Watching the tube...

I was watching the military-industrial-entertainment channel a couple of nights ago and saw a documentary on the new infantry fighting vehicles and how they were being used for combat.

It was amusing to see how each vehicle now employed a communicator/planner who kept track of where the sections were at all times as well as the other vehicles so they could coordinate fire support, rapid extraction, over-watch, etc.

Why I found this amusing is because nearly 20 years ago I had proposed something very similar to the Canadian military in terms of a fundamental shift in some of our tactics when I was working in the Combat Development Division of Army Headquarters.

Of course, I was told then that young officers had better things to trouble themselves with than section and platoon level combat; I should be concentrating on combat team and battle group tactics and operations.

Maybe its just me – but doesn’t the whole “divide and conquer” principle start by mowing down your sections and platoons?

Aah... I’m sure Caesar was just a confused Lieutenant like I was.

Job board for soldiers?

There's a perverse part of me that can't help wondering if I should put this domain to better use than just a blog or simply selling it.

There are a large number of half-assed so-called "companies" out there that are hiring former soldiers... some legit; others that are down-right dangerous.

Admittedly I don't really know one from the other; but I wonder if there would be any interest in hosting a job-board through ExecutiveOutcomes (why not... its a great domain name!)... where we could not only see who's hiring, but also keep a database of resumes, companies, biographies and a discussion board on who is legit and who should be avoided.

An interesting, and somewhat controversial idea, but I don't think there's anything else quite like it on the web right now.

Heck... this could even be for work other than just "mercenary"/soldiering; lets face it... we former servicemen and women have a lot to offer the workforce... why not group together.

Think of it as MonsterSoldiers.com. :)

Any thoughts on this? Anyone interested?

I'll need some feedback before I proceed... simply because there will be some expense to me to do this... but I'm certainly willing to put up the setup fees if there are enough people (and corporate clients) who want to participate.

Still for sale...

Just in case anyone was wondering... this domain is still for sale. Contact me for details if you are interested.

FOR SALE

Yup... I've finally gone and done it: Executive Outcomes.com is up for sale on eBay.

Here is the pitch:

- - - - - - -

Get this highly attractive and easily brandible domain name - ExecutiveOutcomes.com.

• Do you have a management-consulting firm?
  
• Are you an executive recruiter?
  
• Are you looking to pop some bad-guys fantasizing about being Joe-Merc and want a testosterone-laced domain name to make up for the fact that you've really just been living in your mom's basement surviving on a steady diet of A-Team re-runs?

No problem... we have the solution for you.

Selected/inspired by the original "Executive Outcomes" - which was one of the worlds first "public" private military (mercenary) companies (which provided services to several hot-spots around the world prior to its eventual disbandment in 1999) this domain conjures images of clear, decisive action - even for those people who may not know the history of its original namesake.

Lets face it... the whole "Bond, James Bond" thing has been over-done and is over used (that's why she laughed at you in the club last night). Besides, Jamie-boy is pase as he's become a new-age sensitive brit school-boy pansy.

Other alternatives? Sure, you could get some tatoos, shave your head and name yourself after a gas-pump, but who wants that? Besides... your mercenary or consulting career will quickly go down the tubes and you'll be doing remakes of Kindergarten Cop in no time.

(for the bewildered, say it with me: V i n D i e s e l... very good.
Haven't seen it because mom wont let you? The "XXX" is the name of the movie... not the rating folks.)

So think about what you could do with such a cool domain name. Print out some all black business cards (including the writing) and be cool. Strip down to your pin-stripe black-silk ninja-gotch and stand in the mirror saying (in your best James Earl Jones voice) "I'm with Executive Outcomes, and I'm here to deliver!*"

For the bewildered:

* why you are selling your services in your gotch is a mystery to me, but to each his own

** Hey... male strippers that specialize in dressing as executives may also want this site... heck, I might just keep it and get paid to take off my clothes for executrixes everywhere... hmmmm... women in pin-striped power suits...

James Earl Jones is Darth Vader - and don't do the whole gasping for air thing... its not sexy.

• Get your fellow executives together and pool that coffee fund; you're going into business for yourselves! ExecutiveOutcomes.com!
  
  


• HR Guy? Get rid of your white shirt and tie... get that black t-shirt from your roomie and call up all those guys who think they're going to be senior management material. You can offer placement services as ExecutiveOutcomes.com!
  
  


• Discovered that dropping your pants in the board-room was kinda fun? Want to set yourself apart from the other guys who dress as cowboys and firemen when they're on stage? Get ExecutiveOutcomes.com printed on your G-string and show everyone that DOT-COM is [insert rude innuendo] back on the rise [/innuendo] .
  
  


• Wanna kill people in far off places and get paid for it, but can't join the army? No problem... start an army of your own as ExecutiveOutcomes.com and hope that none of the original guys are still around to kick your butt.
  

Get out of the basement and get your mom's credit card to buy this domain TODAY!

- - - - - - - -

Wow... Im quivering all over again. I might just go out and buy this for myself.

Hmmm.... calls are down?

Its funny... ever since posting this blog, it seems that the number of calls from people wanting to get into mercenary work has gone down. Go figure.

Of course, I still get the occasional call from a few people that love my clever "cover story" that Executive Outcomes is dead - and they want to know what jobs I still have available.

Uggh.

Good overview of PMCs

If you are looking for a good overview of Private Military Companies (PMCs), I would strongly encourage you to look at "Fortune's Warriors" by James R. Davis.

Davis is a former member of the Canadian Forces with extensive experience with PMCs.

You can find the book on Amazon.

There is NO MORE Executive Outcomes

Sorry folks... but lets just cut to the chase right away: there is no more Executive Outcomes. They were disbanded in 1999; I'm merely the owner of a cool internet domain name.

Now, mind you, the fact that the company by this name has been disbanded hasn't stopped a few individuals from "representing" themselves as being connected to Executive Outcomes* - but it would seem that they've run into tough times as a result.

* in fact, these guys represented themselves as belonging to "Executive Outcome"... not OutcomeS... a subtle distinction.

I registered the domain of "Executive Outcomes.com" several years ago because (1) I thought it was very cool (a great, ballsy sounding consulting firm kind of name) and (2) as a private joke amongst my friends, because (as a former solider) I knew what the original Executive Outcomes was - and the fact that their real domain name (when they were still operating) was eo.com.

I wasn't aware that a second domain of of www.executiveoutcome.com was created and was (at one time) forwarding to Northbridge Services. Unfortunately, many people missed the subtle distinction of the "s" and often my name was associated with Northbridge when they did a name-lookup.

Prior to registering this "similar" name however, someone identifying themselves as being CEO of Northbridge attempted to buy the original from me a few years back by telling me that he was with the "new" US branch of the UK offices of Executive Outcomes.

I had to inform this individual that (1) Executive Outcomes (the original) was disbanded; (2) it operated from South Africa; (3) it never had a UK or US office; and (4) Northbridge's so-called "UK" main office was (at the time) a Mailboxes Etc. po box that forwarded to his US office.

Oddly enough, Northbridge's UK "office" is still a virtual office/mail forwarding service run by MessageMail (compare the address of Northbridge's UK office and MessageMail's London office).

Of course, I'm sure it was all just a misunderstanding.

Whatever company you guys deal with as contractors to these military services companies - ensure you do your research... there are a lot of "pretenders" (and I'm not suggesting that the Northbridge crew are anything but the real thing... do the research and decide for yourselves).

I know that many of these companies are created quickly - just to get a single contract/mandate - and are just as quickly disbanded when the term is up.

Also watch out for people that are starting "new ventures" that will revolutionize the PMC business... and you get a chance to buy-in at the ground floor... it will only cost you a small investment... etc etc. That kimnd of scam has been around a long time, and I'll tell you right now - you don't sell stocks or invest in a company that hasn't even been created yet.

Yes... you can buy into a privately held company - but you are usually an officer of the company, or a member of the board. Guys and gals off the street dont buy into a new venture; in most jurisdictions you cant even make public sales of private stocks in this way... so watch out.

Remember... if you are thinking of getting into the private military services industry then, as with any employer - you should be concerned about basic benefits and services.

• Do they have coverage for you in the event of injury, dismemberment or death?
• Are you certain that your family will get your last cheque if you are dead?
• Do they have a plan for dealing with hostage situations?
• Do they have emergency extraction plans to get remaining team members out of country?
• Did they bother with basic pre-deployment preventative measures like immunization? etc... etc...

This is just a start of what is a long list... and many of these guys just give you a plane ticket and a contact. Not a good way to do business.

Finally - I just want to restate for everyone: EXECTIVE OUTCOMES is DISBANDED! I am not affiliated with the original, or with any other military services company.

I will, however, maintain this blog as a means of helping others who might dabble in this industry.