AMY GOODMAN: Moyock in North Carolina, where Blackwater is based. As we expose Blackwater in this case, it will also expose the inefficient and corrupt system that exists over there.. AMY GOODMAN: How did you hear that Scott had died? KATY HELVENSTON: In the rooms on the balcony, because we had gotten so paranoid, we thought maybe the rooms were tapped or something. He was a great golfer. MARTIN SMITH: Contractually, Blackwater was to supply two SUVs with three guards per vehicle. In an expose in the new issue of the Nation magazine, independent journalist Jeremy Scahill tells the story of the struggle of the four families of the slain Blackwater contractors to hold those responsible for their deaths accountable. Blackwater, in turn, was billing a Kuwaiti company more than $800 for Scott Helvenstons services, and then that Kuwaiti company, in turn, billed a Cypriot company called E.S.S., which was the company that provides catering services to military operations, basically the U.S. military bases. We had argued about him going over there, she recalls. Blackwater held a memorial service for the men at its compound. The thing was see, I mean, they wouldnt even give him a map. Please give today. ease arkansas phone number Tell us about your family, why he went into the military, and then what you understand about what he understood about the mission he went out on on March 31. Our tasks are dangerous and while we feel sadness for our fallen colleagues, we also feel pride and satisfaction that we are making a difference for the people of Iraq., The company swiftly rose to international prominence: Journalists were flooding Blackwater with calls, and military types were clamoring to sign up for work. In fact, from what I understand, and folks that we have talked to, they had asked for a map shortly before going out on their mission, and basically the individual who was in charge of handing out the maps said, Its too late for a map now, and sent them on their way. With regard to the wrongful death of these four men, that face is Justin McQuown of Blackwater. The company refused to comment on the case, but McQuowns lawyer, William Crenshaw, told The Nation there are numerous serious factual errors in the lawsuit, saying, On behalf of Mr. McQuown, we extend our sincerest sympathies to the families of the deceased. Kathy Potter told the News and Observer that Regency would quote ESS a price, say $1,500 per man per day, and then tell Blackwater that it had quoted ESS $1,200. ESS then contracted with Halliburton subsidiary KBR, which in turn billed the government an unknown amount of money for the same security services, according to the paper. Its Departing Leader Recalls the Battle. The men were working for Blackwater USA, one of the biggest security firms operating in Iraq. AMY GOODMAN: That was President Bush at Johns Hopkins, answering no, not a reporters question a students question. New Yorks Working Families Party Came Back From the Brink. These four guys were sent out without armor, without the adequate guns, without adequate personnel, and Blackwater takes it as a moment to say, 'Hey, we're famous now. And then, when we come back, I want to ask you about your request for an incident report from Blackwater to understand what had taken place and also about a memorial service that Blackwater held, and well continue this discussion. The company has been slapped with a lawsuit that, if successful, will send shock waves through the world of private security firms, a world that has expanded significantly since Bush took office. And Scott describes how his original team leader tried to appeal to Justin McQuown not to reassign Scott Helvenston at the last second, that this was an insane thing to do. Over a thousand people died because of what happened to Scotty that day, says Katy Helvenston. When they took that word armored out, Blackwater was able to save $1.5 million in not buying armored vehicles, which they could then put in their pocket, says attorney Miles. The families of the four men killed at Fallujah have filed a lawsuit charging the company with wrongful death. has denied any relationship to this and wont talk about it anymore. They say Blackwater refused to redraft the contract. It was this corporate greed, combined with McQuowns animosity toward Scott Helvenston, which began at the training in North Carolina, that the families allege played a significant role in the deaths of Helvenston and the other three contractors. He reported . This is an excerpt from Frontlines program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. But their personal contracts also warned of death and/or injury caused by everything from civil uprising and terrorist activity to poisoning and flying debris. In filing its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Blackwater quoted from its standard contract, insisting that those who sign it fully appreciate the dangers and voluntarily assume these risks as well as any other risks in any way (whether directly or indirectly) connected to the Engagement.. The problem is that theyre working outside of the military structure, and therefore theyre not subject to court-martial or any particular chain of command, while at the same time theyre working within a country, such as Iraq, which really doesnt have a civil justice system or a police force, which would be able to hold American private security contractors accountable or liable for any of the conduct that they do over there. JUAN GONZALEZ: And how unusual is it to take someone out of their team and assign them to another team and send them out on a mission? Blackwater was paying its men $600 a day but billing Regency $815, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. I wrote an email to Gary Jackson, the president of Blackwater. Our Daily Digest brings Democracy Now! KATY HELVENSTON: I think thats total garbage. Jeremy ScahillTwitterJeremy Scahill is the author of the best-selling Blackwater: The Rise of the Worlds Most Powerful Mercenary Army, published by Nation Books. Thats how I work.. And at that point, Scotty was desperate for money, and he went in there. This month marks the two-year anniversary of the first US siege of Fallujah, in which at least 600 Iraqis were killed. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. And then you are sending them in undermanned. I mean, Scotty excelled at anything he attempted, and he always had to be the best. And it all stems back to the point: if these folks had known that Blackwater was going to cut costs and was going to not provide them with everything that they were promised, would they have still done it? STUDENT: I was hoping your answer might be a little more specific. Instead, the men set out at 8:30 in the morning with just two men per car, each short a rear gunner. It wasnt just a compilation of everything that was going on. And I had no idea it was Scotty, but I saw this burning vehicle, and I just said, This is insane. And I switched stations. On occasion, Helvenston would attempt to politely assist McQuown by offering his expertise on the correct manner of the particular training exercise. Youre out of your mind. Without the big gun, without the third man, without the armored vehicle, they were sitting ducks, says Callahan. And the guard that was in charge of me, I said, You know, you really need to do something about these helicopters. You know, and he left for a minute or two, and finally the helicopters went away. Help. Can you talk about that a little bit? They had some rocks that they had kind of shaved off, and they had the name of each one of the men. And she was told that they would have to sue Blackwater to get that information. AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, thank you for being with us. Within moments, their bodies are dragged from the vehicles and a crowd descends on them, tearing them to pieces. Thats why the company moved swiftly to apply for benefits for the families under the Defense Base Act. KATY HELVENSTON: I was appalled at first that he would joke about such a serious issue. Would he speak to them? After his talk, he took questions from students at the school. Sign up for our free daily newsletter, along with occasional offers for programs that support our journalism. MARC MILES: Well, its important and its groundbreaking and its precedent-setting, because were working in such a unique situation here, where we have private American companies working within a war zone. But then, the other component to this is that the lawsuit alleges that this Blackwater manager, Justin McQuown, because of his personal animosity toward Scott Helvenston the lawsuit and Katy characterize it as Justin McQuown resented Scott. A few nights before Scott was killed, and actually the night before he left Kuwait to go to Baghdad, he sent an email to the owner, president and upper management of Blackwater, and the subject of that email was extreme unprofessionalism. And in this email, which we have, he is complaining about Justin McQuown, who he refers to as Justin Shrek. Scott Helvenston apparently thought his actual name was Shrek and was referring to him as Justin Shrek throughout the email. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes. But one thing to stress here, and this is what the lawsuit alleges, its not just wrongful death, its also fraud. They were not provided with the armored vehicles or able to do the pre-trip inspection or the risk assessment. Jane), and was also featured in the reality shows Combat . Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. AMY GOODMAN: What about the other families? So, essentially, they had G.P.S. HAROLD VIDINHA, Security Contractor: Wes was very upset because youre breaking your team, and youre putting people different people together. Helvenston et al. At 17 he made history by becoming the youngest person ever to complete the rigorous Navy SEAL program. And I think that, you know, when we talk about Iraq corruption, a lot of times its Halliburton overcharged for this or Bechtel did this. For more on this ground-breaking lawsuit, we are joined by the three guests: JUAN GONZALEZ: This is an excerpt from _Frontline_s program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. And so, literally, the people that killed them were able to walk up and open fire on them. And this Justin McQuown was the instructor there at Moyock, and he was outraged that Scott had the audacity to even suggest that there was a better way. Instead, this team was sent out without the required equipment and personnel by those in charge at Blackwater.. AMY GOODMAN: At the memorial service for your son? And so, corporate America is primarily concerned with their bottom line. The lawsuit alleges that these men were defrauded, because Blackwater failed to provide them with the basic minimal guarantees of their contract, among them that they would be in armored vehicles, that they would have heavy weapons, something like a SAW Mach 46 machine gun that could fire up to 850 rounds per minute, and its very key. Name. While the Iraq war has helped the company Blackwater USA see its profits soar, the company is facing a major battle here at homethis time in court. Well, he was a Navy Seal for about 12 years, and he resigned from the Navy, and times got tough. Okay, that may be an overbroad analogy there, but the same principle applies. And thats the type of conduct at Blackwater that were dealing with. When Helvenston set off for the Middle East, his family thought he was going to be working on Blackwaters high-profile job of guarding the head of the US occupation, Paul Bremer. Blackwater and Regency had essentially wrestled the ESS contract from another security firm, Control Risk Group, and were eager to win more lucrative contracts from ESS in its other division servicing construction projects in Iraq. AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, unfortunately, we were not able to get Blackwater on, writing us the letter and saying no. Democracy Now! KATY HELVENSTON: It was probably 24, maybe 30-some hours before he was murdered. So what this lawsuit is about, its about creating accountability for those firms, those private military firms that are working in Iraq, and its also not only about holding Blackwater accountable for these four deaths, but its also about sending a message to the other private security firms out there that they cannot cut costs to increase their bottom line and put lives at risk. Had they had a rear gunner, had they had armored vehicles, a very strong case could be made that they never would have been killed. All this was shady enoughbut the real danger for Helvenston and the others lay in Blackwaters decision to cut corners to make even more money. What Blackwater is trying to do is to sweep all of their wrongful conduct into the Defense Base Act, says Miles. Before Helvenston, Teague, Zovko and Batalona were ever sent into Falluja, the omission of the word armored was brought to the attention of Blackwater management by John Potter, according to the families lawyers. KATY HELVENSTON: He has two beautiful children, and he was an incredible father. And theres all sorts of Scott speaks to us posthumously through his email, and I just want to read from this. The night before he left, Helvenston sent an e-mail to the Owner, President and Upper Management of Blackwater, subject: extreme unprofessionalism. In this e-mail, obtained by The Nation, he complained that the behavior of McQuown (referred to as Justin Shrek in the e-mail) was very manipulative, duplicitive [sic], immature and unprofessional. He describes how his original team leader tried to appeal to Shrek not to reassign him, but, Helvenston wrote, I think [the team leader] felt that there was a hidden agenda. And I had actually flown up there one weekend and spent the weekend with them. It seemed like an ideal situation for him, as two of his friends from his days on the reality TV show Combat Missions were helping to run the Blackwater operations: John and Kathy Potter. And Im thinking this isnt even close to what Blackwater told me. And finally, about midnight, I just started I started when Scotty was born, and I went through his entire life to some other unknown person on the other end at Blackwater, because I knew he was gone, and at 3:00 in the morning they finally said, Hes gone.. Marc Miles, why is this lawsuit groundbreaking? K.B.R. Stephen "Scott" Helvenston (June 21, 1965 - March 31, 2004) was a United States Navy SEAL.He was working as a security contractor for Blackwater Security when he was killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush within days of arriving in Iraq.. Helvenston was a personal trainer for Hollywood celebrities such as Demi Moore (for G.I. So on March 24 the company removed Potter as program manager, replacing him with McQuown, who, according to the families lawyers, was far more willing than Potter to overlook security considerations in the interest of profits. So they announced there was going to be a memorial service after you made the call to the head of Blackwater, asking for an incident report. JEREMY SCAHILL: I was very diligent in trying to get Blackwater to make any comment. AMY GOODMAN: You were all staying in a hotel? And this becomes very important, as Marc Miles talks about, because you have to prove intent. JEREMY SCAHILL: Well, as we got a few of the facts of the case from the clip that we just played from Frontline, but I also want to say that the four men I just want to say their names: Scott Helvenston, of course, is Katys son; then there was Mike Teague; Jerko Zovko, who was known as Jerry; and then Wes Batalona, who was talked about there. Helvenston arrived for training at Blackwaters North Carolina campus around March 1, 2004. And I had turned off the ringer on my bedroom phone, and he left this message, and he said, Mom, Im okay. And both the boys knew that if they were going to go through college, they had to figure out a way. The insurgents made their own video of the aftermath. You raised a whole issue of the contract that required a risk assessment on their part and an overview of the mission that they were involved in. One team member, former Army Ranger Wes Batalona, complained to a friend that the team had never worked together before. Obviously they concealed a material witness by hiring him and sending him out of the country. Callahan says Blackwater took advantage of the Potters financial straits to hinder the case against the company. Given the uncounted tens of thousands of Iraqis who have died since the invasion and the slaughter in Falluja that followed the Blackwater incident, some might say this lawsuit is just warmongers bickeringno honor among thieves. Theyre angrytheyre saying, Let me go over,' Blackwater spokesman Chris Bertelli told the Virginian-Pilot ten days after the killings, adding that applications to work for Blackwater had increased considerably in that time. He spent twelve years in the SEALs, four of them as an instructor, and then tried his luck with Hollywood. They didnt find out that they were lied to until they got into Baghdad and basically had no option but to go forward. !, The White House, for its part, has turned the issue of accountability of Blackwater and other private security companies into a joke, literally. Ill be home soon. He said, Im going to spoil you. And, you know, he was already dead by the time I got that. If you visit us daily or weekly or even just once a month, now is a great time to make your monthly contribution. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions . You dont just stick a Navy Seal on a brand new team with guys and send them into a combat zone. tn_subject: ['criminal-j', 'society', 'us-wars-an', 'war-and-pe', 'war-on-ter'], You know, at least I know he wasnt burned alive. AMY GOODMAN: And who told them that they would have to sue? Blackwater has not offered a rebuttal to the specific allegations made by the families, except to deny in general that they are valid. cid exam previous question papers. It was like $19,000-something. When less business is being done, and you have more time on your hands, we wanted to bring something positive to your . You will be launched to my site where you can watch the teaching. V. Blackwater Security - Facts & Allegations. I did want to ask you, Katy Helvenston, about the email that we got from Blackwater, from Chris Taylor, who said, Out of respect for the families and the integrity of the judicial proceedings, I cannot join you. Your response? Potter persisted, insisting that his men be provided with armored vehicles. Were also joined by Katy Helvenston, the mother of Scott Helvenston, who was killed that day, March 31, 2004 in Fallujah. About 6,000 of these are security contractors. He was an incredible athlete his whole life. He did some stunt work on the movie, but mostly he trained the cast of G.I. Jane and did a few stints on reality television. His mother says he took the job with Blackwater because the company offered short-term, two-month contracts, and Scott viewed it as an opportunity to turn his life around. trucks from a city of Taji to an army base, which is on the west side of Fallujah. However, Iraq is clearly not currently capable of enforcing its laws, much less against you know, over our American military contractors. Theres a lot of innocent people that have died. While this suit doesnt mention the retaliatory US attack on Falluja that followed the Blackwater killings, the case is significant because it could blow the lid off a system that allows corporations to face zero liability while reaping huge profits in Iraq and other war zones. John Potter had recently teamed Blackwater up with a Kuwaiti business called Regency Hotel and Hospital Company, and together the firms won a security contract with Eurest Support Services (ESS), guarding convoys transporting kitchen equipment to the US military. After the killings, Blackwater released a statement saying the heinous mistreatment of our friends exhibits the extraordinary conditions under which we voluntarily work to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqi people. This is a rush transcript. AMY GOODMAN: Can you tell us what happened when you asked for an incident report for what happened to your son? The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed . Reading this, it would seem that Blackwater has a reasonable defense. It will be precise, and it will be overwhelming. Within days of the ambush, US forces laid siege to Falluja, beginning what would be one of the most brutal and sustained US operations of the occupation. JUAN GONZALEZ: Now, even in the training period at Blackwater, he began to find problems in terms of the quality of the training that was going on? KATY HELVENSTON: Erik Prince told them that they would have to sue Blackwater to get that information. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. STUDENT: My question is in regards to private military contractors. units, but Blackwater didnt provide them with the maps to go in the G.P.S. }); In the Oval Office the killings were taken as a challenge to Americas resolve, according to the Los Angeles Times. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Im going to call the secretary and say you brought up a very valid question, and what are we doing about it? v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi ) murdered in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush. Blackwater sent my son and the other three into Falluja knowing that there was a very good possibility this could happen, says Katy Helvenston, the mother of 38-year-old Scott Helvenston, whose charred body was hung from the Falluja bridge. After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis, Daniel Ellsberg Reflects on Leaking Pentagon Papers & His Legacy, Daniel Ellsberg Warns Risk of Nuclear War Is Rising as Tension Mounts over Ukraine & Taiwan, Zooey Zephyr, Montanas First Trans Lawmaker, Speaks Out After Being Banned & Silenced by Republicans, Rising Tide of Fascism: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones Warns of GOPs Growing Embrace of Authoritarianism, Courage Is Contagious: Zooey Zephyr & Justin Jones on the GOPs Silencing of State Lawmakers. Blackwater is scooping up lucrative Homeland Security contracts. In honor of Public Media Giving Days, a generous donor will DOUBLE your donation, which means itll go twice as far to support our independent journalism. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin " Shrek " McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. Since the Falluja incident, and also because of it, Blackwater has emerged as one of the most successful and profitable security contractors operating in Iraq. As always, click on the title of the post above. This is life and death were talking about here, and as Marc Miles says, the commodity that Blackwater deals in is human beings. The GOPs War Against Trans People Is a War Against Democracy, Green Rationales for Harsher Immigration Policies Are Nothing New, Gun Violence: A Week of Response to the Weak Republican Response to Mass Shootings in the USA. All four of these men were veterans of the U.S. military, of Special Forces. But because they didnt have a map, they didnt have G.P.S., and, in fact, funny story, I think they had G.P.S. What happened that day, as far as you have been able to understand and as your lawsuit alleges? And so, did they assume the risk? AMY GOODMAN: Were going to talk to Marc Miles and also with Katy Helvenston. He spent 12 years in the Navy SEALs until he left in 1994 as an E-6 (Quartermaster First Class).Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Hooyah!!. According to Department of Labor statistics, at least 425 U.S. civilians have died in Iraq including at least 22 Blackwater contractors. COL. JOHN A. TOOLAN, U.S. Marines: Contractors were easily identified on the roads because they were all in brand-new SUVs 2004 SUV, tinted windows. As it turned out, Helvenston was slated to carry out a far less glamorous task. On March 30, 2004, Helvenston, Teague, Zovko and Batalona left Baghdad on the ESS security mission. He was divorced but continued to support his ex-wife and two children. We were actually told, recalls Zovkos mother, Danica, that if we wanted to see the paperwork of how my son and his co-workers were killed that wed have to sue them., Thus began the legal battle between Blackwater and the dead mens families. His family is linked in with Richard DeVos, the Amway founder who basically funded the Republican revolution of the 1990s. Also with us, attorney Marc Miles, who joins us from studio in Irvine, California. And so, in that whole pyramid scheme, what you saw was Blackwater had a subcontract with this Kuwaiti company, and the Kuwaiti company had the contract with E.S.S., so the contract with E.S.S., the company that provides the catering services, said explicitly because there is a very serious security situation in Fallujah it actually names Fallujah as one of the cities these men need to be traveling in armored vehicles.
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