Feral Jundi

Friday, November 4, 2011

Industry Talk: Erinys Talks About Picking Private Security In Iraq

Filed under: Industry Talk,Iraq — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 12:04 PM

In relation to the cost of security, there is an old saying: “if you have a five dollar head, then wear a five dollar helmet” – in other words, if you value what you have you are willing to pay to protect it.

This is cool. Erinys did a lot of great work in Iraq back in the day, and they will no doubt continue to be involved with oil security in Iraq now and into the future. So it is great to hear them talk about what they think is important for picking a PSC for operations in Iraq.

What I really liked though was the quote up top. I will have to use that one in the future, and it is just another way of emphasizing what happens when you go cheap. Especially in Iraq, and especially as the troops leave and oil security forces continue to face an active insurgency. –Matt

 

Picking private security in Iraq
November 3rd, 2011
Oil companies in Iraq still need to factor in a security cost overhead as part of doing business in the country in order to protect their people and assets. John McCaffery, Managing Director of British private security firm Erinys, gives his guide to choosing the right provider.
The securing of personnel and assets is a complex amalgam of procedural, technical and physical methods that establishes layered security “architecture” with multiple zones.
If one considers the client and a project as the core of an onion then layers of skin that surround the core would represent the security “zones” that protect the client.
In relation to the cost of security, there is an old saying: “if you have a five dollar head, then wear a five dollar helmet” – in other words, if you value what you have you are willing to pay to protect it.
As such it is important to note that the provision of a professional security architecture is expensive anywhere in the world. ?In Iraq though it is more so, given the cost of shipping in equipment and the labour rates of professional security personnel. This is compounded by the need to train and equip local personnel and the extremely challenging regulatory environment in which international PSC’s are required to operate.

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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Industry Talk: Report Details Problems For The PSC Replacing ‘Afghan Public Protection Force’

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 3:25 PM

Asked if he would be forced to end contracts if the situation was not resolved, one development company official said, “Absolutely.”
“We apply what we call the son and daughter standard,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to avoid alienating American and Afghan government officials. “Would we send our sons and daughters out there to do this work, and the answer is no.”

Boy, who couldn’t see this one coming? lol Of course Afghanistan is not able to put together this Afghan Public Protection Force.  As you all remember, this was the force that was supposed to replace private security forces in Afghanistan.

As that quote up top hints at, this APPF concept is not exactly giving all of the aid and development groups the confidence they require in order to send ‘their sons and daughters’ to Afghanistan. I wouldn’t trust my life in the hands of such a force, even if half of this report is true. This quote below is what perked me up:

The assessment makes it clear that much work needs to be done. Of 166 “essential” criteria to determine if the government was able to recruit, train and sustain the guard force, less than a third could be fully met, the assessment found. Sixty-three of the measurements could not be met at all.

Really?  So here is my suggestion. Private industry is really the only solution here, and the Afghans need to face reality, or everyone is going to pack up and leave. And that is a lot of money and projects just going out the door.

My suggestion is to implement a license and bonded PSC system. Streamline the licensing process, and tell the companies to put their money where their mouth is if they want to operate.  If they violate the contract, then they are fined via the surety bond. If they violate the terms of the license, then suspend the license. If they break a law, then prosecute those individuals. But the point is, find a way to work with private industry and do not try to re-invent the wheel. Let the various aid and development groups in country choose what licensed security they want, and focus on managing and regulating that. –Matt

 

Report Details Problems for Afghan Security Force Plan
By RAY RIVERA
November 1, 2011
KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai’s plan to disband private security companies that protect billions of dollars worth of aid projects and replace them with government forces is fraught with problems and unlikely to meet the president’s March deadline to complete the transition, according to a six-month assessment of the program.
The assessment, conducted by NATO and the Afghan Interior Ministry, outlines dozens of issues that have slowed the development of the new security force and raises questions about the government’s capacity to carry out and sustain the program and others as international aid money and military support dwindle in coming years.
The report, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, comes as international development companies are becoming increasingly worried about the security of their workers, many of whom are Afghans.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Industry Talk: Getting Ready For The Big Switch In Iraq

Filed under: Industry Talk,Iraq — Tags: , , , — Matt @ 10:35 AM

Officials familiar with the plans concede, however, that the police advisory program may not last beyond three years. A lack of recruits willing to earn between $100,000 and $150,000 annually for their expertise also means the program is beginning with about 120 advisers, down from the original goal of 190, said the officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.
Much of State’s budget request is to pay security contractors to transport and protect the police advisers as they travel to about 30 sites across the country for meetings.

Now that quote up top was the one that I zeroed in on in this article. I have a hard time imagining that these guys are not able to find enough former police officers to staff this program. If they need 70 more advisers, then put the word out. lol It’s that simple and with an effective campaign, you should be able to get enough guys. Especially with today’s economy and lack of jobs.

I also think it is interesting that the Iraqis are now up to the level where they can train their own police.  That was a big goal of all of our efforts, and that is great. Now it sounds like the Iraqi’s are hungry for the advance level of police work, and this might really pay off in the long run. With more competent police, then crime can be more effectively dealt with, and they might even be able to find more terrorists. We will see, and the big one here is funding. If the DoS can secure the funds for this police program, then this thing could continue on for at least 3 to 5 years. –Matt

 

Getting ready for the big switch in Iraq
October 12, 2011
By Ed O’Keefe
If you get to spend any time with Iraqi political leaders of any sort, as The Federal Eye did during a brief stint in Iraq this summer, they’ll likely discuss their deep-rooted eagerness to work with “Americans with civilian suits, not military uniforms.”
That day is fast approaching.
Iraqi leaders still haven’t decided whether they want to extend a three-year security agreement beyond the end of the year, and if they don’t make a formal request by Dec. 31, all U.S. troops and equipment will pack up and leave. In their wake, the State Department plans to deploy about 17,000 American diplomats and security personnel across Iraq, comprising its largest diplomatic presence in the world — and the largest contingent of federal employees and contractors outside the United States.
But the expensive and daunting military-to-civilian transition in Iraq is expected to face close scrutiny from cost-conscious members of Congress eager to avoid further waste and abuse in wartime contracting. Officials with the departments of defense and state on Wednesday are slated to provide an update on the ongoing transition and spending plans at a House subcommittee hearing on national security and foreign operations.

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Friday, September 23, 2011

Leadership: CrossLead, By The McChrystal Group

Filed under: Industry Talk,Leadership,Training — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 11:08 AM

Excellent. This is great news that General McChrystal has set up shop with a group like this. Not only that, but the type of leadership training he is providing is very unique and essential for our industry.

Here is the problem we face with today’s PMSC’s. How does corporate communicate and lead all of the various business units and elements of their company, when their company is dispersed globally?  Ideally, you would want everyone in the same room and once a day or once a week to discuss, analyze and synthesize the multitude of problems that the company faces.  But in our world, that just is not possible. And actually, for many of the large global corporations outside of our industry, this is their reality as well. The question is, how do you connect with your people, and lead a company that is spread all over the world?

So what the McChrystal Group has done here is to develop a leadership system called CrossLead that addresses this problem. How do you lead through an email? How do you inspire and connect with your people via video conferencing?  How do you set up your management teams and communications, and how do you leverage technology to actually be a good leader globally?  These are some tough questions, but if anyone has any insight as to how to do that, General McChrystal and his team have the experience to do so.

I think this is extremely valuable to PMSC’s, just because this Group understands the complexities of what it is we do. An example would be DynCorp, which has a massive army that includes everything from aviation mechanics and pilots, to police advisers and PSD specialists–just like today’s military.  A company like this operates all over the world, and in all of the war zones–just like today’s military. So to me, there is definitely something to be learned here by a master military tactician, leader, and strategist that knows how to leverage today’s technology to deliver the goods.

Below is some information from their website and definitely check out their Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube page for further information. At their Youtube page, you get a taste of some of the training and concepts, and I am sure they will release some stuff in the future. So it pays to subscribe. It also looks like they will be putting on one of their courses at Yale, and if you are interested in implementing CrossLead at your company, definitely give them a call. –Matt

 

 

Our Story
McChrystal Group is composed of leadership professionals with a shared background in service. From Navy SEALs to legislative and policy experts, the McChrystal Group brings a wealth of practical leadership experience in running multi-national, multi-agency, culturally diverse, and geographically dispersed organizations. From the battlefield to the boardroom, McChrystal Group has assembled the best leadership practices into a transformational leadership system called CrossLead.

The disciplined execution of CrossLead by a committed set of leaders will enable an organization to achieve the following results:
1. Dramatically improved shared consciousness and purpose
2. Faster and more inclusive decision-making
3. Better data and knowledge management
4. Rapid dissemination of best and worst practices
5. Optimized utilization of technology
6. Increased organizational transparency to enable accountability in execution

Development Programs
McChrystal Group will fully customize professional development programs to teach business executives and public leaders how to lead and organize networks in dynamic and challenging environments.
Single-day executive leadership program
These events are designed to discuss and relate CrossLead principles with an organization’s leadership team. The scope of work can range from a panel discussion with experienced professionals to facilitating an offsite engagement for key leaders.
Multi-day tailored executive leadership program
McChrystal Group will custom develop programs, including seminars and practical exercises that expose leaders to CrossLead mechanics and processes. The programs can range in size and can be hosted on site or at a destination location.
Comprehensive executive leadership development program
McChrystal Group will work with senior management to custom design a professional development program that challenges leaders to perform in tailored scenarios that best represent the unique requirements of their organization. This program will complement an organization’s professional development goals to include assessing individuals’ performance and potential, as well as team building through immersion in CrossLead principles, processes and mechanics.

Team
McChrystal Group is composed of leadership professionals with a shared background in service. From Navy SEALs to legislative and policy experts, McChrystal Group brings a wealth of practical leadership experience in running multi-national, multi-agency, culturally diverse, and geographically dispersed organizations. We are actively seeking the right people to join our growing team.

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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Libya: The Largest Private Security Company In The World–GardaWorld, Makes An Entry Into Libya

Filed under: Industry Talk,Libya — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 12:32 PM

Now there is a story. The largest security company in the world….wait for it…..GardaWorld, is now in Libya. lol What’s next, an expeditionary task force from Walmart?

Seriously though, this is a cool little story about the beginning stages of reconstruction in Libya. Of course security for all of these business ventures is a top priority.  What I liked about this article though, is you can just picture the frustration, the wheeling and dealing, the planning, and the dreams of making huge amounts of cash as soon as the National Transitional Council (NTC) gets it’s act together.

By cash, I mean oil companies will be paying top dollar to get the oil flowing again and secure those operations. That, and the NTC is sitting on billions of dollars of Libyan frozen assets. Some estimates put that figure at around 160 billion dollars! So yes, there is some money out there, and the NTC is going to be investing into rebuilding their country and setting up the government, but also into things that will bring in revenue–like oil contracts. And to make the oil companies and all the folks that come with that happy, you need infrastructure and security to support that.

On a side note, I kind of get a chuckle when I read these stories, because I can totally tell what is going on. They interviewed these British contractors, and I noticed how these guys emphasized how ‘uniquely qualified they are’ for the job, compared to their ‘Guns R Us’ competitors? lol And it should also be noted that guys like this, love to tell journalists what they want to hear, just so they are written up in the story to be the best, most obvious choice for the job. That is my hunch on why guys like this would talk to journalists like that, and actually go on the record with their names and everything. That, and this story is in Bloomburg, a business journal and website.

Still, I give them credit for getting in there and making their moves.  It is not easy, and just like what Secopex learned, doing business in war zones has all sorts of pitfalls and complexities. –Matt

 

As Libya War Winds Down, Security Consultants Tout Iraq, Afghan Experience
By Sarah A. Topol
Sep 22, 2011
Want to do a deal in post-Qaddafi Libya?
Head to the Cafe Oya in the back of Tripoli’s Radisson Blu Al Mahary, where visitors without proper ID must check their AK- 47s at the hotel door.
Diplomats, reporters, businessmen, and representatives of the National Transitional Council, the rebel government set up in February, sit at a dozen small tables discussing the country’s volatile future through a haze of cigarette smoke. Conversation over strong coffee flits between the fighting around Sirte, who will hold positions in the soon-to-be-created interim government — delayed by bickering between Islamists and secular Libyans — and who gets the billions of dollars of still-frozen Qaddafi assets.
Never far from view are the hulking frames of security details, mostly British ex-military men, transparent wires corkscrewing out of their ears. Their taciturn shadows tail the diplomats and visiting members from the transitional government they protect.
Other security consultants are staked out at the hotel in search of the business that inevitably accompanies Mideast turmoil. One rebel council insider compares the consultants to flies buzzing around. Contractors are trying to gather as much information as possible about anybody willing to pay–security companies, oil companies, business ventures who are already here or want to start here.

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