• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Blackwater a.k.a XE

J

Joed757

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
119
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

Found it interesting, I wouldn't mind joining being the person I am. But I'm not 100% sure, I love guns and all I want to learn tactical things and the whole nine and wouldn't mind becoming a XE employee in the long run. I read about having to have experience and all I'm only 20 so I don't know where exactly to start.Wouldn't mind getting some help from my fellow open carriers. How do you feel on the group and etc?
 
C

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

Joed757 wrote:
Found it interesting, I wouldn't mind joining being the person I am. But I'm not 100% sure, I love guns and all I want to learn tactical things and the whole nine and wouldn't mind becoming a XE employee in the long run. I read about having to have experience and all I'm only 20 so I don't know where exactly to start.Wouldn't mind getting some help from my fellow open carriers. How do you feel on the group and etc?
Click to expand...
Shouldn't be too hard to sort out.

Just study up on soldiers-of-fortune, mercenaries, etc. The the tradeis better than 6000 years old. Although Blackwater has its differences from pure mercenaries, the similarities are close enough, I should think. Although some things have changed quite a bit since Xerxes collided with Leonidas, the most important thing of all has not changed--human nature, the good and the bad.
 
Bulldog1967

Bulldog1967

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2007
Messages
447
Location
Alexandria, Virginia, United States
imported post

I've trained there twice.

MattBW1.jpg

MattBW2.jpg

MattBW3.jpg


The instruction was 1st rate. Best I ever had.

I'm not sure I'd go to work there right now as the top 2 guys just resigned, and I think that current climate in DC will mean it will be harder for PMCs to find work.
 
C

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

I must say the guy in those pictures looks a lot tougher than the guy I've seen around.

What a contrast in impressions!

Great photos Bulldog!
 
J

Joed757

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
119
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

Citizen wrote:
Joed757 wrote:
Found it interesting, I wouldn't mind joining being the person I am. But I'm not 100% sure, I love guns and all I want to learn tactical things and the whole nine and wouldn't mind becoming a XE employee in the long run. I read about having to have experience and all I'm only 20 so I don't know where exactly to start.Wouldn't mind getting some help from my fellow open carriers. How do you feel on the group and etc?
Click to expand...
Shouldn't be too hard to sort out.

Just study up on soldiers-of-fortune, mercenaries, etc.  The the trade is better than 6000 years old.  Although Blackwater has its differences from pure mercenaries, the similarities are close enough, I should think.  Although some things have changed quite a bit since Xerxes collided with Leonidas, the most important thing of all has not changed--human nature, the good and the bad.
Click to expand...
Thats something I def will study on. Didnt know it went that far back.
 
C

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

Bulldog1967 wrote:
Citizen wrote:
I must say the guy in those pictures looks a lot tougher than the guy I've seen around.
Click to expand...
I'm incognito now. :D
Click to expand...

That should work well. I make it a point not to inquire too closely into the identity of people dressed like that!!

:)
 
J

Joed757

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
119
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

Bulldog I get what your saying. You trained in the NC part? I was thinking taking a class or two very expensive plus 2500 rounds of .45 bullets would cost more than the class itself. PMC work does seem slim now im guessing.I wouldnt be up for work for about 5 or 6 years anyways.
 
J

Joed757

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
119
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

ProShooter wrote:
I spent two weeks training there. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute (except the food - awful)

n1646282398_3008.jpg



 I wouldnt mind working there myself!
Click to expand...
Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door. Dont want to join the military as of yet because, I dont want to be thought as the young male who just joins and gets sent off to irag in a month or two.
 
T

Tomahawk

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
5,117
Location
4 hours south of HankT, ,
imported post

Bulldog, what's with the short hair and no beard? You're not getting old on us, are you? I'm growing some back, myself, try toblend in a little morewhen I walk into a room full of yuppies.

Blackhawk, or Xe, or whatever they call themselves now, creep me out a little. I'd like to take their training, but I wouldn't want to work for them.
 
C

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

Tomahawk wrote:
Bulldog, what's with the short hair and no beard?
Click to expand...

Like he said, he's incognito now.

Can't think of a finer costume than one topped with an eagle, globe, and anchor.

And, I am known far and wide for my impartiality.
 
E

essayons

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
278
Location
RVA, ,
imported post

Joed757 wrote:
Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door. Dont want to join the military as of yet because, I dont want to be thought as the young male who just joins and gets sent off to irag in a month or two.
Click to expand...
I have a number of friends and aquantainces who were/are employed by Blackwater. Combat experience is the quickest way to "get into the door." The only other relatively quick way is to join the military and be trained in an exotic MOS (EOD, sat coms, etc.) Learning a language (arabic, farsi) is also a plus.

That being said, most of the real qualified, high speed guys go into the training side of things. The "operators" or whatever they are calling them nowadays have generally shorter resume's. Also, hearing my buddies' stories and in my experience working around Blackwater and other contractors overseas, the job is much less glamorous than it seems. The pay is nice, but you generally sit on your butt on a compound inside of a FOB for months at a time.
 
W.E.G.

W.E.G.

Newbie
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
503
Location
all over VA, ,
imported post

Joed757 wrote:
Found it interesting...I'm not 100% sure...Wouldn't mind getting some help from my fellow open carriers. How do you feel on the group and etc?
Click to expand...
If you are in college finish your degree.

If you want to do military work, the best place for a guy your age to get that training is in the military.

Try to get (or finish) your degree.

Then decide whether you want to spend your best years in parts of the world where you are distinctly unwelcome.
Never mistake hospitality for friendship.
 
VAopencarry

VAopencarry

Regular Member
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
2,151
Location
Berryville-ish, VA
imported post

The easiest way to 'play soldier' is join the military. Don't be a pretender. Visit your local USMC recruiter, tell him you want to be an 0311.
 
C

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

VAopencarry wrote:
The easiest way to 'play soldier' is join the military. Don't be a pretender. Visit your local USMC recruiter, tell him you want to be an 0311.
Click to expand...
Joed757,

"0311" is Marine-speak for "infantry." Its the numerical designation for that specialty.
 
gotm4

gotm4

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
89
Location
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
imported post

I spent a week there in 2006, I took the 5 day Carbine Operators class.
Kyle was my main instructor, he's now the head of firearms training there (good dude).

It's some good instruction.

If you've seen the Buick O'Truth pics etc of shooting with rifles/pistols that was done on the last day of the class I was in.

b4e5b5c0.jpg

d0b3d8b8.jpg

3bffbd7c.jpg

a6659b87.jpg

bw.jpg
 
J

Joed757

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
119
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

im def going to get my degree.Probably my masters and the thing I heard is you cant exceed a certain weight to move up in rankings what about the big fella who can move just as a smaller fellow.
 
E

essayons

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
278
Location
RVA, ,
imported post

VAopencarry wrote:
The easiest way to 'play soldier' is join the military. Don't be a pretender. Visit your local USMC recruiter, tell him you want to be an 0311.
Click to expand...
Or 21B/1371

"We lead the infantry"
 
W.E.G.

W.E.G.

Newbie
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
503
Location
all over VA, ,
imported post

Joed757 wrote:
you cant exceed a certain weight to move up in rankings what about the big fella who can move just as a smaller fellow.
Click to expand...
Don't expect military (type) organizations to change their rules to accommodate you.

Lose the lard or stay in the yard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top