The period immediately after the military withdrawal may be especially sensitive, as extremist groups test the new defenses and attempt to demonstrate their own relevance. Current planning calls for 5,500 security contractors to be employed by the State Department in Iraq, roughly double the current number and not including the Office of Security Cooperation. Roughly four thousand of these will be third-country nationals serving as static perimeter security for the various installations, a continuation of current practice at both civilian and military sites.
Though the numbers remain in flux, current plans call for about 600 guards in Irbil, 575 in Baghdad, 335 each in Kirkuk and Mosul, and about 3,650 in Baghdad. Most of State’s security contractors, both perimeter and movement, will be hired through the Worldwide Protective Services (WPS) contract, the successor to the current Worldwide Personal Protective Security (WPPS II) contract. However, some of the specialized security functions described in this section will be contracted separately. –SFRC–Iraq: The Transition From A Military Mission To A Civilian-Led Effort
Very cool and it is nice to get some more numbers on what this will look like. In my Scribd I posted the report if anyone wants to read it. It mostly rehashed a lot of the same issues in past conversations and reports about WPS and the civilian mission in Iraq.
As far as news with the companies and WPS, all I can suggest is to follow the latest reports in the forums. There are plenty of threads discussing the rumors and the legitimate news about what is going on with the stuff. All I can say is have patience with the process and do all you can to get that WPS certification. That kind of thing will make you very marketable in this industry. –Matt
Top diplomat defends size, cost of State Dept. presence in Iraq
Report Lists Perils for Envoys After U.S. Leaves Iraq
Top diplomat defends size, cost of State Dept. presence in Iraq
By Walter Pincus
February 1, 2011
The top U.S. diplomat in Iraq on Tuesday defended the size and cost of the State Department’s operations in that country, telling lawmakers that a significant diplomatic footprint will be necessary after the withdrawal of U.S. troops at the end of this year.