Memos: Blackwater Team Sent Wrong Way

**Team Sergeant** · 07-09-2007, 19:11

eric prince, owner of blackwater, you're a scumbag.

Team Sergeant

Jul 8, 11:19 PM EDT

Memos: Blackwater Team Sent Wrong Way

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Internal memos show that four security contractors who were ambushed and killed in Iraq three years ago were told to go through the dangerous city of Fallujah when a safer route was available, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The memos said a Blackwater USA supervisor also plucked two members of each six-man team for other work, reducing the teams' numbers and making them more vulnerable to attack, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported.

Memos from the second team - whose leader decided to go around Fallujah on March 31, 2004, and which wasn't attacked - said the teams also were sent without maps, although other memos suggest maps were available, the newspaper said.

"These reports were written by people who were not there," Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell told The Associated Press. "The answer to what really happened in Fallujah is a tragedy in which four brave men were killed."

Tyrrell said she couldn't comment on specifics because of pending litigation and wouldn't comment on the memos.

A team called Bravo 2, which went around Fallujah, said both teams were told to go through the city but got back to Baghdad safely because they took a different route than the one they were told to use.

The other team, called November 1, went into the city as instructed, escorting empty trucks, and ran into a deadly ambush, according to the memos.

The Bravo 2 memos said the decisions were made by Blackwater's site manager in Baghdad, despite protests that the teams had too few people and weren't ready, the newspaper said.

Bravo 2 was ordered the morning after it arrived from the United States to go to the Jordanian border, pick up an executive for a food service company and take him to Baghdad, a memo said.

Team members protested that they hadn't had time to sight their weapons to be sure they were accurate. They were told to do their job or go home, a memo said.

Families of the four men killed sued Blackwater. The company (Blackwater) countersued and won a ruling that the disputes would be heard in closed arbitration sessions instead of open court.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US

**Team Sergeant** · 07-10-2007, 10:11

Why did the Team Sergeant call eric prince, the owner of blackwater a scumbag?

Former Navy SEAL eric prince knows why.

eric knows that in an open court he would lose this case. eric knows that those men were sent to their deaths the minute they were told that they could not zero their weapons.

The butcher of Baghdad got nothing on eric prince.

Now you kids may ask “Why is it so important to zero your weapons before you head into terrorist country?”

Let me put it this way, I, the Team Sergeant know it’s extremely important, so does every Professional Soldier, especially special operations forces, so does eric prince and the military leadership of blackwater.

It’s so critical that I would challenge any blackwater employee to a one on one, me armed with a zeroed weapon and ONE bullet, the other guy could have as many bullets as he chooses, the weapon, un-zeroed. Hear that eric prince?

Zeroing your weapon is that important and it becomes exponentionally critical when you are a team of FOUR.

Eric prince knows if this case went into open court he would lose, the defense would be calling on real SOF, SEAL and Special Forces, experienced soldiers, to testify just how important it would be to possess a zeroed weapon. Want to bet blackwater’s weapons “experts” include former mall security guards?

Now eric prince counter-sues the families of the men blackwater sent to their deaths; I've yet to read a more disgusting news article.

Bravo eric prince, bravo blackwater. I’m sure you’ll win in “closed arbitration”.

Team Sergeant

**Team Sergeant** · 07-10-2007, 11:02

Oh and eric prince….. as one SOF soldier to another, do you (and BLACKWATER), need me to go and find a bridge for your lawyers to HANG the wives, mothers, fathers brothers and sisters of the men that were killed that day?

Team Sergeant

82ndtrooper · 07-10-2007, 11:55

If I were Eric Prince, which I thank my God I'm not, I'd steer clear of Team Sergeant at "Shot Show 2008"

Gypsy · 07-10-2007, 12:06

Well 82ndtrooper, my guess is there are a lot of folks he would do best to stay away from.

His actions, and subsequent lawsuit for closed door arbitration sessions, shows me how much of a no good POS he is...among other things.

**The Reaper** · 07-10-2007, 14:01

The really sad thing is that he has more than enough money to have taken care of business.

Clearly, people are not a priority, probably not even in the top ten at BW.

I have been at his facility when he was out stunting around in one of his airplanes, and they regularly stopped training on the 1000 yard range for extended periods so that he could land one of his planes there.

kgoerz · 07-10-2007, 14:37

I have never heard anything good about this Company. I would really like to know what they tell all those people who sign up for their training and then are committed to working for BW. Or how do they keep these people from jumping ship after the training.

**The Reaper** · 07-10-2007, 14:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgoerz

I have never heard anything good about this Company. I would really like to know what they tell all those people who sign up for their training and then are committed to working for BW. Or how do they keep these people from jumping ship after the training.

People who are not SOF have to pay to take the pre-deployment training. At one time, if you signed on for a two-year contract, they would take it out of your pay in installments. They were hiring a lot of people with little or no military experience, and unemployment was high in that part of NC.

Kind of the company store approach.

TR

NousDefions794 · 07-10-2007, 17:44

Like it or not BW is here to stay (mainly because of dirty tricks like “closed arbitration sessions”). Their success will definitely come from their Army of lawyers. In the future it will be very difficult to mention private security and not think of BW.

They hire people from Government organizations and all of a sudden get the contracts. Their competitors end up “losing” their paperwork in the bid process. BW makes the money and then shortchanges the guy on the street.

I have worked with so many disgruntled BW guys that I have lost count. Most of them great guys and many of them former SEALs. There are good people working for them and I have friends working for them. I constantly try to help them out when they ask for info about other jobs, because they got screwed over by BW.

I have met too many people who showed loyalty and did favors for the "leadership" at BW only to not have it returned in the end.

Sorry for the rant, but this is sore subject for me.

**Team Sergeant** · 07-10-2007, 20:55

Seems there are interested individuals reading this thread.

Seems they want to know if in fact I am a Special Forces soldier. Fact; I am a retired Special Forces Master Sergeant and eric prince is a scumbag.

eric prince, you're a scumbag and you run a scumbag company.

You've sold your integrity and shown just what you and blackwater are made of....scum.

Sleep well scumbag.

Team Sergeant

82ndtrooper · 07-10-2007, 21:26

Here is Scott Helvenstons last email to Eric Prince and other upper management to Black Water before being sent to his death.

IIRC, Scott also voiced his concern to upper management that they had not zeroed their weapons, along with other basic preparations, and that he was a last minute change to join the team on that fatal day. He was concerned that having not trained with the team was a poor move on Black Waters part and dislpayed a lack of understanding of team dynamics in a hot theater. RIP Scott. Seems Eric Prince was more than ready to send one of his own former SEAL brothers right smack into a "BUZZSAW"

I'll not be giving be giving any rec's to Black Waters training courses. I attened two courses in 2003. I'll not be attending anymore with my hard earned money.

The Virginian Pilot/Hamptonroad.com

© July 26, 2006

Former Navy SEAL Scott Helvenston, one of four Blackwater contractors ambushed and killed in Fallujah on March 31, 2004, e-mailed his superiors at Blackwater the night before leaving on the fatal mission. Excerpts from the e-mail, provided by Helvenston’s family:

Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 7:30 PM

Subject: extreme unprofessionalism

To the Owner, President and Upper Management of Blackwater Security,

It is with deep regret and remorse that I send you this e-mail. During my short tenure here with Blackwater I have witnessed and endured some extreme unprofessionalism. First, I would like to begin this e-mail with a few positive notes. My training began on March 1st. During my 10 days of training I experienced some quality training conducted by quality instructors. … Unfortunately though I must explain to you there is an individual amongst the ranks that has proven to be a very manipulative, duplicitive, immature and unprofessional. …

Three days ago I was put on a team with two of the men who came down from Baghdad. Cool … ready to go! Yesterday that was changed. OK, things seem to be a bit disorganized but I am still on it. … At roughly 2200 hrs. this evening I receive a call asking me if I can leave tomorrow 0500 with a new team leader. God’s honest truth … my response was no. My bags were not packed and I just didn’t feel up to it.

As I sit here at 0300 in the morning finalizing this document I respectfully request to keep my job. I get along with everyone here. …

I intend to meet with all my teammates tomorrow. I ask you to speak with at least 3 of them to get the full picture.

Respectfully,

Scott Helvenston

http://content.hamptonroads.com/stor...8118&ran=10360

Tubbs · 07-10-2007, 23:27

I can't remember the last time that something made me that mad.
Those are the kind of gross tactical errors and poor command descisions that I would expect out of a PFC or LCpl that I was allowing to play squad leader during a simunitions excercise. NOT what I would expect out of a former member of the special operations community.
Having not ever been a member of that community I apologize if I am out of line with that statement, but I hope Eric Prince burns in hell next to Saddam.

jwt5 · 07-10-2007, 23:57

I guess money does mean more then the lives of your bothers eh eric?

Rot in hell.

jatx · 07-11-2007, 06:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Now you kids may ask “Why is it so important to zero your weapons before you head into terrorist country?

Maybe Dr. Gary Roberts, Doctor of Ballistic Dentistry who once purchased a t-shirt in the gift shop at Stanford, did some gel testing for BW showing that it is unnecessary.

JGarcia · 07-11-2007, 06:21

One of the documents you sign, when you go to work there in addition to release of liability and confidentiality agreement, is a "binding arbitration" agreement. It's very uncomfortable signing all of these forms when you know exactly what you are giving up