Archive for category Company Spotlight

Company Spotlight: Triton International And The Somaliland Coastguard

Jan 12

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Maritime Security, Somalia | 1 Comment

There have been several measures of success. First, in 2010 alone, the Triton-trained Somaliland Coastguard captured, prosecuted, and jailed more than 120 pirates. Officials in Somaliland have said that pirates rarely cross into their waters from renowned pirate havens in the region due to the Coastguard’s reputation for intercepting them. Second, as a result of these measures, the World Food Program considers Berbera a safe port for the delivery and distribution of food aid destined for the region. Finally, the Coastguard has also intercepted vessels intending to conduct IUU fishing.

There are two great articles below and be sure to check them out. The first one is written by the CEO of Triton International describing their training program for the Somaliland Coastguard and the second article is more recent and describes the cost effectiveness of the program.

The thing to emphasize here is that this company is providing a much needed service, and anything that can professionalize the navies and coastguards in Somalia to do this work will only help in the overall strategy of reducing piracy.

On the other hand, the danger of professionalizing these forces is that they leave the coastguard and go on to be pirates themselves. Still, something must be done, and as long as the Somaliland paymasters keep paying the troops and keeping them happy, they will stick around.

As to the company Triton and how much business they are getting, I am not sure. Maybe some folks from the company would like to come up and talk a little about how they are doing? The below information was about as much as I could find and bravo to them for a job well done training the Somaliland Coastguard. Check it out. -Matt

menu logoCompany Spotlight: Triton International And The Somaliland Coastguard

Triton International logo.

 

Picture 3 400x267Company Spotlight: Triton International And The Somaliland Coastguard

Thanks to Nic for providing the photo.

Skulls and Crossroads
November 18, 2010
by Simon Jones
As the skiff approached the bulker, and moved down the flank of the vessel, the crew came to the railings and watched the men, their presence a familiar sight in the Gulf of Aden yet, unlike other skiffs the crew had seen on their regular transits through these waters, and to the crews relief and frequent reassurance, these skiffs were not an attack from pirates, rather the bulkers security escort into the port of Berbera by the Somaliland coastguard, the maritime police force from the breakaway republic in the north west corner of Somalia.
Different Recent History
Somaliland has always maintained its difference and distance from the rest of Somalia, from the colonial period of the British protectorate, brief independence in 1960 and when the attempt to unite with the rest of Somalia failed; during the bloody and destructive civil war, resulting in their withdrawal and the re-establishing of their independence in 1991.
Declaring themselves the independent Republic of Somaliland; a status that despite the total lack of international or UN recognition, has resulted in Somaliland’s 19 years of self governance, independent democratically elected leaders, their own constitution, currency and passport system. In a country that has received little or no International aid or relief support, the ability to protect your borders is essential; when you have 860 Kms of Gulf of Aden coastline, containing ruthless pirates from the neighbouring country – it’s critical.
The Coast Guard
The Somaliland coastguard was established in the first few years of the new millennium from the maritime wing of the Somaliland police service following a rise in smuggling, trafficking and piracy. Its command structure was built on Somaliland veterans of the Somali Navy. Based in the economically strategic port town of Berbera, with their coastline split into three sectors and a total of 14 Coast Guard stations located along the length of the coastline, which are manned by just under 400 Coast Guard personnel.

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Company Spotlight: The Security Association For The Maritime Industry

Jul 19

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Industry Talk, Maritime Security | 4 Comments

I wanted to bring attention to this specific trade group, just because groups like this are great resources for guys looking for companies to work for. If you go to SAMI’s membership directory, you will see a number of companies that have signed on. Which is great, because at least if you get a job with that particular company who is a member, you can use the association as a means of keeping that company in check.

But like with the ISOA, if SAMI does nothing about complaints or does not have the courage to punish members, then what good is the association? It’s value in my opinion, is it’s ability to keep it’s members in check and keep them on the path of ‘doing the right thing’. Companies who treat their contractors poorly, or rip off clients, and who are members of these associations, in turn tarnish the reputation of those associations and the members that have signed on to such a group. So to me, it is ridiculous that an association ‘would not’ punish a member or expel them from the group, if they violated the codes that they and everyone signed onto.

The other problem with associations is that when a member pays good money to be a member of the group, and the officers and operations of that trade group depend upon those membership dues, then it becomes very difficult for these guys to punish members who do bad things. It’s like biting the hand that feeds you, and it is this financial component that works against the strength of an association–if they claim to abide by some standard or code of conduct. Of course an association needs operating funds to keep working on behalf of the association, but you can see the potential conflict of interest here?

Overall, I appreciate the efforts of these associations, because it gives the various clients out there another tool for their research. It also gives companies that believe in a certain standard, to gather and show their support for such a standard. These associations are also key to organizing industry, so that it can effectively communicate consensus. You can have a thousand chaotic and disjointed voices screaming for attention, or you can have one clear and concise voice backed by a thousand people.

But, I should also remind these associations that if you fail to listen and act on the concerns or complaints of clients, the public or the contractors that work for these member companies, then what good is your association? -Matt

Link to association here. (the website is under construction, and it is listed in my associations category for future reference)

 

Sami logo 300x51Company Spotlight: The Security Association For The Maritime Industry
The Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) provides an independent regulatory trade association for maritime security companies.
Providing credibility, trust and respect, SAMI introduces a level of regulatory discipline and scrutiny to ensure that the maritime industry can easily identify reputable maritime security companies. SAMI provides reassurance and guidance, where none has existed before and establishes the benchmark for standards within the industry.
SAMI as a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), represents the industry at an international level in a balanced and cogent manner with transparency, honesty and integrity.
The membership encompasses maritime security providers, consultants, trainers, individual operatives and the maritime security equipment, technology and hardware manufacturers – to provide direct links to the commercial shipping industry, offshore oil & gas industry and ports too.

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Company Spotlight: G4S, The World’s Largest Private Security Company

Jul 9

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Industry Talk | No Comments

These two deals I posted below are separate interviews, but they give you a good idea where G4S is standing right now. This company is amazingly large and successful. Not only is it the largest PSC in the world, but this company is the world’s second largest employer, right behind Walmart. That is impressive.

The thing I clued into is their business in the Middle East. That Saudi Arabia and the UAE were their top customers. The trend here, is these countries are serious about their security, and threats against oil and business are what drives this interest in security.

Mr. Buckles, whom used to work for Avon as an analyst, also mentioned in the interview the key to success for the company and why he stuck around:

‘The sensible one is that Securicor had a policy of developing internal talent and offering prospects for rapid promotion. But there was also the offer of a Ford Escort. A company car for a young guy was very attractive,’ he says. By 2005, he headed G4S. ‘The rules of best practice are the same for all businesses, including supplying security,’ he says.
‘Take staff with you by rewarding achievement, identify new markets, manage risk while taking up opportunities, understand your customers and have a strong culture of ethical dealing. Applying these principles has been key for me.’

That is an interesting list, and many of these ideas are just another way of saying ‘take care of your people’ and ‘customer service and satisfaction’. But he also focused on managing risk, which is cool. G4S has certainly gobbled up many companies in a short period of time, and because of the current global chaos and government austerity moves, their timing has been excellent. In other words, they positioned themselves with enough services to take advantage of increased security related opportunities. They have also been profitable during a time when many companies in the world are hurting.

And to further the theme of taking care of your people. When G4S goes into a new region, like Latin America, and they become the best paying gig in town, then of course that company becomes the popular choice of the locals. I guess they have learned the lesson of ‘pay better than the next guy, if you want to attract the best’. Which is great, because if you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys. Paying better and good training are both key aspects of keeping your folks happy, along with providing excellent leadership. Here is the quote:

Unlike most FTSE 100 chief executives, Buckles, 50, has responsibility for staff working in high-risk situations, so how does he handle the stress?
Looking relaxed at G4S’s headquarters in Crawley, West Sussex, he says: ‘The best training is provided and every assignment is assessed for risk and ways of minimising it. Pressure comes with the job, but I’ve been in the security business long enough to know the importance of teamwork and good communication to ensure we are on top of every contract.’
G4S revenues rose by 4.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, driven by the emerging markets of Africa, Asia and South America, where demand is rising for expertise in areas such as moving cash, guarding airports and providing personal protection.
‘In some developing countries we are seen as a stronger force in terms of training and pay than local police and a better option for providing security,’

The mention of South America also coincides with what the Small Arms Survey mentioned about Latin America. That PSC’s there are the most armed in the world, outside of the conflict zones. Security is huge business in Latin America, and especially because of the drug wars and poor economy. Speaking of which, G4S is also active in Iraq and Afghanistan. So they are definitely intertwined in many aspects of the industry.

Of course there are also incidents where G4S has had some hiccups. This is the extreme challenge of the ‘head knowing what the tale is doing’ within such a large company.  For a smaller security company, the ability to manage and watch each contract is a little easier than for a large mega-corporation to do so. Given that set of circumstance, G4S has done remarkably well. That doesn’t mean they haven’t had their share of issues come up, but still, for it’s size and exposure to risk, it has navigated those issues very well. Ask yourself how much negative news you hear in the media about G4S, compared to other much smaller companies, and you can see what I mean?

Finally, the one thing that I think is really important to emphasize, and some companies have a hard time understanding this. You can assemble a great team, pay them well, be an outstanding leader for them, etc., but if you don’t have some kick ass marketing and sales personnel hunting around for new contracts and actually winning them, then the company will not expand and get more revenue. Why is that important? Well, in order to pay those great salaries, offer good training, and attract kick ass leaders, then you need some cash coming in. Malcolm Gladwell identified these folks as the ‘salesmen’ in his book the Tipping Point:

Chapter 2: The Law of the Few: Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen
The attainment of the tipping point that transforms a phenomenon into an influential trend usually requires the intervention of a number of influential types of people. In the disease epidemic model Gladwell introduced in Chapter 1, he demonstrated that many outbreaks could be traced back to a small group of infectors. Likewise, on the path toward the tipping point, many trends are ushered into popularity by small groups of individuals that can be classified as Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen.
Connectors are individuals who have ties in many different realms and act as conduits between them, helping to engender connections, relationships, and “cross-fertilization” that otherwise might not have ever occurred. Mavens are people who have a strong compulsion to help other consumers by helping them make informed decisions. Salesmen are people whose unusual charisma allows them to be extremely persuasive in inducing others’ buying decisions and behaviors. Gladwell identifies a number of examples of past trends and events that hinged on the influence and involvement of Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen at key moments in their development.(from wikisummaries)

 These salesmen are a vital component of any company. To put a former security contractor or a military guy in such an important position is a nice gesture, but if they do not have the talent to do the job, then you will not get the contracts. What you really need is a professional with a gift, who can ‘sell snow to an Eskimo’ as they say. (like maybe an Avon salesman? lol) It also reminds me of a quote that Donald Trump made recently about negotiators. Here it is:

“You know, I can send two executives into a room. They can say the same thing. One guy comes home with the bacon and the other one doesn’t. And I’ve seen it a thousand times. It’s the messenger.”

The question a company should ask is do they have the right messenger, negotiator, or salesman to win that contract for the company and increase that company’s standing in the market? And to bring this back to G4S, they obviously have some very talented people working on this for them. -Matt

NICK BUCKLES INTERVIEW: I deal with trouble in Kabul, Baghdad …and Wimbledon
By David White
18th June 2011
As the world’s top tennis players and half a million fans prepare for the glamour and glory of the 125th Wimbledon tournament starting tomorrow, their safety will be in the hands of Nick Buckles.
‘There will be 700 uniformed staff to search vehicles and bags, check tickets and provide on-court protection and escorts for players,’ says the boss of G4S, the world’s biggest private security company.

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Company Spotlight: Drum Cussac

Nov 21

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Industry Talk, Maritime Security, Somalia, United Kingdom | 1 Comment

     Drum Cussac deserves a little attention here, and I would like to thank Marcel at the Feral Jundi Facebook Page for sending me some recent information about them. I have posted a job deal from Drum Cussac in the past, and interestingly enough, it was for some FCO work. I say this because in the article below, it is yet again the FCO wanting to work with Drum Cussac for a contract training the TFG coast guard in Somalia to battle pirates.  I guess the FCO likes working with Drum Cussac, and that is why I wanted to do a company spotlight on them.

     Oh, and the dorks at the Telegraph should really think before getting all pissed off about their government hiring ‘mercenaries’ and using tax payer’s money for contracting their services. What the article forgets to emphasize (yet still mentions) is that the money the FCO would use for contracting Drum Cussac’s services, would be the $25 million dollars in so-called ‘aid money’ given to them by the US.  So I am not sure how this would be construed as taking from the British tax payer? Hell, if anything, US money for anti-piracy operations should go towards contracting the services of US companies.

     But back to Drum Cussac.  I found a few interesting things about the company worth noting, but there are also some areas that I am foggy about. For example, there is no history section on the company’s website that discusses where the name ‘Drum Cussac’ came from?  There really isn’t any information about the leadership of the company on the website either, but I did find out who the CEO of Drum Cussac is via other means. He is former Scots Guards officer Jeremy Stampa Orwin.

    As for the business that Drum has done, as of 2008 they had over 130 super-yachts as clients, with each boat worth more than £50 million. Not bad, and it sounds like recently they have done a lot to corner the super yacht market with their partnership with Yacht Lifeline. I am sure business has increased since that time, and their other shipping protection work, as well as the oil and gas stuff has made them a pretty penny. They also mentioned ’500 transits’ in high risk waters over the last five years, so that is something.

    I was really interested when they started promoting ‘armed security’ in a press release, and the Telegraph story took an interest as well. For a British company, promoting maritime armed security is a rarity it seems. lol But it is a sign of the times that armed security is what is probably being demanded now a days. Especially as each ransom paid continues to add to the lethality and size of the piracy problem.  Perhaps shipping companies are starting to get the idea that something needs to be done, other than fueling the problem with more money.

    The other area of interest was their Political Evacuation Insurance they offer.  I am wondering if this insurance would cover a situation like what happened to Ross Perot’s company in Iran? I would be very curious to know how far a company like this would go to save a client?

    Finally, I have posted a link to probably one of the best Maritime Security forums out there, located at Close Protection World’s family of forums.  They have tons of information about the SSO certification for maritime security work, and they discuss Drum Cussac from time to time. Especially this current news story about them.

     From what I gather, Drum offers a pretty good SSO course for a reasonable price.  I have yet to hear any complaints and they sound comparable to other companies offering the same. No word on wether or not you could get on some database after getting this training, but I am sure they would offer some kind of networking potential or even recruitment offers via email every once in awhile.

     Although it sounds like this current gig offering £1,500-a-day would only be reserved for their high-end guys. But you never know, and they do cover a lot of boats out there, so the work has to be there.  Definitely check out all the stuff below and if anyone has anything else to add about the company, please feel free to chime in. -Matt

rule dividerCompany Spotlight: Drum Cussac

drum cussac clip image002Company Spotlight: Drum Cussac

Armed Security Teams

October 2010

Drum Cussac, the market leader in anti-piracy and maritime security consultancy, can now supply a full range of armed services for the protection of vessels in transit through high risk waters and for static operations or survey work in areas of high threat.

Our armed option has been designed to provide fully legitimate, properly licensed and trained teams to deploy onboard vessels. Our teams are experienced UK Nationals and are equipped with new and modern weapon systems. We are able to operate from a number of ports in the Indian sub-continent, Africa, Gulf States and the Mediterranean.

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Company Spotlight: Primary Weapons Systems

Nov 2

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Weapons, Weapons Stuff | 1 Comment

    You know, a lot is said about the various weapons companies and defense companies in the East coast or in the Southwest, but you never hear a lot about the fantastic companies in other parts of the country. And specifically, you never hear much about my neck of the woods here in Idaho. Companies like Primary Weapons Systems, Chris Reeve Knives, Milt Sparks holsters, Gemtech suppressors, Cheytac precision rifle systems, and the list goes on. In the future I plan on doing more company spotlights on Idaho companies that offer some quality equipment, weapons, and weapon parts.

    So with that said, let me get started. I have a friend named Dave who works at PWS and he invited me on down to the shop to check out the operation and the guns. While there, I got to see where all the magic happens and talk to some of the folks that make that happen. Stacey Nagy was one of those folks, and he was very helpful and informative as well. A big thanks to both for showing me around.

    PWS is probably most famous for their compensators. They reduce felt recoil of the rifle, keep the muzzle steady and reduce the flash. You will see these compensators on many competition and field weapons being used out there, and the fit and finish of these things are fantastic. They are also designed to fit the popular suppressors being used.  And believe me, when you see all the attention to detail that the company goes through to produce these compensators and get them out the door to their customers, then you will definitely appreciate what you have when you get one.

     They are also in the market of making parts that will help to support this ‘AR piston’ craze that is sweeping the weapons manufacturing world. Everyone is making an AR piston gun or retrofit kit it seems, and they are all experiencing issues with modifying the AR to operate a piston. That is were PWS comes in.

     Another part I got a chance to check out was their new buffer tubes, and I was very impressed. It is one of those parts on an AR that I have seen fail or I have seen installed incorrectly on a weapon, and this new PWS buffer tube will help to fix many of those issues. You do not have to peen a castle nut and possibly ruin the finish of your weapon, and installing it only requires an allen wrench and following the directions. (check out the comments about the buffer tube on the site) The ridged/fluted aspect of the buffer tube also provides strength to the thing and they look cool.

    Probably what is most important though is that these buffer tubes are designed to deal with piston guns that have had issues in the buffer tube area. Notice how they have a specific buffer tube kit for the HK 416? (hint- there are problems with this gun) These buffer tubes have built in quick detach points and supposedly they reduce recoil as well. Bravo to PWS for making the better buffer tube and I hope they sell a lot of them.

    Finally, and this is the one that should be of interest to the companies out there, and that is PWS makes piston AR rifles. My first interest in PWS rifles was their cool little Diablo gun that fired 7.62 x 39 ammo. That thing was cool and here is a video of it in action. But once I started researching what PWS is all about and what they have produced, I wanted to learn first hand about what else they had to offer.

    Specifically, these guys are making AR piston guns that not only have the ergonomics of the AR, but have the internal operations of an AK style piston system. And that is what is unique here. They modeled the design of their piston systems on this world famous weapon and they have created a true ‘long stroke piston’ AR. So what you are getting with a PWS weapon, is an AR/AK hybrid. The best of both worlds, thrown into one weapon.

    The other big selling point of their weapons was weight. They are close to one pound lighter than their competitors who market similar piston guns. So not only are they tough, reliable and simple, but they are also lightweight.

    On a side note, they are also running the excellent BCM Gunfighter charging handles that you see many folks running on their ARs. These charging handles are tough and make charging the weapon a lot easier than with the standard charging handle in ARs. This is a fine addition to the PWS weapon.

    The barrels are also standard AR type hardened barrels with 1:8 twist and chrome lining, which will be nice for durability and for using different bullets weights. At the shop, they purposely feed as many types of ammo as possible through the guns to see how they operate. Especially the cheap low grade ammo, which you see PSC/PMC’s resort to using all the time for overseas work. I have yet to be on a contract where the company issued Blackhills ammo or something similar. It is always the cheapest or middle of the road ammo, or it is ammo that they got from the military. Having a piston rifle that can be fed with all types of factory ammo is definitely a plus.

    I even asked them about problems with the rifles, and it sounds like the barrels wear out before the piston systems wear out. But the big one here that I clued in on is that no one is sending their rifles back because ‘they are falling apart’. These things are built to last, and have the best features of the AK and the AR incorporated into the design. Did I mention that they have a 7.62 x 51 AR piston gun they just introduced? They will even make a 6.8 piston gun if you ask.

   Not only that, but Paul Howe of CSAT is now recommending this rifle on his website. He has mentioned them twice in his newsletters and the rifle is in his ‘recommended equipment’ section here. As everyone knows, Paul has had some bad experiences with another piston gun that I won’t mention, so for him to endorse this AR piston gun says a lot. (Although I am sure after he runs it over time, he will be able to provide more input about the weapon.)

    Finally, there is the part of this visit that I really was impressed with, and that was the customer service aspect of this company. Everyone there was very helpful, friendly and honest about answering my questions. They really helped me to get a good picture of the AR piston industry and what their company has to offer. It is a confusing and fast paced part of the industry, and everyone is trying to make the best product out there. It is exciting to watch and PWS is working hard to become a leader in this field. -Matt

Disclaimer: I was not paid to make this review, nor have I bought or was given any weapons or parts by PWS. I also shot their 5.56 piston rifle during the tour, and the recoil and function were excellent. 

rule dividerCompany Spotlight: Primary Weapons Systems

09Company Spotlight: Primary Weapons Systems

     Primary Weapons Systems, Inc (PWS) is a Federally-licensed firearms manufacturer located in Boise, Idaho.  PWS is the designer and manufacturer of the MK1 and MK2 series rifles and uppers in addition to a complete line of flash suppressing compensators such as the FSC556, SM556, FSC30, and more.  PWS develops items based on real world requirements with the goal of redefining accuracy and performance in the piston-driven platforms.

     All parts manufactured by PWS are done so on state of the art CNC Machines such as Okuma Multus B300 lathes, HAAS VF-4 mills and more.  Any components that are not produced by PWS are purchased from only the best manufacturers to ensure the highest quality products are delivered to the end user.

     Our CNC machines are programmed and operated by true craftsmen who are also shooters. It is this combination that enables us to provide our clients with the highest quality products that are not only aesthetically appealing, but also very functional.

     Our mission is to provide the highest quality products and best customer service to shooters, sportsmen, military and law enforcement alike, and do this at a fair and competitive price. It is our goal to create lifelong relationships with our customers who believe in our ideas and the quality of our products. We invite our customers to provide feedback through direct contact as well as through customer reviews on the product pages throughout the website.

Link to company website here.

Video tour of company here.

Facebook page for company here.

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Cool Stuff: Local Motors–A Marine Starts the First Open Source Car Company!

Dec 1

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Cool Stuff | No Comments

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Company Spotlight: Nexus Consulting Group

Nov 21

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Maritime Security, Somalia | 1 Comment

O’Keefe said Nexus hires former U.S. military operatives such as Navy Seals who could disable a pirate skiff before it comes within range to launch a rocket-propelled grenade, the preferred weapon of pirates.

Having a proven deterrent aboard “is actually lowering the cost of kidnap and ransom insurance by as much as 40 percent” for the shipping lines who hire them, she said. -Elizabeth R. O’Keefe, a lawyer in Woburn, Mass., who represents Nexus and Murphy.

***** 

     I salute Shane Murphy and Nexus Consulting Group for not beating around the bush, and calling it like it is.  Mr. Murphy has witnessed first hand how these pirates operate, and the conclusions that he and his company have come to as to how to deal with these pirates and protect boats is spot on.  You must have weapons that give the boat standoff distance, so that these clowns can’t get in close and use their RPG’s.  Worse yet, the PKM can reach a boat at an even further distance, and the DShK can reach even further. All of these weapons are floating around in Somalia, and I guarantee that these pirates are investing in even better stuff with all of that money they have been making off of ransoms. You get the picture with this kind of arms race, and as these pirates become more desperate and more ruthless, the boats must have the kind of weapons and skills that will give the boat overwhelming fire superiority and the crews and security must have sound naval warfare strategies to deal with this stuff.

    By the way, they are looking for guys to put in their database, and just go through the link for their company here. -Matt

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Somali group puts out call to Seekonk’s Murphy

November 19, 2009

By Thomas J. Morgan and Donita Naylor

SEEKONK, Mass. — Attention Shane Murphy: The Somali Community Association of Ohio wants to take you out to dinner and ask for your help in protecting the Indian Ocean from pirates.

Murphy, of Seekonk, was chief officer of the Maersk Alabama in April when Somali-based pirates took over the ship. He no longer works for Maersk, but is still a merchant marine and consults for a private marine security company.

Bashir Haji, vice president of the Columbus, Ohio, Somali group, tried to reach Murphy on Wednesday after pirates attacking the Maersk Alabama were driven off by the ship’s crew armed with guns. Haji said the group wants to ask Murphy “to come to Columbus to give a speech about his ordeal with the pirates.”

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Company Spotlight: Bancroft Global Development, the 501(c)3 Non-profit PMC

Nov 18

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, PMC's, Somalia | 2 Comments

    That’s right, I am not making this up.  Bancroft Global Development is a no-kidding non-profit PMC. lol.  Anyway, this is all I could scrape up about BGD, and I thought it was a pretty cool concept.  I don’t know of any other non-profit PMC’s out there, and this company totally presents a different view on how we look at the PMC.  I also posted their earnings from 2007, and it looks like they are doing pretty well.

     What I really like about this is that is takes the whole ‘evil profiteering PMC’ element out of the conversation.  Although I would like to hear about any downsides with something like this, and I am all ears with the readership.

     So how about a non-profit Co-op PMC as an idea for a company? Just thinking out loud, and there are all sorts of interesting paths you could take with this stuff.  By the way, if any BGD guys would like to comment, or post any PR stuff, feel free to do so in the comments or send it to me and I will edit this thing.  I also look forward to when the website becomes fully operational and if they start looking for guys for their operation in Somalia and elsewhere. -Matt

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From their website.

Bancroft Global Development is a non-governmental organization dedicated to removing violence from public discourse, by promoting permanent solutions to the economic, environmental and societal harm caused by armed conflict.

Bancroft Global Development was duly organized in 1999 under the laws of the United States as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable organization.

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Call to Action: We Need Salary and Benefits Information On the Companies!!!!! Go To Glassdoor.com

Oct 25

Posted by Matt in Call To Action, Company Spotlight, Technology | No Comments

   Ok ladies and gentleman, this is a call to action of the most urgent kind.  There is practically no data at all about any of the PMC or PSC salaries and benefit packages out there.  We need to collect this information on one convenient and easy to access site, so everyone knows what everyone else is getting paid right now.  The reason being, is that the companies and government will keep lowering salaries and expecting the little guys like us, to just accept it for the way it is. Pee shaw I say!

   If everyone is armed with the knowledge of what everyone else is getting paid, then you have ammunition to negotiate salaries and benefit packages.  As it stands now, there is no ‘push back’ to regulate these dropping salaries.

    The question to ask is how much is your life worth in a war zone? How much is the life or property you are protecting worth in a war zone? If you are ok with mall cop salaries in war zones, then don’t do anything about it and just take it like a chump. Hell, work for free, because that will really make the companies happy!

   But if you want to do something about it, then post your pay and benefits anonymously on Glassdoor.com, and get this knowledge passed around so everyone knows what is what.

   There is a review section, and probably you should stay away from that.  But if you feel it is appropriate, then review away. Just keep in mind, your non-disclosure agreements and OPSEC/PERSEC.

   With company salaries and benefits, they post it on websites and job ads all the time.  But what is not put up on these ads, is  what you are really making and getting out there.  So let’s give the companies and other contractors some ground truth and shared reality on this sucker.

   The other reason I like Glassdoor, is that it is free to use, and way more organized than putting this information up on some forum.  Over the years, there has been tons of information shared in casual conversation on the forums, but most of it is kind of lost or extremely difficult to find in the search features. And don’t even try going to wikipedia to learn anything about the companies, because that is vacant too.  That’s too bad, because that kind of information could have helped a lot of folks who are just getting into this industry, or transferring from one company to another.

    So pass this around, and get that information out there.  It is anonymous, and posting salary info or benefit package info is not a violation of OPSEC or PERSEC.  You are simply posting what the companies are currently offering as far as pay and benefits, and at that particular time.  It is quick and easy to post that info, and let’s get it out there and keep it up to date!

     Also, I am not affiliated at all with Glassdoor.com, and they are not paying me anything for this review and post.  Glassdoor.com is a technology/website that makes sense, and if everyone gets on board with this, it will totally become a source of excellent information for the industry. That is my view on the whole deal.

    By the way, I did notice a few DynCorp jobs and salaries posted.  Let’s fill out the rest of the info on companies and make Glassdoor.com the place to rally at. -Matt

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glassdoorCall to Action: We Need Salary and Benefits Information On the Companies!!!!! Go To Glassdoor.com 

Post a Salary or Review

What is Glassdoor.com?

Glassdoor.com is a career and workplace community where anyone can find and anonymously share salary details about specific jobs for specific employers or company and interview reviews describing life on the inside of an employer — all for free. What sets us apart is that all our information comes from the people who know these companies best — either the employees who work there or the candidates who have interviewed there. In the spirit of community, we ask our users to share with each other. That is, before you can access all of the information shared by others in the Glassdoor community, we first ask that you post an anonymous salary, company review or interview review of your own. By working together to offer an inside look at companies, we can open up access and bring greater transparency to information in one of the most important parts of our lives — our work.

How did we get here?

It was the summer of 2007, and Glassdoor.com co-founder Robert Hohman was busy taking time off after having left his position as president of Hotwire.com. His long-time friend Rich Barton called up with an interesting question:

“What would happen if someone left the unedited employee survey for the whole company on the printer and it got posted to the Web?”

The two had previously worked together at Microsoft and then Expedia, which Rich founded in 1994. Expedia ultimately transformed travel by opening up information once available only to travel agents and insiders. Rich then went on to transform real estate with the launch of Zillow.com, allowing anyone to find and research home values from their personal computer.

Robert and Rich contemplated why it’s so difficult to find helpful information about jobs and workplaces. Robert called on good friend Tim Besse and they expanded the survey concept to include salary details down to the job level and CEO approval ratings, just like politician approval ratings. And thus, Glassdoor was born to deliver new transparency to an incredibly important part of our lives — our work.

What Makes Us Different?

Glassdoor.com is the only site that provides a complete, real-time, inside look at what it’s really like to work and interview at a company — salaries, reviews, and ratings — for free. We’re still in the early stages, but Glassdoor is already providing what we think is very compelling information, including:

• Real-time salary/compensation details by title and company. We don’t roll-up our salary information by job category or by industry like many sites and sources. You can see details on salary, bonuses, commissions and more for titles within companies that you’ll immediately recognize. See exactly what a Software Engineer at Google or a QA Engineer at eBay makes. With information posted every day, users can be sure they’re seeing the latest.

• Detailed company reviews. See what employees on the inside really think with reviews and ratings that hit on the good, the bad, and a lot more in between. We encourage constructive feedback in our company reviews and ask respondents to provide “pros” and “cons”, along with “advice to senior management.” In addition, we also collect & calculate a real-time CEO approval percentage to provide a pulse of how employees think the CEO is doing at any given time.

• Insightful interview reviews. Allows anyone to get the inside scoop on a company’s interview and hiring process, including actual questions for any job or company. In addition, interview reviews provides a unique perspective into the overall experience and difficulty of an interview.

It’s all FREE. The only cost to see all this information on Glassdoor is to post an anonymous salary, company review, or interview review of your own. We’re using this “give to get” model to get started, and since it will only take a few minutes to complete and get access to what’s behind Glassdoor, we hope you’ll give it a try.

Why Glassdoor?

We were hoping the name was obvious, but just in case it needs some explanation — Glassdoor was selected because we’re helping people look inside a company, through the closed doors and office walls to get better insight into jobs and workplaces and the interview process to get there.

Learn More about Glassdoor

Whether you’re looking for a new job or you’re completely satisfied where you are – your work matters – and we want you to have all the information you need to make the most of your career. Anonymous salaries, company reviews, and interview questions and reviews for over 30,000 companies – all for free!

Post a Salary or Review

How do I see all salaries or reviews?

Glassdoor is completely free – there are no subscriptions or data fees. Instead we ask you to post a salary or review of your own to get access to all the salaries or reviews posted by the community.

So if you’re interested in seeing salaries, simply post an anonymous salary for your current or former job and you’ll get access to salaries for all companies. The same goes for reviews and interviews – simply post an anonymous review of your current or former employer or post an anonymous review of a recent interview experience, and you’ll get access to all reviews and interviews for any company.

How can this really be anonymous?

If you work at a small company or are the only one with your job title, you can post without giving us the information that may allow others to identify you. For example, when posting a salary you don’t even need to tell us your company (which means it will not appear on the site). And when you’re posting a review, we don’t require you to tell us your job title or location (i.e., your review can be from “anonymous”). That should allow you to post while still maintaining your anonymity.

How do you know the posts are really from employees?

Because all of our salaries and reviews are anonymous, we require all our users to verify their account via email before any of their posts are shared with the community. This verification allows us to put measures in place to identify any suspicious users or posts (even if those cases are the exception rather than the rule). These measures, combined with an active employee community and our commitment to review every post before it appears on the site, allow us to have the confidence that our information is really from employees. See for yourself, read a few reviews and you’ll see that those insights can only come from those on the inside.

Go here for to check it out.

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Somalia: CSS Global Inc. Wins Contract to Protect Somali Government From Terrorism, Pirates

Oct 15

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Industry Talk, Somalia | 12 Comments

   I do not have anything to say about CSS Global Inc., and maybe a reader or two can chime in about this company?  I think it is great they got the contract, and hopefully guys will get a few jobs out of this.  I will not endorse them though, because I have never heard anything good or bad.

   One other thing. I have no idea if they are hiring either, so please do not send me resumes for this.  Go through their website that I posted below, to find out more.

   On an initial search in the career section, I did not see anything posted, and the hiring could be all going on through back channels.  My guess is they have everyone they need, but you never know and it wouldn’t hurt to send them a resume for this anyway. -Matt

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Ada company wins contract to protect Somali government from terrorism, pirates

By Ted Roelofs

The Grand Rapids Press

October 15, 2009

A Grand Rapids-based security firm is taking on a job few would envy: Protect the transitional government of Somalia, a failed state and breeding ground for terrorism and international piracy.

According to the Somali government, CSS Global Inc. has been contracted to provide security consulting services and training for government forces.

In a statement released Wednesday, Somali special envoy H.E. Ali Hassan Gulaid said he is “confident the expertise of the CSS Global senior staff will prove to be a valuable asset to us in our efforts to establish a safe and secure Somalia for our citizens.”

CSS Global, an affiliate of Ada-based CSS Alliance, has furnished counterterrorism services in other African nations and provided security and logistics in Iraq. Its operations team comprises former military and law enforcement personnel, including Special Forces.“It is going to be a huge challenge,” said Chris Frain, chief executive officer and co-owner of CSS Alliance. “This is a brand-new government being stood up with the help of the international community.”

Frain said he is optimistic CSS can get the job done.

“Our protective operations team has the experience and focus to provide strategic security services and support operations in any situation,” he said.

Read the rest of this entry »

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