Custer Battles
According to its website (whose homepage displays the slogan "Transforming risk into opportunity"), Custer Battles, LLC, is "an international business risk consultancy that assists our clients to operate more profitably and in more markets than their competition as a result of our expert advice."
The site continues,
- "Our team provides the unique offering of expansive understanding of business practices combined with extensive experience managing all aspects of external risk. Through our specialized range of services, we offer our clients the ability to identify and understand the obstacles in the marketplace, formulate measures to evade or mitigate these threats, and proactively manage the process to ensure the greatest chance of business success and profit." [1]
The most recent news release at the website's "press room" (as of April 9, 2004) is dated July 1, 2003, when the company announced that it would "bring its security training expertise to the State of Maine." [2]
On April 9, 2004, BBC News reported that a Custer Battles employee and former British soldier, Michael Bloss, "was killed while guarding electrical workers near the town of Hit, west of Baghdad." [3]
The following quotes (with the dates they were posted) are excerpted from the Forum section of ALI Capital Partners, [4], viewed on April 9, 2004: [5]
- "Just a warning to anyone considering a contract with Custer Battles LLC, of Fairfax,VA, the company currently awarded the contract to provide security at Baghdad International Airport. I was with them for the first month....We were all shorted on our first pay, at the end of July, and the promise to make up the difference by Aug 5 was not met. At that time the excuse was that it was easier to pay us the back wages along with our normal pay at the end of Aug. However, at least in my case, the Aug pay was also substantially light. As I had returned to the states due to a death in my family, and being owed nearly $2000, I opted to not return....A number of other well qualified professionals have also left them. If you are a true professional you will not like working for them and you will not want your name associated with them." (September 22, 2003)
- "I've been with Custer Battles since they started here in Iraq in July. After my time in the Army, this has been the most rewarding experience I've had. Custer Battles has been good to me....I also know the guy who posted this note. He left the company after they paid $3000 up front to fly him home for a family emergency and he repays them by posting crap like this. All I know is that I enjoy what I do and I'd recommend Custer Battles to anyone...." (November 25, 2003)
- "reference custer battles, please stay clear, they are dangerous, i have just left them, they left us without body armour, ammo and weapons, we had to buy all our own equipment and scrounge it from other good companies and the military, then we were told to arrange our own transport home on leave, it was unbelievable, when these points were brought up we were ignored at all levels, from washinton to bagdad....custer battles are only in it to gain as much cash as possable they definetely should not get the contract renewed in march they are dredfull in the way they conduct thier buisness, ps.to the previous...im glad you are happy mate but they are not anywhere as good as you make out...." (December 22, 2003)
- "Thanks for the heads-up. I work for ITT/Group4 in Bosnia. The same advice and avoidance should be applied." (December 28, 2004).
- "I too spent time in Iraq with Custer Battles. They are a frauduently company. Trust me, they are worried about $$ first and the employee/ bodies last. They will breach anyones contract, then screw them all the way home. Also don't trust there K9 division, there dogs are suppose to be BOMB dogs, I won't bet my life on the dogs finding anything. Also [name deleted] is a liar." (January 8, 2004)
- "Do you work for a Defense Contractor in Iraq or elswhere? Have you been mistreated, abused, injured on the job? Send your e-mail, (names are not necessary) and a short description of your situation to: lawdoggs86@yahoo.com....We will band together a network to stop these people from their sick and disgusting practices which are ruining our lives and costing our noble troops their's. Whether you work for: Brown & Root/Halliburton, DynCorp, Custer Battles, ITT or other corrupt contracting organization, you need to take a stand. Don't be fooled. These people have strong lobbies in Washington and deep pockets filled, not only with tax payers fraudulently acquired dollars, but politicians and high ranking military officials as well. This is not a joke. If we don't start standing up to these filthy thieves, nobody will. I did not serve my country to let that happen. Nor, I believe, did you. start here: http://www.alexanderlaw.com/ all information is strictly confidential. We are preparing lists of personnel to mount mass torts, (class action lawsuits) against the various contracting organizations that have abused, mistreated and otherwise maligned security and other contracting professionals in this, our nation's time of crisis. While our soldiers die in Iraq everyday, these companies only talk about greed, greed, greed. Information will be sent to you about the various attornies and other legal organizations you can contact to put a stop to these insidious abuses." (February 12, 2004)
- "At least we weren't the only ones with out body armour. Guns with 2 or 3 bullets. Custer Battles, needs to be investigated for Fraud! At least I am home, I have heard othe horror stories of the way they treat there people." (February 13, 2004)
- "Hello, I am a foreign correspondent for a major U.S. newspaper working on stories about problems with subcontractors in Iraq - if you have specific examples of any problems, or have worked for a subcontractor I would like to hear from you!" (March 23, 2004)
Contact Information
Custer Battles
8201 Greensboro Drive
Suite 214
McLean, VA 22102
info@custerbattles.com
SourceWatch Resources
External Links
- Custer Battles, LLC, viewed April 9, 2004.
- "Security worker killed in Iraq", BBC News, April 9, 2004, viewed April 9, 2004.
- ALI Capital Partners
- "Job seekers beware of Custer Battles LLC Security", Forum topic, ALI Capital partners website, viewed April 9, 2004.
- Alexanter, Hawes & Audet, LLP
