Force for Hire

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Welcome to Force for Hire, where we will take you on a deep dive into the shadowy world of private military contracting. Hosts Michelle Harven and Desmon Farris will take listeners behind the scenes of this often misunderstood aspect of modern warfare.

16/03/2021

From Military Matters: SF Veteran and son extradited to Japan

Former auto industry mogul Carlos Ghosn was smuggled out of Japan in true Hollywood heist movie fashion while awaiting trial for corporate fraud. Now Special Forces Veteran Mike Taylor and his son Peter have been extradited to Japan in connection with Ghosn's evasion of Japanese authorities. Subscribe to Military Matters today!

1 min
SEASON 1, EPISODE 24 TRAILER

Military Matters intro

Stay tuned for Military Matters, the new podcast from Stars and Stripes. Listen as U.S. Air Force veteran and Force for Hire host Desmon Farris and U.S. Army warrant officer Rod Rodriguez examine the topics that matter to service members, veterans, and the people and communities that support them. Subscribe now to Military Matters, launching in January 2020.

1 min
09/10/2019

Wrapping up, a look at key issues, and farewell

In this final episode of Force for Hire, we examine some key issues about the private military contracting world that we uncovered. The cost effectiveness of contracting kept coming up as one of the major questions during the season, and experts had widely differing answers. We found that the broad use of third-country and host-country nationals in security contracting often goes overlooked, particularly when it comes to their casualty rates. We examine the use of private contractors by the Defense Department for intelligence, and how intelligence agencies have relied on them since 9/11. Addressing one of the main questions of the series, we look at trends within the military contracting industry and examine its future. Thank you for listening to Force for Hire. Stay tuned for Military Matters, our new topical podcast that will launch this fall. We hope you'll join us. The full transcript of the podcast can be found here. podcast@stripes.com

34 min
02/10/2019

'Mercenary Mum' talks leaving military, joining contracting world

In this penultimate episode of Force for Hire, we welcome on air Neryl Joyce, an Australian servicemember who turned to contracting when she wasn't allowed to deploy with her fellow soldiers. She soon found out that what kept her from deploying with the Australian military was one of her greatest assets in the private sector. Joyce worked with a couple of different private military contractors, one of which was the infamous Blackwater. In this episode she talks about her experiences with both, her time in Iraq and what it was like being a woman in the PMC world. Next week we'll be wrapping up Force for Hire with a look back at the biggest issues facing the private security and contacting worlds. We hope you'll join us. podcast@stripes.com

25 min
18/09/2019

Contractors: Asset or liability to nation's cybersecurity?

Thanks to high-profile cybersecurity operations — the recent U.S. cyberattack against Iran and Russia's 2016 attack on Ukraine's power grid, for example — the public is much more aware of the digital threats that the U.S. faces. While the public lags behind in understanding these threats, the U.S. has for years been taking steps to keep U.S. assets safe from foreign and domestic hackers. The National Security Agency has long been responsible for cybersecurity operations, and the military has stepped up by raising individual cybersecurity commands. Private contractors have also taken part — or even led the charge — in the digital defense arena, but not without controversy. A Navy contractor was responsible for a Chinese hack last year that resulted in stolen U.S. anti-ship missile data. Edward Snowden, an NSA contractor, became a household name after leaking reams of sensitive data. Richard Clarke, special cybersecurity adviser to President George W. Bush and author of "The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats," joins us this week on Force for Hire. Clarke addresses cybersecurity threats and how military contractors have helped and hurt U.S. national security. Clarke has worked for the Pentagon, State Department and the White House, and his decades of experience make him among the top experts in the field.

28 min
11/09/2019

Fighting for justice in a lawless land

Attorney Kimberley Motley has spent years fighting for justice in a country where most women are still fighting for basic human rights. As the first foreigner to litigate cases in Afghanistan's criminal courts, Motley faces judges whose concept of "not guilty" is often as foreign as the "perahan tunban" is to Americans. This week Force for Hire welcomes Motley, who has made a career out of fighting corruption in Afghanistan and has helped bring justice to those working to support the U.S. military. Her story, which she shares with us on this week's episode, is one of determination, courage and legal intrigue. You won't want to miss this one. podcast@stripes.com

30 min
04/09/2019

Dodging bullets, execution during rise of ISIS in Iraq

Military contractors in Iraq have had to deal with a near constant threat of violence, corrupt politicians and untrusting locals who often saw them as an invading force. South African national Johann Raath had to deal with all of that during his many years working security in the Middle East. But when the Islamic State came to power in 2014, he — and other contractors supporting the U.S. mission in Iraq — faced a new threat. As one the most bloodthirsty terrorist organizations in recent memory took control of areas of the country, foreigners of any kind were rounded up. This included contractors who worked with Americans or the Iraqi government. Men like Raath. Some were thrown in prison. Others were executed. Raath talks about his experiences working in Iraq during the rise of ISIS and how he escaped death more than once – and came back for more. A full transcript of this episode can be found here. podcast@stripes.com

24 min
21/08/2019

Fighting piracy on high seas often job for private military contractors

Maritime security operations are complex. The mesh of international politics, private company procedures and the uncaring nature of the open seas make for a security situation best handled by professionals. More often than some may think, those professionals are private military contractors. It's those security professionals often tasked with keeping vital shipping lanes open, fighting off threats and keeping the goods people worldwide depend on, safe. On this week's episode of Force for Hire, we welcome aboard a pair of former Royal Marines – both maritime security experts – to talk about the complexities of modern maritime security operations. And yes, one of the threats ships face out there on the open waters are pirates. They exist and when security is lax, they strike. So, how do contractors keep pirates and hostile foreign powers at bay on the open seas? You'll have to tune in to find out.

27 min

Welcome to Force for Hire, where we will take you on a deep dive into the shadowy world of private military contracting. Hosts Michelle Harven and Desmon Farris will take listeners behind the scenes of this often misunderstood aspect of modern warfare.

Creator

Stars and Stripes
Episodes

26
Rating

Clean
Copyright

℗ & © 2019 Force for Hire
Show Website

Force for Hire