Readers;

Happy New Year. Welcome to the first edition of the BTW for 2009.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read the BTW during the last year and for all of the suggestions, stories, links, quotes and bumper stickers you sent me. I believe it helped make the BTW a better newsletter. Please keep them coming.

Lots of breaking news from the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 in Mexico, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, Iran and Israel.

2009 marks a major change in events in Iraq, as the U.S. begins handing over parts of the country to Iraqi security forces. The increase in peace throughout the country is allowing the U.S. and allies to swing forces to the Afghan campaign in the GWOT. There are however, lots of unsafe places left in the world.

You'll find some new innovations along with interesting exercise and diet information.

As the year progresses, we will try to keep you abreast of the new innovations and breaking news that could affect the foot solider who is in the frontlines in the battle against terror, here at home and abroad.

Be safe.

John Wrenn
Managing Editor, Tactical Weekly
Director, Corporate Communications

Winston Churchill

Guardian Flight Systems (GFS), formerly Blackwater Airships, successfully completed the first operational demonstration of the Polar 400 remotely piloted air vehicle (RPAV) on Friday, 7 November 2008. GFS conducted the demonstration flight for the U.S. Air Force Research Lab and the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Advanced Systems and Concepts group. The nearly flawless demonstration of the RPAV and its capabilities capped a two-year rush from a simple idea to a state-of-the-art, remotely piloted airship.

Below are links to the race site, sponsorship information along with a sponsorship forms. Remember, all proceeds go to benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (http://www.specialops.org/) and the USO (http://www.uso.org/).

http://blackwateree.com/

Link to sponsorship packages

Link to sponsorship form

A Speeding Truck Bomb, And A Shared Act Of Courage
Fallen Marines to be awarded Navy Cross
December 29, 2008
Los Angeles Times
Tony Perry

A great tale of courage and sacrifice, as two Marines are posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

Reporting from San Diego -- They had known each other only a few minutes, but they will be linked forever in what Marine brass say is one of the most extraordinary acts of courage and sacrifice in the Iraq war.

More rhetoric from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attempting to incite the Arab world against Israel.

Iran's highest political and religious authority made a provocative religious appeal today to Muslims worldwide, saying "true believers" were "duty-bound to defend" Palestinians suffering under two days of Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip.

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's message fell short of a call to arms amid speculation about how Tehran and other allies of Hamas would respond to the ongoing attack on the militant group's facilities in the densely packed coastal enclave. It also did not meet the definition of a fatwa, a religiously binding legal ruling.

New moves in the GWOT as Islamic terrorist networks are using gambling websites to launder money.

The security services have been warned that the internet is increasingly being used to train terrorists, raise money and as the main form of media to promote radical Islam.

Computer experts in al-Qaeda have created an "online University of Jihad" that is recruiting and training potential terrorists in Britain without them having to risk travelling to camps in Pakistan.

Interesting analysis of what to do with the radical Islamists remaining in Gitmo if it is closed by incoming administration.

President-elect Barack Obama vowed on the campaign trail to shut down the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay. But he never said what he would do with the prisoners there.

What to do with the 250 alleged foreign terrorists at the Cuba prison is the real question facing Obama, experts say.

Terrorism experts and two recent analyses of unclassified information on the prison population indicate the men who remain there are either committed, highly skilled al-Qaeda operatives too dangerous to ever free, or Islamists whose native countries would do little to prevent them from rejoining the jihad.

Part of country building requires soldiers to do non-combat jobs. Starting in the New Year, U.S. soldiers will be required to secure arrest warrants as part of strengthening Iraqi sovereignty, but one that could complicate the arrest process and jeopardize recent safety gains.

BAGHDAD - In late November, around the time the security agreement between the American and Iraqi governments was ratified, an order came down to Company C at its Sadr City outpost.

In accordance with the agreement's new rules on searches and detentions, troops from Company C of the First Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, were to begin operating under a policy called "warrant-based targeting."

Become part of the solution, not a statistic.

5 minutes to live. If a cop is going to die, it will be in the first 5 minutes - before help can arrive. Now YOU become the help!

Here is a new course from The Backup, a Blackwater Worldwide company that specializes in digital distance learning courses. Please check out the website or number below for additional information.

To view the latest contract opportunities at Blackwater, visit our Contract Web Page

TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME CLICK HERE
Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email webmaster@ustraining.com

A perfect tool for 21st century soldiers raised playing video games, engineers are modifying the video game's remote to move military robots to defuse bombs.

Engineers at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Lab in Idaho Falls have been trying out using a Wii Remote to control their bomb disposal robots, reports New Scientist.

David Bruemmer and Douglas Few have modified the military Packbot robot so that it can be controlled using Nintendo's motion-sensitive Wii Remote.

Good overview with pics and specs of H&K's entrant for USMC rifle.

Some information on the Heckler and Koch bid for the Marine Corps Infantry Automatic Rifle.

Realizing communications are a vital part of the modern battlefield, commanders are trying to figure out how to get real time linkage.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Army and Marine Corps want battlefield commanders to receive real-time streaming video, voice and other communications beamed down from satellites perched 22,000 miles above Earth.

The problem is that they must receive the data as they're speeding down a highway in a humvee, Bradley Fighting Vehicle or Stryker.

Now you too can pretend you're a member of the elite TF-160 and fly with NVGs.

Flying your Bell Ranger in a ball cap is something of a fashion statement. But it lacks that iconic, ant-head panache that until recently only military pilots wearing restricted, government-use-only night vision-equipped helmets could pull off.

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

Okay, I admit it: I am a prejudiced person. I LIKE my guns to have BIG holes at the end of the barrel where the bullets come out. It probably has something to do with my first issue weapon being a 1911 pistol thanks to Uncle Sam's Army MP Corps. The down side of that big hole is the usually attributed weight, size and limited capacity of the associated pistol. For certain it's a challenge to find a compact, comfortable, easy to carry, easy to conceal weapon in .45ACP. Enter the Kahr CW4543 in .45ACP. I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I first got it, but it's grown on me. Here's why.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

Recreational Equipment Review

Yeah, yeah; I know. Another darned book review. Hey, it's just after Christmas and I got a few books as gifts. The good news is that this is one of three and there's only one left I haven't reviewed! Vince Flynn has become one of my new favorite authors. Writing action espionage books involving America's fight against terrorism, Flynn captures today's behind-the-scenes reality in a down-and-dirty gritty way. In Extreme Measures he deals with an even more dirty war than the one against terror: the one for political power within our government. Family tension, zero tolerance, and other contemporary issues are also addressed in a way that makes me think this man should run for president. Can you tell I liked it?

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/recreading/extrememeasures.htm

Yesterday was the 7th anniversary of my wife's leaving this world in death. These seven years have been a redirecting for my life. There has, at times, been moments of great pain and moments of deeeeeep loneliness. When one has a relationship such as we had and then loses their spouse to death, it is an experience that no one can explain nor describe... When those moments come, I stop and set my mind upon them... Then I consciously change my mind to think on the multitudes of joyful moments that we shared and the pain or loneliness dissipates quickly and I get on with the next thing that needs my attention.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.ustraining.com/tw2009/article/010509chaplain.htm

Good article describing the connection between Pilates exercises and your abs, which are important to a strong core.

What do abs workouts consist of in Pilates? How do they differ from aerobic or other muscle pumping exercises used to create the abs you are looking for?

How different will these exercises make your abs look?

Interesting advice for the New Year.

More and more studies continue to emerge on the brain fit benefits of some food and drinks. The best part is that some of these are foods and drinks that many of us enjoy. We all know that fruits and veggies help our general health, but what other goodies help the function of the brain and could be part of our brain fitness program?

Here are some links for charitable organizations.

Blackwater does not endorse any organization over another nor encourage charitable contributions, we provide these links as a public service, and take no responsibility for the actual sites. Although we strive to validate the sites before linking we caution you to do your own research, as the internet is ripe with scams.

Welcome Back Veterans

Here is an organization sponsored by Major League Baseball that wants to help returning vets.

Ten thousand young men and women come home from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other zones of conflict every month. They've served our country well, and have made sacrifices - of health, of family, of livelihood - that most of us will never have to make.

IT'S OUR TURN

To step up to the plate and GIVE.

The players and owners of Major League Baseball have contributed their time and resources to help returning soldiers and their families through Welcome Back Veterans. Now it's up to us to join the effort and do our part by giving generously.

Keep My Soldier Safe
Packages for Soldiers

Here is a great site that is trying to organize a bill that would allow free postage for letters and packages mailed to our service people overseas. Very relevant during the holidays.

Please go here and sign the petition so that we can help get this bill passed and get more packages sent to your troops for FREE...

We ask you to join us in urging our U.S. Senators and Representatives to support the effort to pass a law that would allow for the free mailing of letters and packages to our military personnel in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operation.

Always drink upstream from the herd.

The Tactical Weekly is a free weekly e-publication.

The BTW provides readers valuable information from diverse sources regarding tactical and strategic security issues.

Editor-in-Chief - Gary Jackson (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
Managing Editor - John Wrenn (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
Format Editor - Jennifer Granoff (JGranoff@blackwaterusa.com)
Frank's Review - Frank Borelli (frank@borelliconsulting.com)
Chaplain's Corner - Chaplain D. R. Staton (chpln1@verizon.net)
Advertising - Jennifer Granoff (JGranoff@blackwaterusa.com)

Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2035

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