dee222 Posted May 31, 2014 Share #1 Posted May 31, 2014 Can someone on here clear this up, during recent conflicts the U.S. has used contractors for security etc ,are these in effect mercenaries and if so are these not banned by federal law, if memory serves me right this law came about after you asked the English to leave in the 1700,s due to the mercenaries used in this conflict, so can anyone clear this up for me . Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted May 31, 2014 Share #2 Posted May 31, 2014 You answered your own question. They are hired for security duties, not military duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted May 31, 2014 Share #3 Posted May 31, 2014 I have couple friends who are contractors for the U.S. gov't. They are ex-military and provide armed as well as unarmed security at embassy building projects which are not yet complete. Uncompleted embassies are not sovereign territory of the U.S. until the building is completed. As a result they cannot have military security. They also provide security for dignitaries and other civilian contractors(advisors, builders, instructors etc.)The "mercenaries" as you call them are for security and are not meant to be combatants. This kind of mercenary talk is a product of the BBC fantasy news department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted May 31, 2014 Share #4 Posted May 31, 2014 Not all "contractors" are ex military either. There are civilian security personnel and instructors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted May 31, 2014 Share #5 Posted May 31, 2014 Not all "contractors" are ex military either. There are civilian security personnel and instructors. Agreed. My younger son is a civilian tactical security officer. His training is police and non-military. He's thought of doing contractor work like this also but, his wife and three young daughters got him to think otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted June 1, 2014 Share #6 Posted June 1, 2014 My brother in law is a contactor in Afghanistan right now. He's not security. He was overseas during the first Gulf War but did not see combat. His son spent a year in Afghanistan in some serious combat with the 101st. It bugged his Dad that he had a CIB. It essentially drove him to apply to a contracting company. His previous service and time as a police officer opened the door. He's never been near an embassy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLegGI Posted June 3, 2014 Share #7 Posted June 3, 2014 FOB Warhorse had Sudanese man the guard tower, gates (except the US military entrances), and checking ID's at the PX (lol). At COP Mulallah we had some heavily armed SUV's roll up to our front gate one day, we had no idea who the hell they were when a bunch of white dudes hopped out, well armed. They turned out to be British contractors there to do a survey of the roads around our AO for repairs. All of the DFACs were manned by third party nationals of varying origin and iirc the fuel/sewage trucks were all driven by local Iraqis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted June 3, 2014 Share #8 Posted June 3, 2014 This kind of mercenary talk is a product of the BBC fantasy news department. Absolutely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnarlyRelics Posted June 9, 2014 Share #9 Posted June 9, 2014 I worked in Kuwait for almost 6 years as a civilian contractor (mechanic). The few camps in Kuwait had contracted security at the gates. The company contracted for security hired Americans and third country nationals, mostly Indian. Only the Americans were armed. There sole duty was to guard to gates, inspect/search vehicles inbound and out bound, and check IDs. Similar to the civilian police and security that were working the gates at fort hood for some years. I don't recall every here that any of these individuals fires there weapons in defense of their post. I do recall in 2004 Kuwait had some active threats. One morning in line at the inbound gate draw their weapons on a vehicle. Never found out why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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