BLACKWATER STAFF MAKES THE SWAMP STOMPRunners complete the 13.1-mile half-marathon.by Eric R. Poole

CommuniquéBLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

May 2008

BLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Blackwater staff makes the Swamp Stomp Blackwater staff makes the Swamp Stomp

The 2nd Annual Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and the Inaugural Children’s Half Mile Fun Run events were held in Chesapeake, Virginia on April 19, 2008. The 2008 Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon proceeds went to the official charity organization, CHIP/Healthy Families.

The relatively flat 13.1-mile course took runners on a spec-tacular wilderness journey through lush, forested wetlands along the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The course runs parallel to the Dismal Swamp Canal, part of the famed Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. A new event was added this year, the Inaugural Children’s Half Mile Fun Run. This was a half mile out-and-back fun run for children 12

years old and under. Parents were welcome to run alongside their children. Participat-ing children received a t-shirt and runner’s packet before the race began, and once they crossed the finish line they received a finisher’s medal. This was a perfect complement to the successful Dismal Swamp Stomp.

Gary Jackson, President of Blackwater Worldwide employs several initiatives are to promote health and wellness for the entire Blackwater staff and their families. Many em-ployees and their spouses, along with their children, participated in the marathon. Gary Jackson participated in this event himself, completing the 13.1 mile course in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 29 seconds with the average of 8:28 minute/mile pace. Phil Hurni was the top finisher for Blackwater, placing 76th overall with a time of 1 hour, 38 minutes and 16 seconds.

Nearly 1,500 people participated in the 2nd annual Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon this year. The first male completed the course in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 32 seconds, and the first women crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 21 minutes and 12 seconds. Congratula-tions to all the community participants and Blackwater Worldwide participants of the Dismal Swamp Stomp ½ Marathon. For more information and race results, visit: http://www.visitchesapeake.com/dismalswampstomp/index.html

Runners complete the 13.1-mile half-marathon.By Eric R. Poole

BLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Lines of Authority are now ClearLines of Authority are now Clear

The September 16, 2007 Nisoor Square shooting incident is one of the most publicized incidents involving private security contractors. This incident created a worldwide furor and put the White House on the defensive. With the continued pressure for more control over security contractors in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the end of October. They reached a general understand-ing that more military control was needed over security firms operating in the war zone. In December, the Defense and the State Department agreed to give the United States military more control in managing the private security contractors in Iraq.

The Pentagon has issued an official memorandum giving military commanders clear authority over the civilian contractors in the military areas of operation. Until now, lines of authority have been unclear. The agreement spells out rules, standards and guidelines for the use of private security contractors and it outlines what criminal acts contractors will be accountable for under U.S. law. This agreement partly clarifies what happens if a contractor breaks the law, but it still leaves the details to be worked out with Congress. The memorandum outlines how commanders should respond to civilian contractors who break federal laws; including granting the commanders court-martial authority, albeit only in cases where the Department of Justice determines that it will not initiate criminal proceedings.

Rep. David Price (D-N.C), author of a House-passed bill that would subject all contrac-tors to criminal liability, called the agreement “an important step toward improving transparency, management and accountability in security contracting.” “There is no question that it comes in response to significant congressional pressure... but the agen-cies deserve credit for reading the writing on the wall and taking substantive steps to deal with a clear and critical problem,” Price said.

Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, is one of the most highly regarded senior diplomats in the entire foreign service. He recently defended the use of private security contractors calling them “absolutely essential” to the functioning of the U.S. embassy. Crocker stated, “The challenges of getting the nation’s business done in Iraq are pretty substantial. We have to function in conditions that would in most places have us pretty much in a stand-down. But this is the nation’s most critical work, and it has to go on, and security contractors like Blackwater are absolutely essential to this effort.”

Release of New Rules for Private Security Contractorsby Dana C. Richardson

Ryan Crocker, the U.S.

ambassador to Iraq,

is one of the most

highly regarded senior

diplomats in the entire

foreign service. He

recently defended the

use of private security

contractors calling them

“absolutely essential” to

the functioning of the

US embassy.

BLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

USO and Blackwater WorldwideUSO and Blackwater Worldwide

The USO supports our troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to the men and women in uniform. The USO began providing service to military mem-bers during World War II and 67 years later continues to support service members at various duty stations worldwide along with those deployed to Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. This non-profit organization relies on the generosity of corporations and a variety of foundations to fund its operations. Philanthropic donations are a vital part in advancing the USO’s mission. The USO realizes that, without this vital corporate support, many of the programs and services that are designed to enhance the lives of our military personnel would cease to exist. The USO has positioned itself as an effective marketing partner with multiple companies that are concerned with and willing to help support our military service men and women along with their families.

Blackwater Worldwide recently signed a strategic partnership contract with the USO to help support troops deployed worldwide to Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). Blackwater will provide material resources as well as logistical services including travel, goods, and shipping services to the USO. Blackwater will also look at creative services and prod-ucts to improve the quality of life for those service personnel who are forward deployed. Blackwater currently provides innovative private sector solutions to U.S. government and non-U.S. government clients. They have designed and manufactured a multitude of innovative products for numerous customers and are known as a provider of creative solutions. The USO acknowledges all of the support and recognizes corporations and foundations for their generosity through the worldwide recognition programs and mar-keting opportunities.

Today the USO delivers their programs and services to an average of 1.4 million active duty service members and an average of 1.2 million National Guard and Reserves as well as their families. They normally do this through one of their 130 centers located through-out the world. Some of the services that the USO provides are entertainment, a “touch of home”, information referral services, internet and e-mail access, housing, emergency assistance and support groups.

The USO is co-presenting The Patriotic Festival, in Virginia Beach, Virginia May 30th through June 1st, 2008. This festival is a military celebration to honor our armed forces personnel and their families and a time to remember the men and women of the United States Military and Armed Forces for their heroism and the sacrifices they make every day for America. Blackwater Worldwide will be supporting their new partnership with the USO at The Patriotic Festival. Blackwater will have a tent that will be open to the public with a prototype of their new gaming system they are providing the troops at FOBs along with Blackwater merchandise to purchase. For more information on the Patriotic Festival visit the website: www.patrioticfestival.com

The USO is your trusted resource and the premier organization for the providing public support to the troops. Additional information on their services and other strategic part-nerships are available at the USO website: www.uso.org.

Together as Worldwide Strategic Partners by Dana C. Richardson

BLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The Mentor ProgramThe Mentor Program

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. The Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC) recently identified a candidate shortage for both the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) and Naval Special Operations (NSO) communities. CNRC solicited support from the private sector to find former members of the SEAL community who could help find, recruit and train qualified candidates for accession into the NSW and NSO communities.

Several companies competed for the contract; however, in 2007 Blackwater Worldwide won the award. In so doing, Blackwater Worldwide became the primary recruitment tool to find and train candidates for the Naval Special Operations community. Blackwater hired 28 former SEAL, Special Warfare Combatant craft Crewman (SWCC) and Navy Diver personnel who possess over 500 combined years of NSW and NSO training) as mentors for the program.

Much as the Navy has the United States divided into several recruiting districts, so is the Mentor Program. The Mentor Program National Coordinator reports to his active duty counterpart at CNRC headquarters in Millington, TN and also supervises the 26 Regional Mentors dispersed throughout the United States. Each Mentor travels throughout his district recruiting and training candidates for up to 12 months prior to the candidate reporting to boot camp.

The Mentors also work alongside local active Navy recruiters to identify potential can-didates and then assist each other in meeting their recruitment goals. Once a candidate volunteers for an NSW or NSO program, the Mentor begins weekly training sessions ensuring that each candidate is given an optimal chance to successfully complete their chosen program.

Candidates volunteering for either NSW or NSO will go on to fill one of five possible positions: SEAL, EOD, Navy Diver, SWCC, or Air Rescue (AIRR). Each of these positions has different physical fitness requirements which the candidate must pass. In addition to meeting their mentor each week, the candidate must also adhere to their prescribed training regimen. Mentors communicate via email and telephone helping motivate candi-dates throughout the week, even when they are not actually with them.

Within 90 days of beginning the program, candidates take a physical fitness test to assess their strengths and weaknesses and a training program is then tailored to fit each individual’s needs. Tools used to build the fitness required to meet each program’s standards include: swim exercises using different strokes, running, push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Participation in this program helps guarantee a higher graduation rate from boot camp and each of the successive NSW/NSO programs.

Blackwater Assists the Naval Communityby Dana C. Richardson

Since 2007, Blackwater

has been honored to

support the Navy’s

efforts in the War on

Terror by helping

to develop the next

generation of warriors.

This program is unique

as no other branch of

service has gone to

such lengthy extremes

to qualify chosen

candidates and no other

branch of service has

been as successful.

BLACKWATER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Once each candidate begins boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, the Recruit Training Com-mand (RTC) Coordinator is present to track each candidate as they pass through training. The RTC Coordinator is also there to provide encouragement and counsel those candi-dates who might consider withdrawing from the program.

The Mentor Program has proven so successful that CNRC requested Blackwater staff oversee a second follow-on program called the Naval Special Warfare Prep School (NSWBPS). Candidates who volunteer for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) will enter NSWBPS immediately upon completion of boot camp. Blackwater recruited former SEALS and physical fitness experts to train these candidates five days a week for ten weeks prior to starting BUD/S. NSWBPS training includes: swim exercises, calis-thenics, weight conditioning and running.

In a commendation for Mike Getka, Blackwater’s Mentor in Jacksonville, FL the Com-mander of Jacksonville, Florida’s Navy Recruiting District stated, “Your outstanding per-formance has already made you a critical member of the team. Your superb work ethic, attention to detail and positive mental attitude are key to launching a critical recruiting program. Your actions demonstrate an impressive level of professional pride, knowledge and dedication to the mission.”

Since 2007, Blackwater has been honored to support the Navy’s efforts in the War on Terror by helping to develop the next generation of warriors. This program is unique as no other branch of service has gone to such lengthy extremes to qualify chosen candi-dates and no other branch of service has been as successful.