48over4000
Verified Military
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2016
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- 44
They are placing ads in magazines simply stating "We are coming". Anyone know what that's about?
Blackwater placing ads in magazines
- Thread starter 48over4000
- Start date
I remember reading something the other day in a fox news opinion piece that was arguing we should hire contractors to replace troops in the middle east; I imagine that Blackwater is repositioning itself for new contracts should that happen.
Erik Prince wants Trump to buy into the 6000-contractor plan for AFG... which he might just do and why Mattis has unassed the AO, IMV.
I'd be wary of this...it smacks of hype and two years of Prince courting Trump. Not exactly the low-key, professional approach.
I'd be wary of this...it smacks of hype and two years of Prince courting Trump. Not exactly the low-key, professional approach.
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Kraut783
SOF Support
It would be interesting to see what their role would be....regardless, it will be a criminal investigation nightmare. It wasn't until 2008 that contractors came under DOD jurisdiction, in the form of Army CID (both A-stan and Iraq), in 2007 there was a ton of issues with civilian contractors...and I'm not just talking about the armed personal protection teams out there, the contracting offices had people making millions of dollars in fraud....when a lot was discovered in 2007, it turned out no one had jurisdiction on them and a lot walked out of Iraq with lots of money.
Florida173
SOF Support
If only there were competent government personnel looking after us contractors...
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
People read recoil?
48over4000
Verified Military
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2016
- Messages
- 44
It seems strange that they would place an advertisement in a magazine.
Kraut783
SOF Support
Heh, you know what I mean....there was a loophole that was exploited in all the money dumped into the OCONUS contracts.
- Joined
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This is the messy part. There isnt.
Not really a loophole. Contingency funding was probably used to pay for those contracts. Congress sets aside x number of dollars per year in Contingency funding. I would be curious to see the contract folder though to see all the pre and post award documentation.
Devildoc
Verified Military
I used to work for one of Blackwaters's competitors, had a couple of short-duration contracts and I did some teaching. That whole industry, oh my goodness....
One of my best friends has had multiple contracts with a couple of organizations, most of which was as a flight medic in Iraq, a DoS contract. The waste and lack of oversight, and free rein contractors get is incredible.
One of my best friends has had multiple contracts with a couple of organizations, most of which was as a flight medic in Iraq, a DoS contract. The waste and lack of oversight, and free rein contractors get is incredible.
I would venture to say that 99% of security contracts are DoS contracts, even though they support the DoD.
Devildoc
Verified Military
I agree, I would say 9:10 of ours supported other agencies (not just DoS), but 1:10 were DoD contracts. But regardless of who they were for, the cowboy mentality reigned supreme.
Kraut783
SOF Support
Well, not exactly. There were several contracting offices in Iraq that would work with the local business men to bid contracts, manufacturing T-Walls, crane companies...etc, well....one enterprising person was a European and was hired to do contracts and could also speak Arabic, so he would spearpoint the bids for the contract office. Over three years he took bribes totaling 3+ million dollars....a few Hilux Toyotas. His theft was discovered, but he couldn't be prosecuted due to the craziness, Army CID didn't have jurisdiction, DCIS tried but couldn't bring charges....he was fired and left the middle east flying back to Europe to his millions.
He was actually a pretty nice and personable guy.
Tons of money getting Government contracts, all the way to contractor services fighting wild land fires in the US. IOMAX out of NC does neat stuff. Rumor on the streets is there’s an investment group all made up of former military big wig Generals/Admirals, planning on buying Thrush Aircraft, the same company IOMAX builds their aircraft from. Hhhhmm.
Kraut783
SOF Support
From Soldiers Systems Daily....interesting.
"And now, for the rest of the story
December 31st, 2018
Last week, the main stream media lost its collective mind (yet again) when they created a narrative that Erik Prince was bringing Blackwater (the PMC) back because President Trump announced a withdrawal of US military forces from Syria and signaled a desire to pull out of Afghanistan combined with a teaser full-page ad in the latest issue of Recoil magazine. They were just sure that US troops would be replaced with mercenaries in the employ of former Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder, Erik Prince. “We Are Coming” was the proof they offered the public.
But as more ads begin to appear in firearms magazines, it’s quite apparent that the speculation is what refer to in the business as “fake news.”
What the press doesn’t know is that Erik Prince may have sold Blackwater years ago, but he retained ownership of the name and associated trademarks. We first encountered Blackwater Ammunition during IWA, back in March. Maybe it’s availability in the US is something new, but the brand’s existence isn’t exactly news.
I often ponder. If the MSM gets so much wrong that I know about, what are they misleading me on in subject areas where I have no visibility?"
"And now, for the rest of the story
December 31st, 2018
Last week, the main stream media lost its collective mind (yet again) when they created a narrative that Erik Prince was bringing Blackwater (the PMC) back because President Trump announced a withdrawal of US military forces from Syria and signaled a desire to pull out of Afghanistan combined with a teaser full-page ad in the latest issue of Recoil magazine. They were just sure that US troops would be replaced with mercenaries in the employ of former Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder, Erik Prince. “We Are Coming” was the proof they offered the public.
But as more ads begin to appear in firearms magazines, it’s quite apparent that the speculation is what refer to in the business as “fake news.”
What the press doesn’t know is that Erik Prince may have sold Blackwater years ago, but he retained ownership of the name and associated trademarks. We first encountered Blackwater Ammunition during IWA, back in March. Maybe it’s availability in the US is something new, but the brand’s existence isn’t exactly news.
I often ponder. If the MSM gets so much wrong that I know about, what are they misleading me on in subject areas where I have no visibility?"
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Eh, I disagree with Eric Graves take there. Eric Prince posted that image to get a reaction. All for an ammunition company?
I disagree also. Prince has been lobbying Trump for two years about this 6,000-contractor plan for AFG. The money is about worldwide protection service contracts, not selling boxes of ammo. And about the return of BW after exile in the wilderness.
