Blackwater video

FirearmFan · September 29, 2005, 12:11 PM

Hey guys and gals,

I came across this video on the Blackwater web site. Shows some pretty good shooting by their instructors. Anyone have any experience with other schools that offer this level of shooting? I don't have a money tree in my backyard and want to identify what schools to attend.

Here's their web link:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/training/

Let me know what you think.

AndrewTB · September 29, 2005, 01:38 PM

A lot of people here are familiar with Blackwater and have seen the videos. I really like the way they train but its a pain to get I heard.

ReconDoc242 · September 29, 2005, 02:51 PM

I used to be employed by them shortly after I got out of the service and atteded a 3 week Personal Protection contractor course. It was fairly good, and their instructors were top notch. As a civilian I would rank the school as #3. ( i have atteded a few of the major schools as a civilian and as a special operation operative while i was still in the service.)
This is the school ranking based on instructor skill, course materials, and facilities.
#5 Thunder Ranch
#4 SOTG
#3 Blackwater
#2 Gunsite
#1 Front Sight

FirearmFan · September 29, 2005, 03:52 PM

Thanks. I've heard of the others, what's SOTG? Last I knew it stood for Special Operations Group.

CobrayCommando · September 29, 2005, 07:46 PM

Thanks for that list Doc, tis a great help! You seem like a very experienced fellow

Limeyfellow · September 29, 2005, 10:27 PM

Just a shame Blackwater are a bunch of bullies and thugs. The stuff their mercenary arm get up to is unbelievable and now the dhs put them in New Orleans with policing powers. Very sad.

45-70 · September 30, 2005, 07:40 AM

Umm, were you thinking they should send elderly libarians to New Orleans? Bullies and thugs does, sort of, sound about right, now that you mention it!

CobrayCommando · September 30, 2005, 10:05 AM

LOL! We should send some of the tapioca spined protesters of Blackwater out there, and knowing 125 percent of them will be anti gun, we shall also see how many of them come back raped and robbed!

ReconDoc242 · September 30, 2005, 02:22 PM

ouch....bullies and thugs. Most of the guys in New Orleans that work for blackwater have 4yrs law enforcement and 4yrs military experience as a minimum requirement. All others(including myself) are former military special operations members with at least 4yrs time serving in a special operations unit, all(at least the former special ops guys) the guys that work for Blankwater and Dyncorp, in my experience are nice guys. Hardly thugs and bullies. Heck I happen to think I am kind of a softy myself and I used to work for them as a PSS.
-Doc
FireArmFan- SOTG is Special Oerations Training Group, they are out of CA and NC

k9lwt · September 30, 2005, 03:42 PM

I have heard nothing but great things about Blackwater. Some friends took a tactical pistol class with them and were highly impressed. Two (friends of a friend) took the 3 week class and just came home from a 6 month stint in Iraq working for Blackwater as PSS's. I heard they did some hairy things over there. The money's real good, but having a wife and kids, it's just too risky for me now.

H&K4Life · October 2, 2005, 11:20 PM

In ref to training:
ReconDoc242 I saw your post on the rankings of the schools. Have you actually been to Front Sight, or did you get the info from your peers?
I ask because a crapload "Florida folks" swear by it!

I think I am just gonna spend the $2k+ dollars for a 4-day course and see for myself.

shecky · October 3, 2005, 01:20 AM

Don't know about bullies and thugs. But is anyone wondering if the use of essentially private armies are a great way for the govt to get around the Posse Comitatus Act? And how many more rights does a private army have regarding the right to bear arms than average Joe citizen?

tanksoldier · October 3, 2005, 02:42 AM

The govt doesn't HAVE to get around the PC act. It was passed not to protect anybody or limit the military, it was passed because the military doesn't WANT to waste time doing civ law enforcement. The whole reason it exists is to prevent local LE from calling on the military to help them solve every problem that pops up... it was passed sometime in the 1800's to prevent town sheriffs from using the local Army garrison as a posse. To "get around it" all the President has to do is decide the situation is bad enough to warrant using the military.

Also remember that National Guard troops called out by their state aren't covered by PC... they can take whatever role the Governor orders them to take, including enforcing the law. During the floods in California members of my NG MP company were giving speeding tickets, riding around in HMMWVs with lightbars and siren.

Quote:

Don't know about bullies and thugs. But is anyone wondering if the use of essentially private armies are a great way for the govt to get around the Posse Comitatus Act? And how many more rights does a private army have regarding the right to bear arms than average Joe citizen?

AUG · October 3, 2005, 10:18 AM

Funny thing is those speeding tickets your guys were writing would be thrown out of any court in the USA.

Why a NG unit would write a speeding ticket is beyond me. Sounds like a bunch of guys excited to play "police" for the day.

ReconDoc242 · October 3, 2005, 11:52 AM

H&K4Life-
Yes I have been to all of the shooting schools mentioned and 22 others during my time in Naval Special Warfare and as a civilian. I have also taken my wife, civilian friends, and fellow special operations operators to all 5 of the above named schools. I watched their performance along with the performance of the beginners and advanced students in each class, and what their levels were at the end of class. This is how my "ranking" was based.
Now I know that the school got a lot of some bad press due to speculation of possible connections to scientology. Personally, I dont care if alien worshipers teach a course, as long as I make significant progress in my shooting ability.
I can truly say that it was worth every penny i spent there. I, along with many of my former teamates and our families like the place so much that we became members(and dropped so serious dough to do so). So I would recommend it above any other school.
-Doc

H&K4Life · October 3, 2005, 04:32 PM

ReconDoc242,

Thanks for the insight man, I am totally sold. I am in for the November class, and will probably do a 4-day shotgun in January. I wish I could sell the unit on the idea of sending a couple of teams every quarter or so. For you SOCOM operators it is a no-brainer, but the SOCOM support guys, it sometimes takes an act of congress (and a grant from Bill Gates)

rugerdude · October 3, 2005, 05:23 PM

Does anybody else find the video to be....ummmmm really funny?

The facilities are so....almost over the top sounding, ya know? And the voice on the video sounds like he could be advertising a toaster oven, but instead of having a special sandwich rack, it's got a 1200 yard rifle range.

I love it.

CobrayCommando · October 3, 2005, 05:48 PM

Its like an infomercenaryercial

ReconDoc242 · October 4, 2005, 02:48 PM

"infomercenaryercial"-

Looks like you have coined a new phrase

September 30, 2005, 07:40 AM	#7
45-70 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2005 Location: Dallas TX area Posts: 310	Bullies & thugs? Umm, were you thinking they should send elderly libarians to New Orleans? Bullies and thugs does, sort of, sound about right, now that you mention it!

September 30, 2005, 02:22 PM	#9
ReconDoc242 Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Where ever uncle Sam sends my family Posts: 22	ouch....bullies and thugs. Most of the guys in New Orleans that work for blackwater have 4yrs law enforcement and 4yrs military experience as a minimum requirement. All others(including myself) are former military special operations members with at least 4yrs time serving in a special operations unit, all(at least the former special ops guys) the guys that work for Blankwater and Dyncorp, in my experience are nice guys. Hardly thugs and bullies. Heck I happen to think I am kind of a softy myself and I used to work for them as a PSS. -Doc FireArmFan- SOTG is Special Oerations Training Group, they are out of CA and NC __________________ S.S.D.

October 2, 2005, 11:20 PM	#11
H&K4Life Member Join Date: October 2, 2005 Posts: 77	Front Sight the undisputed champ? In ref to training: ReconDoc242 I saw your post on the rankings of the schools. Have you actually been to Front Sight, or did you get the info from your peers? I ask because a crapload "Florida folks" swear by it! I think I am just gonna spend the $2k+ dollars for a 4-day course and see for myself.

October 3, 2005, 11:52 AM	#15
ReconDoc242 Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Where ever uncle Sam sends my family Posts: 22	H&K4Life- Yes I have been to all of the shooting schools mentioned and 22 others during my time in Naval Special Warfare and as a civilian. I have also taken my wife, civilian friends, and fellow special operations operators to all 5 of the above named schools. I watched their performance along with the performance of the beginners and advanced students in each class, and what their levels were at the end of class. This is how my "ranking" was based. Now I know that the school got a lot of some bad press due to speculation of possible connections to scientology. Personally, I dont care if alien worshipers teach a course, as long as I make significant progress in my shooting ability. I can truly say that it was worth every penny i spent there. I, along with many of my former teamates and our families like the place so much that we became members(and dropped so serious dough to do so). So I would recommend it above any other school. -Doc __________________ S.S.D.

October 3, 2005, 05:23 PM	#17
rugerdude Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,443	Does anybody else find the video to be....ummmmm really funny? The facilities are so....almost over the top sounding, ya know? And the voice on the video sounds like he could be advertising a toaster oven, but instead of having a special sandwich rack, it's got a 1200 yard rifle range. I love it. __________________ "The SKS is a rifle, made the way they should be, out of a heavy block of crappy commie steel, set in an inletted semi-reshaped 2x4." Not my quote but I agree completely.

September 29, 2005, 12:11 PM	#1
FirearmFan Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2005 Location: Philly Posts: 270	Blackwater video Hey guys and gals, I came across this video on the Blackwater web site. Shows some pretty good shooting by their instructors. Anyone have any experience with other schools that offer this level of shooting? I don't have a money tree in my backyard and want to identify what schools to attend. Here's their web link: http://www.blackwaterusa.com/training/ Let me know what you think.

September 29, 2005, 01:38 PM	#2
AndrewTB Junior member Join Date: January 11, 2005 Posts: 677	A lot of people here are familiar with Blackwater and have seen the videos. I really like the way they train but its a pain to get I heard.

September 29, 2005, 02:51 PM	#3
ReconDoc242 Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Where ever uncle Sam sends my family Posts: 22	I used to be employed by them shortly after I got out of the service and atteded a 3 week Personal Protection contractor course. It was fairly good, and their instructors were top notch. As a civilian I would rank the school as #3. ( i have atteded a few of the major schools as a civilian and as a special operation operative while i was still in the service.) This is the school ranking based on instructor skill, course materials, and facilities. #5 Thunder Ranch #4 SOTG #3 Blackwater #2 Gunsite #1 Front Sight __________________ S.S.D.

September 29, 2005, 03:52 PM	#4
FirearmFan Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2005 Location: Philly Posts: 270	Thanks. I've heard of the others, what's SOTG? Last I knew it stood for Special Operations Group.

September 29, 2005, 07:46 PM	#5
CobrayCommando Junior member Join Date: November 21, 2004 Posts: 1,631	Thanks for that list Doc, tis a great help! You seem like a very experienced fellow

September 29, 2005, 10:27 PM	#6
Limeyfellow Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2005 Posts: 1,380	Just a shame Blackwater are a bunch of bullies and thugs. The stuff their mercenary arm get up to is unbelievable and now the dhs put them in New Orleans with policing powers. Very sad.

September 30, 2005, 10:05 AM	#8
CobrayCommando Junior member Join Date: November 21, 2004 Posts: 1,631	LOL! We should send some of the tapioca spined protesters of Blackwater out there, and knowing 125 percent of them will be anti gun, we shall also see how many of them come back raped and robbed!

September 30, 2005, 03:42 PM	#10
k9lwt Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2005 Location: Posts: 123	I have heard nothing but great things about Blackwater. Some friends took a tactical pistol class with them and were highly impressed. Two (friends of a friend) took the 3 week class and just came home from a 6 month stint in Iraq working for Blackwater as PSS's. I heard they did some hairy things over there. The money's real good, but having a wife and kids, it's just too risky for me now.

October 3, 2005, 01:20 AM	#12
shecky Member Join Date: June 5, 2005 Posts: 72	Don't know about bullies and thugs. But is anyone wondering if the use of essentially private armies are a great way for the govt to get around the Posse Comitatus Act? And how many more rights does a private army have regarding the right to bear arms than average Joe citizen?

October 3, 2005, 10:18 AM	#14
AUG Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2000 Location: East TN Posts: 434	Funny thing is those speeding tickets your guys were writing would be thrown out of any court in the USA. Why a NG unit would write a speeding ticket is beyond me. Sounds like a bunch of guys excited to play "police" for the day.

October 3, 2005, 04:32 PM	#16
H&K4Life Member Join Date: October 2, 2005 Posts: 77	ReconDoc242, Thanks for the insight man, I am totally sold. I am in for the November class, and will probably do a 4-day shotgun in January. I wish I could sell the unit on the idea of sending a couple of teams every quarter or so. For you SOCOM operators it is a no-brainer, but the SOCOM support guys, it sometimes takes an act of congress (and a grant from Bill Gates)

October 3, 2005, 05:48 PM	#18
CobrayCommando Junior member Join Date: November 21, 2004 Posts: 1,631	Its like an infomercenaryercial

October 4, 2005, 02:48 PM	#19
ReconDoc242 Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Where ever uncle Sam sends my family Posts: 22	"infomercenaryercial"- Looks like you have coined a new phrase __________________ S.S.D.