The Work Of A Mercenary

Furthermore, a report by Reuters in 2013 found that nothing has changed as staffers are routinely pressured to falsify figures to cover for any missing funds. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has received $8.5 trillion since 1996, the first year in which all government agencies were required to submit to audits. Yet, none of that money has been audited by an independent party, thereby making the Pentagon the only federal government agency that has refused to allow outside audits! To sum up, it’s difficult to find more incontrovertible evidence to show the galling lack of accountability for the military industrial complex, but the human trafficking aspect may just do so.

These military contractors served some roles in the Revolutionary War and Civil War. However, it was not until World War II when the US greatly increased the extent and role of private military contractors. During this war, private military contractors did not actually do much fighting, but they served a vital role as technical representatives for their corporations at various locations at or near a battlefield. There were some instances where this representative, or private military contractor, would be on front lines “seeking solutions to technical and operational problems regarding equipment supplied by their firm”. From there, the use of private military contractors was greatly expanded, and by the Vietnam War, the Department of Defense had them performing various tasks vital to military operations. These contractors were relegated tasks such as petroleum supply, transportation operations, base operations, and construction projects. The military’s experience with these contractors during the Vietnam War then helped the US army to issue Army Regulation 700-137, which set up the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP). LOGCAP initially preplanned the use of PMCs during wartime to bolster US forces, but the Department of Defense would eventually expand LOGCAP to make private military contractors active in all parts of the military during war

Lockheed Martin Corporation relies heavily on defense contracts from the U.S. Government. In fact, 84 percent of the company's net sales were made through being a prime contractor or subcontractor for the U.S. Government. These sales come from both the Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD agencies. The next largest area of revenue is from foreign governments that make up 15 percent of net sales. The remaining net sales come from commercial or other customer sales. A slow economy could cause decline or reprioritization of funding for the U.S. defense budget. This is also true for

During the 1950’s we see an economic boom in America. A large amount of this growth has to do with the money made by Corporations with Military Contracts making goods and supplies for the United States Military. With the Cold War beginning the push for new invention in aviation, rocket propulsion, energy, and even automobiles was at the forefront of national defense. Industrial giants like Boeing, General Dynamics, and Raytheon received 60% if their income from the Defense Department. Ten percent of the domestic (GDP) was from military spending. With fears of falling behind the Soviet Union, gaining any edge in innovation was important. The government even funneled millions of dollars into American Universities for scholarships and research

The United States government is the largest single purchaser of goods and services in the world. Even during times of economic hardship, the US continues to dump billions into the private sector. The federal procurement spending rate of growth has surpassed the rate of U.S. inflation every year, since 2000. With annual federal procurement budgets of more than $400 billion, it is no surprise that the competition for government contracts has increased tremendously. Consequently, more and more companies are trying to get a piece of the action. When these companies adhere to all of the required regulations and statutes, they expect their proposals to be evaluated and the contract awarded in

“General Motors, the country’s leader in defense contracts, is firmly fixed in the public mind with the manufacture of automobiles… 35 percent of its total business is non-automotive. This diversification… gives General Motors an enormous advantage... But little of this helps Michigan now, since G.M. no longer concentrates its military work in this area” (Widick, 1959, Pg. 1).

A mercenary is a soldier that serves in a foreign country and have to leave their homes and families to fight. You would think with the amount of hardships they go through that they would be respected with an excessive amount of respect. Unfortunately that was not the case and they were not treated as they should have been.

The Military Industrial Complex is the circular relationship between the Department of Defense, Congress, and large military corporations. The corporations give large campaign contributions to members of congress. Then, Congress gives funding to the Department of Defense who then contracts the corporations. This is a beneficial and profitable relationship for all parties involved, creating a powerful incentive for the continuance of war. In 1961, President Eisenhower warned the American people of the dangers of this relationship, calling it a threat to democracy.

By slow stages, large and sustained military expenditures produced an enduring Military-Industrial Complex with the self-serving consequences suggested by the World War II economy and, more seriously, with the potential for perpetuating the forces of modern warfare which had provided for the initial growth of such a complex (90).

In April 18, 1919 he was awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism; upgraded later to the Medal of Honor with Valor.

Observers do not need to look far for the signs of a military-industrial complex that has become too powerful and involved in politics. The Army has repeatedly attempted to halt the production and spending on new tanks. The Air Force has spent almost $400 billion on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, nearly double the initial estimate. If the relationship between civilian and military leaders is to be mended, leadership decisions must not be influenced by the military-industrial

"Today's Military-Industrial Complex." U.S. News Digital Weekly 3.2 (2011): 13. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.

The Federal Government is increasingly relying on the support of government contractors to support its daily operations. In fiscal year 2000 through 2005 alone, the Department of Defense’s operations and maintenance costs increased 57%, from $133.4B to $209.5B, while service contract costs increased 73% from $55.4B to$95.4B in these past five years alone. These increases are primarily due to a swell of military obligations due to the war on terrorism coupled with no increases in personnel. Sequestration, along with growing fiscal pressures on executive-branch agencies, are responsible for the gradually shrinking workforce, and agencies are rethinking how they operate to minimize cuts to public services. From 2013 to 2014, new employees entering

However, Executive Outcomes' unique ability to integrate former British SAS operatives, South African soldiers, Nigerian close air support, and local hunters to operate more effectively than the RSLMF (Republic of Sierra Leone Military Forces) was formidable. Most importantly, the private military company could operate under a cloak of legitimacy provided by the country that hired it. This last point is where the use of a private security firm is controversial. It has to be remembered that Executive Outcomes' interest was only motivated by money. The company had zero interest in helping the local population by providing stability to the country. In truth it was not even a very profitable conflict. Overall, the firm was only paid about 15 million dollars, or about 1.2 million dollars a month. What was the companie's true interest was the services provided by it's presence to it's sister corporation Branch Energy. Branch Energy was a mining venture that was new to Sierra Leone, but was expanding it's role there. The two companies were owned by the same people but operated

Dwight D. Eisenhower coined the term Military Industrial Complex (MIC). With the expansion of the war efforts throughout the country and seeing it firsthand as a general in World War II, he realized how powerful the military was becoming in the United States. In his farewell speech to the public, Eisenhower warned that this great complex that has been created carries great implications, and that though it may be necessary, the nation must be careful not to let it get out of control and have power misplaced. The Military Industrial Complex is the interweaving of the military with industries and corporations, and after the 9/11 attacks it greatly influenced the