Foro de Inteligencia, Espionaje y Servicios Secretos

Review of Allegations Concerning DynCorp International’s Worldwide Personal Protective Services Contract in Afghanistan (AUD/PPA-04-45)

OIG learned of allegations pertaining to improper management activities regarding DynCorp International’s Worldwide Personal Protective Services (WPPS) contract in Afghanistan. This portion of the contract provides protective services, construction of a housing compound, and related operational support for the president of Afghanistan and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. In November 2003, a source raised allegations regarding the WPPS contract and possible fraud.

OIG’s review found no indications of fraud or mismanagement by the contractor. OIG identified poor financial oversight of the contractor by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) that allowed duplicate or erroneous billings of about $950,000 to be charged to the contract. This amount was identified from reviewing $17 million of $60.6 million in contract expenses. OIG also noted instances of poor accounting of expenses by DynCorp, including charges to the wrong task order. DS has acknowledged that contractor financial oversight needs to be improved and has proposed hiring a financial specialist to review contractor invoices. The contracting officer reported that, thus far, the credits have totaled over $1.4 million.

ARES Tests Blackwater’s Grizzly Armored Vehicle

ARES has been selected to conduct developmental and operational testing of Blackwater USA’s new Grizzly Mine Resistant Armor Protected (MRAP) vehicle. The Grizzly armored vehicle is Blackwater’s response to the proliferation of improvised explosive devices in the modern combat environment.

Under contract to Blackwater, ARES will be conducting an independent evaluation of the survivability and vehicle performance characteristics of the Grizzly in anticipation of commercial and government sales. Testing, which commences May 2007 in China Lake, CA, will mirror that being conducted by the U.S. Army for the MRAP vehicle procurement. Results will be furnished to the Department of Defense to support evaluation of the Grizzly for the MRAP acquisition.

Myths vs. Reality of Blackwater USA


Myth: Blackwater USA is a “private army.”
Reality:
Blackwater is a team of military and law enforcement veterans and other motivated, capable Americans who protect diplomats, provide training, and offer logistic services. Blackwater only conducts defensive missions and currently has no Department of Defense contracts in Iraq.


Myth: Blackwater has approximately 100,000 contractors deployed in Iraq.

Reality:
Blackwater has approximately between one and two thousand contractors deployed worldwide. The 100,000 figure is an estimate of the total number of contractors in Iraq for all companies, including dish washers, food servers, drivers etc., the majority of which are Iraqi nationals.


Myth: Most of Blackwater’s work with the U.S. Government is based on “no-bid” contracts that rely on political connections.

Reality:
Every one of our contracts was based on Blackwater’s merits and capability to do the job. No-bid contracts result from urgent and compelling needs of the U.S. Government; not political connections. The few contracts that were not bid account for only a few percent of our revenue—more than 90% of our contracts, and our revenue, came via competitive bidding.


Myth: Blackwater contractors earn much more money than members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Reality:
Contrary to numerous media reports, no Blackwater contractor is paid $1,000 per day. Depending on engagement, contractors are paid between $450 and $650 per day. Blackwater contractors work temporarily and are paid only for the days they work, unlike members of the U.S. military who are paid a salary. Also unlike military members who enjoy a well deserved and rich benefits package, Blackwater security professionals receive only pay, no benefits. After paying federal taxes, including Social Security matching, and covering health care and retirement payments, private contractors’ take-home pay is often less than the full compensation package many U.S. servicemen earn when salary and benefits are included.


Myth: Blackwater contractors are unaccountable under U.S. and international laws.

Reality:
Blackwater is accountable under the U.S. Constitution, international treaties, U.S. regulations, defense trade controls acts and numerous U.S. statutes.

Specifically, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) applies to contractors accompanying the total force and the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) creates jurisdiction for federal court trials. Any wrongdoing is covered under statutes such as the War Crimes Act, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Ace, the Anti-Torture Statute, the Defense Base Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and many other domestic and international regulations. Blackwater advocates stricter enforcement of existing laws.


Myth: It is “wrong” to have contractors working with the U.S. military.

Reality:
Blackwater professionals are former servicemen and law enforcement personnel who continue to serve their country with duty and honor, selflessly placing their lives at risk to serve at the behest of the United States Government. Thirty of Blackwater’s contractors have been killed. No one who Blackwater has protected has ever been killed or seriously injured.



Myth: Blackwater’s founder and CEO is a “Christian supremacist.”

Reality:
Blackwater’s founder and CEO is a Roman Catholic. His views, which are hardly radical, are shared by over 1 billion Catholics worldwide. Blackwater employs people of many different religious beliefs.


Myth: Blackwater’s work in providing security in dangerous places is its core competency.

Reality:
Blackwater’s core competency is in training military and law enforcement personnel. Our training facility in Moyock, NC existed long before the war in Iraq and has trained more than 100,000 military and law enforcement professionals since its inception.


Myth: Blackwater lures people away from serving in the U.S. military.

Reality:
Blackwater does not recruit active duty military personnel. Blackwater encourages servicemen to remain in the U.S. Armed Forces. A recent GAO report found that private security companies such as Blackwater have had no measurable impact on military retention.


Myth: Tension is high and coordination is poor between military forces and Blackwater professionals deployed throughout the world.

Reality:
Blackwater professionals, most of whom formerly served in the U.S. military, often serve in support of the U.S. military. Coordination between private security contractors and the military has greatly improved thanks to the U.S. Regional Cooperation Offices.

Facts About Blackwater USA


· Blackwater USA was founded in 1997 by a former U.S. Navy SEAL, Erik Prince.


· We fulfill our mission of helping our police at home and our military abroad perform to their full potential in two ways: training and protection. For instance, each year, we train thousands of police officers on how to use their fire arms safely and effectively. In Iraq, we help to protect and defend US officials so our military personnel can focus on the tasks at hand.


· Blackwater`s instructors are highly trained former law enforcement or military personnel. After a thorough vetting process, we hire only the best candidates.


· Blackwater`s main capability is providing advanced security training to law enforcement and military personnel. On any given day, as many as one thousand members of law enforcement from across the nation as well as members of every branch of the armed forces are training at our facility to better protect Americans at home and abroad.


· Blackwater is not a "mercenary army." We are a contractor for the U.S. Government that focuses on training and protection, not war fighting. All of our contractors are providing protection for people we are assigned to by the U.S. Government.


· Blackwater operates in an extremely competitive environment where the vast majority of our contracts are competitively bid.


· Blackwater employees and contractors are deployed in locations worldwide in support of contacts with the U.S. Government.


· In Iraq, Blackwater`s expertly trained personnel protect and defend U.S. officials. By undertaking this vital and sometimes dangerous mission, we are doing our part so that American military personnel can concentrate on their missions in Iraq.


· The historic use of private sector expertise in support of the military in the U.S. goes back to the Revolutionary War. At Blackwater, we are continuing that tradition and providing members of the military access to our team of highly trained former military specialists. As for local law enforcement, rather than spending their limited resources building and maintaining training grounds, they have access to our 7,000 acre facility and expert trainers when they need it and want it.

Anne Tyrrel escribió: Helping the Navy to continue unrivaled recruitment standards



Blackwater USA is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the competitively bid Naval Special Warfare/Naval Special Operations Mentoring Contract, which will help prepare young men and women aspiring to join the Navy's most challenging communities.

"We are honored to be a part of this," said Blackwater President Gary Jackson. "The Navy has always held its recruits to the highest possible standards and we are very excited to play a role in continuing this tradition."

Twenty-six mentors from Blackwater who have been recruited from the Navy SEAL and Special Ops communities will be deployed throughout the United States to test, coach, and mentor candidates for the SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) and SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen) Explosive Ordinance Detection (EOD), Diver and Air Rescue communities.

The highest physical and mental standards are required for these warfare specialties and Blackwater welcomes the opportunity to assist the Navy in continuing to raise the bar for the quality of its recruits during the Global War on Terror.

This is a one-year contract with four possible annual extensions. Blackwater will report to the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC).

Blackwater USA is a turnkey security solutions provider. It stands in support of security, peace, freedom, and democracy everywhere.

For more information, please contact Anne Tyrrell at (703) 852-4320 or via e-mail.

DOD South Asia Region, Afghanistan, Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Section 1004,FY05
CN Police Training JAN 05 25 Kabul CN Police-Afghanistan Blackwater Corporation $800,000 1/15/2005 3/15/2005
CN Police Training NOV 04 25 Kabul CN Police-Afghanistan Blackwater Corporation $1,045,000 11/15/2004 1/15/2005
CN Police Training SEP 04 25 Kabul CN Police - Afghanistan, Ministry Blackwater Corporation $1,045,000 9/15/2004 11/15/2004
of Interior
FY05 Pilot Trng, NIU/CNPA 130 Kabul Initial Afghan Counternarcotic Blackwater contract $4,300,000 10/1/2004 9/30/2005
police cadre
FY 05 Totals: 205 $7,190,000
Program Totals: 205 $7,190,000

Afghanistan – Currently, Blackwater USA is training various groups of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior in weapons and tactical operations. This training is in direct support of US Drug Enforcement Agency’s efforts to build a robust and capable narcotics interdiction capability.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Coalition forces and contractors teamed up to air drop more than 30 humanitarian-aid filled boxes to forward operating bases in eastern Afghanistan July 5.

Using specialized boxes called copter boxes, which permitted supplies to be parachuted down from a Blackwater Aviation aircraft, the combined group distributed care packages to two different FOBs.

“This was a great opportunity to get the joint services out there - the Army, Navy, Air Force, along with Blackwater - to do the mission,” said Army Maj. Richard Glisson, Combined Joint Task Force-82 aero-delivery officer and flight jumpmaster. “Hopefully, [U.S. service members] will be able to use all of the items we sent. We looked for FOBs with [a small number of] paratroopers. We delivered packages to them from Operation Care and a lot of generous folks from around Bagram Airfield. They’ve donated everything from tube-socks to Girl Scout cookies. We wanted to get some of the good stuff forward that we find so common here on Bagram.”

“They have a lot harder life out there then we do,” added Army Master Sgt. Wilburn Penick, of the command chaplain’s office and flight jumpmaster from Sanford, Fla. “[With these drops] they are going to get a lot of things that we have here at Bagram that they don’t have. I hope these items will help increase morale and show them that we appreciate all that [the coalition forces] are doing out there.”

Over the course of the next several weeks, the team hopes to deliver a total of 120 boxes to eight FOBs. The copter boxes containing toiletries, snacks and other items will aid approximately 300 coalition force service members in desolate areas of eastern Afghanistan.