Blackwater USA, now known as Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military contractor that provides support and logistics services to law enforcement and the military. It offers training programs and technology for law enforcement and military personnel. The company was founded in 1997 by a former Navy SEAL and has expanded globally. Blackwater has been involved in scandals, leading to criticism of the lack of oversight for private military companies.
Blackwater USA is a private military contractor based in the United States. Since 2007, it has been known as Blackwater Worldwide, reflecting the global nature of its operations, although many people know it by its former title of “Blackwater USA”. The company provides support and logistics services to law enforcement and the military, and also designs technology and training programs designed to assist law enforcement and military personnel.
The company was founded in 1997 by a former Navy SEAL who wanted to provide training support to local law enforcement agencies. It gets its name from the typically dark groundwater near its North Carolina location. Erik Price, the founder of the company, quickly expanded the scope of the organization and by 2008, Blackwater was training 40,000 people a year and sending employees around the world.
Blackwater’s training includes a wide range of potential situations. Blackwater personnel can fly aircraft, command ships, provide law enforcement support, assist servicemen ashore, make supply deliveries, handle specially trained dogs, negotiate hostage situations, and perform a wide variety of other duties. The company offers warehousing assistance, including secure storage, load moving, modular construction, and a wide variety of other needs. Blackwater technology is used at active firing ranges and war zones around the world, and Blackwater personnel show up in a surprising number of locations.
Training programs at Blackwater include combat training, tactical training, and training in the use of a variety of weapons and in negotiating a variety of situations. In addition to maintaining a trained staff, the company also offers courses to individuals working in law enforcement, providing access to its sophisticated law enforcement facilities. The company prides itself on a talented, flexible workforce who can fit almost anywhere, and many of Blackwater’s staff are former members of law enforcement and the military. While the company initially operated primarily domestically, the name change from Blackwater USA to Blackwater Worldwide was designed to reflect the company’s growing overseas engagement and utilization of non-American personnel.
Historically, Blackwater has kept a very low profile. In 2004, civilians became aware of the company’s existence when four of its contractors were killed in Iraq. Blackwater USA began to take on a much more active profile at that point, sending personnel to assist with Hurricane Katrina recovery and providing support personnel for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, combined with other private military companies, US Blackwater made up the second largest force in Iraq after the US military, leading some people to joke about a “billing coalition,” making a pun on the “coalition of the willing ”. .”
The work of private military companies such as Blackwater Worldwide has been criticized by some people concerned that such companies lack the oversight associated with military and law enforcement agencies. Blackwater personnel are not subject to the same rules as the military and the company has been involved in some scandals and questionable activities which have highlighted the need for better oversight.
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