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The beginning of January
2008, Greystone received a list of questions
from Mother Jones Magazine. In an effort
to be transparent, Greystone is posting
the questions and the company's responses
to those questions.
Greystone was not able to answer all questions
related to specific sub-contractors and
customers due to operational security, contractual
obligations and customers desires.
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1.
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On Greystone's
web site, the company notes, "It is more
difficult than ever for an organization to
successfully protect its interest against
diverse and complicated threats in today's
grey world where the solutions to your security
concerns are no longer black and white."
Please elaborate on why today's security concerns
are no longer black or white and the specific
types of security solutions this environment
requires. Did this contribute to the firm
being named "Greystone? |
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Today's
security concerns are no longer black and
white because threats are constantly changing,
requiring evolving solutions to meet the needs
of various environments. Every security situation
is unique and requires a tailored, culturally
sensitive and well thought security package
to meet the specific requirements of a customer.
No. The company was named "Greystone"
because it was formed as a sister company
to "Blackwater" and the names complimented
each other well. |
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2.
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It's been suggested to us
that Greystone's triangular logo is a reference
to the CIA triad, whose tenets include confidentiality,
integrity, and availability. Is this the
case?
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No.
The triangular logo was designed by a web
designer and is intended to very generally
look like a "stone," or mountain. |
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3.
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How does Greystone
differentiate itself from other companies
working in the private security sector? What
makes it unique? What does it offer that others
do not? |
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Like Blackwater,
Greystone has the tools to provide turn-key
security solutions. As an international provider,
we try very hard to be sensitive to each unique
environment and to create a solution that
is appropriate. A critical factor is understanding
the desires of foreign customers and working
with them, and the tools we have, to create
the best solution for them |
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4.
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What are the
key differences between Greystone and Blackwater? |
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Blackwater
focuses mainly on United States Government
contracts, whereas Greystone focuses on foreign
governments and foreign commercial business.
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5.
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Why was Greystone
incorporated in Barbados? |
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Barbados
is a well known business center with established
business practices and banking systems. |
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6.
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We understand
that Greystone relies on a large number of
third country nationals. We've been told that
it has recruited from Chile, Colombia, El
Salvador, Jordan, Turkey, Fiji, Croatia, Iraq,
the Philippines, and Pakistan. Is this an
accurate picture? From what other countries
has the company recruited security contractors? |
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Out of
concern for operational security we would
rather not specify where we have recruited
from. However, we have never recruited from
some of the countries mentioned in this question. |
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7.
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How
many contractors and employees does Greystone
employ and how many of these are third country
nationals? |
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The company
employs roughly two hundred, including both
employees and independent. |
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8.
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Specifically,
what's the process for vetting these foreign
personnel? |
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The vetting
process is specifically outlined by specific
contracts, but it typically involves a criminal
background check, review of military records
(if applicable) and a requirement of having
the equivalent of an honorable discharge,
drug testing, physical fitness test, medical
and dental. |
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9.
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We understand
that Greystone is co-located with Blackwater.
To what extent do the companies share resources
and personnel? |
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While Greystone
and Blackwater do share some physical facilities,
we are a separate company with our own autonomous
administrative and operational systems and
staff. If a potential customer calls us with
a need we see as better suited for Blackwater,
we refer that potential customer to Blackwater.
Blackwater does the same for us. |
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10
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Given the range
of services described on Greystone's web site,
what specific types of work has Greystone
actually undertaken? |
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Static
security, K-9, assessments, aviation maintenance
and management, and training. |
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11.
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Beyond Iraq,
in what countries has Greystone operated for
governments, private entities, or both? |
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Greystone
has worked in various Middle Eastern countries.
We do not divulge the specific locations due
to operation security concerns and the desires
of our customers. |
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12.
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We understand
that Greystone often works on subcontract
for Blackwater. Is it the prime contractor
on any U.S. government contracts? Is it the
prime contractor for contracts issued by other
governments or private entities? |
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No and
yes, respectively. |
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13.
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Has Greystone
ever been contracted by anyone other than
the U.S. government? If so, can you provide
examples of who, in general terms, the contracting
party was and what type of services Greystone
provided? |
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Yes. Greystone
has been contracted by foreign governments
and private sector clients to provide static
security, K-9 support, assessments, aviation
maintenance and management, and training.
Because we have US citizens working for the
company and because the company is American-owned,
we seek State Department licensure for all
security services overseas, as well as complying
with other federal trade controls and restrictions,
such as ATF rules, Commerce export requirements
or OFAC regulations. |
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14.
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Greystone has
registered as U.N. vendor. Has it secured
any U.N. contracts and, if so, what services
was it contracted to supply? If not, what
role does Greystone hope to play in the peacekeeping
and humanitarian sector? |
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No.
Greystone hopes it can bring to the UN superior
training, human resources and logistic support. |
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15.
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We understand
that Mr. Burgess is a former Navy SEAL. Did
he serve with Erik Prince, and what was his
other professional experience before becoming
Greystone's managing director? |
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Mr. Prince
and Mr Burgess met while in training for the
SEALs but never served on a team together.
Mr Burgess worked in corporate America and
then went to business school before coming
to Greystone. |
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16.
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Jose Miguel Pizarro,
whose company recruited for Blackwater in
Chile, says that at some point his Blackwater
contracts were shifted over to Greystone.
If true, what was the reason for this? Does
Greystone handle all of Blackwater's TCN contracts? |
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Blackwater
made the decision to concentrate on providing
US Personnel to US Government contracts. |
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17.
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Pizarro says
that he stopped working for Greystone/Blackwater
in 2006 because his recruits had become too
expensive as private security firms began
to find lower paid recruits in other Latin
American countries. Is this an accurate description
of what transpired with Pizarro? If not, why? |
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No, that
is not correct. Greystone has always paid
personnel according to market demands. Greystone
ended that relationship over creative differences.
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18.
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Greystone attempted
to lease land in the Philippines through a
company called Satelles Solutions. What was
Greystone's business relationship with Satelles?
And why specifically did it seek to lease
this property? |
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Greystone
started to create an entity, Satelles Solutions,
to lease land in the Philippines to be used
as a training facility, but the concept was
terminated before it got past the planning
stage. |