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Private Military Contractors

dusaboss

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Like to hear more on this subject. I was impressed with information that largest of them Academi (Blackwater) have 20,000 soldiers! That's more than double of the Legion headcount and more than what many countries have as active soldiers. They also have interesting heavy equipment.

View attachment 5807 :)
 

AYF1993

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From what I know they are contractors (mercenaries), that means the guys are ex-soldiers, Special Forces etc. (SeAL's, Marines, Rangers, etc. ) that contracts to provide services of a military nature! The Blackwater was founded by a Navy SEAL in 1997 and now I think they recruit from all over the world, even here in Romania, the new owner of Romanian Special Forces in Afghanistan is Blackwater.

Academi is the most powerful mercenary company on the planet with 20,000 troops, a fleet of 30 aircraft, many combat helicopters and even a private intelligence division. Blackwater was chopped by the media and public opinion because of Nisour Square massacre in Baghdad, which killed over 20 people, including women and children. The incident prompted the company to change its name.

Despite all these claims, the Pentagon plans to keep 10,000 troops (they say) combating terrorism and maintaining stability in an unpredictable future.

*Almost 1 ½ year ago I watched a documentary about a big flux of ex-Romanian soldiers who had combat tours in Iraq or Afghanistan and who chose after that to work for Blackwater as security guards in Iraq ! From watching that documentary I have this information.
 
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Blackwater,

In my opinion many were 'cowboys'. I state this as former Director Basra Intl' Logistics Ltd.

I wish the maxim of my unit had been applied to them. 99%need not apply.
 

Saturation

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I agree with Chas. Blackwater are definitely known very well as acting like ‘cowboys’. There are better companies out in the Middle East in my opinion. Eriny's for instance is very capable even with smaller capacity. Many South African members out that side. That being said there are many other companies.
 

Surfguy

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Like to hear more on this subject. I was impressed with information that largest of them Academi (Blackwater) have 20,000 soldiers! That's more than double of the Legion headcount and more than what many countries have as active soldiers. They also have interesting heavy equipment.

View attachment 5807 :)

The may have 20,000 on the books but they wont all be in constant employment (getting paid full time) .
 

dusaboss

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Alex you should post this on already existing thread about private armies. Nevermind. Thanks for link anyway just keep that in mind next time. Is easier to navigate if threads are well organized.

Think I already watched this doc. It's OK.
 

dusaboss

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There are a lot of companies like those and they will be glad to employ someone with 5 y FFL experience. It's really good job opportunity for guys who left the Legion. Paycheck depends from type of work you do, but is much juicier than regular army pay.
For me that looks alluring after FFL, ... but first time first. Have to go through that gate before anything else.
 

Hawkeye47

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There's a lot companies like those and they will be glad to employ someone with 5 y FFL experience. It's really good job opportunity for guys who left legion. Paycheck depends from type of work you do, but is much juicier than regular army pay.

For me that looks alluring after FFL, ... but first time first. Have to go through that gate before anything else.
Check this documentary out. It has an actual FFL member that had 15 years prior in the Legion join this, British based PMC group, and they also, highly respect Legionnaires also.

https://youtu.be/hDODC0mgQ68
 

dusaboss

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Loco, I watched that one too. :) I posted here that part with legionar applying for job some time ago.
 

Rapace

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There are a lot of companies like those and they will be glad to employ someone with 5 y FFL experience. It's really good job opportunity for guys who left the Legion. Paycheck depends from type of work you do, but is much juicier than regular army pay.
For me that looks alluring after FFL, ... but first time first. Have to go through that gate before anything else.
Do not fantasize too much over jobs in Security after the Legion :
1/ There is a huge number of candidates. “Many are called but few are chosenâ€￾
2/ Pay is no longer what it used to be, compared to the ‘good old days’ of the Iraq invasion in 2003 and beyond.
3/ Depending on what you did and how far you progressed in rank, a 5-year contract in the Legion will not guarantee you a job in a PMC.
 

Surfguy

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Do not fantasize too much over jobs in Security after the Legion :
1/ There is a huge number of candidates. “Many are called but few are chosenâ€￾
2/ Pay is no longer what it used to be, compared to the ‘good old days’ of the Iraq invasion in 2003 and beyond.
3/ Depending on what you did and how far you progressed in rank, a 5-year contract in the Legion will not guarantee you a job in a PMC.
It does seem that many fantasize about becoming a ‘Merc’, maybe it's the computer games they play. I have friends who are ex/serving Army and RM, they all say there is very little work about and what it's poorly paid, unless you are very specialised. ‘Ex-Squaddie’ work is usually taken by eastern Europeans who are happy to work for a UK McDonald's worker's salary, particularly in Maritime Security.
 

Hawkeye47

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It does seem that many fantasize about becoming a ‘Merc’, maybe it's the computer games they play. I have friends who are ex/serving Army and RM, they all say there is very little work about and what it's poorly paid, unless you are very specialised. ‘Ex-Squaddie’ work is usually taken by eastern Europeans who are happy to work for a UK McDonald's worker's salary, particularly in Maritime Security.
Exactly, after all the Academi/Blackwater incidents it pretty much screwed the smaller companies over. My cousin told me, of your not part of a big group, that it's pretty much damn near impossible to get some good jobs going. I always wondered, what the hell the PMC's even accomplished, after leaving Iraq. I know they were there longer, after the US troops left. I mean, Isis basically took that whole place over damn near.
In that doc, you can see those Gurkhas being treated like shit. Getting paid, almost nothing, for theor work. They Gurkhas were driving around in a suicide car basically, and their PMC didn't give 2 shits about them.
 

Hawkeye47

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Aye. My feelings also!
These dudes get no respect from any of the troops on ground.
The market is very small now for.these guys, unless you take a job in Syria,Afghanistan, or Ukraine.
Other than that, a lot of these guys dont last long, due to.the jobs they due, and a lot of the money isn't the way it used to be.
I been bugging my cousin about this topic, they currently have him training some MARSOC soldiers in certain sceneraios, and situations..
Last sentence to me was"Its not the same bro. Not after the switch and failure Iraq"
Crazy.

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dusaboss

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These dudes get no respect from any of the troops on ground.

That doesn't mean they don't deserve my respect. Many of them was ex special forces and been through many shit in life.

Don't make assumptions so easy there's a lot leginars working in private companies.
 
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This subject has been flogged to death. You have to have just done more than served. You have to be qualified. One excellent example is my good friend Serge (Green/Rep). We used to dine together. He made good money as a contractor and got out when the time was right. He got recognisable Intl' qualifications and was highly employable.

Most of these so-called security men I would never employ- simply 'gung ho' idiots wearing raybans and carrying a weapon.

I have posted before. Yes it is true years ago I ran a division of the Wackenhut Corp and was also GM Gulf Security Co Kuwait.
 

Hawkeye47

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This subject has been flogged to death. You have to have just done more than served. You have to be qualified. One excellent example is my good friend Serge (Green/Rep). We used to dine together. He made good money as a contractor and got out when the time was right. He got recognisable Intl' qualifications and was highly employable.

Most of these so-called security men I would never employ- simply 'gung ho' idiots wearing raybans and carrying a weapon.

I have posted before. Yes it is true years ago I ran a division of the Wackenhut Corp and was also GM Gulf Security Co Kuwait.
Wow man, thats very interesting.
Kuwait, must have been a hell hole

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