve McGovern of Lexington, Kentucky
Erick Smith of Waukesha, Wisconsin
David Patterson of Havelock, North Carolina

The three Bulgarians have been identified as:

Lyubomir Kostov
Georgi Naidenov
Stoyan Anchev

Kostov actually survived the helicopter crash, but was then shot to death by the men who shot the helicopter down.

Blackwater USA was employed to assist the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. According to a company press release, it provided airlift services, security services, humanitarian support services, and logistics and transportation services. Unofficial reports claim that the company also provided law enforcement services, such as securing neighborhoods and confronting criminals. ^*

Controversy and criticism

On April 19, 2006 The Nation published an article concerning the lawsuit against Blackwater brought by the families of four deceased employees.^* The article discusses the removal of the word "armoured" from already signed contracts and other allegations of wronging.

External links

Private military contractors | Companies based in North Carolina