justin shrek'' mcquown

Thats the only thing they understand, she says. trucks from a city of Taji to an army base, which is on the west side of Fallujah. And they, at that time, asked specifically for the incident report and a copy of the contract. Democracy Now! Name. What theyre trying to do is to say, Lookwe can do anything we want and not be held accountable. AMY GOODMAN: Moyock in North Carolina, where Blackwater is based. They were told that they were able to do a risk assessment of every trip, and if the threat was too dangerous, that they could decline the mission. Justin McQuown is 50 years old and was born on 11/17/1972.Justin McQuown lives in Virginia Beach, VA; previous city include Joint Base Lewis McChord WA.Justin L Mcquown and Justin L Mcqvuwn are some of the alias or nicknames that Justin has used. AMY GOODMAN: When was it after the killing? I wasnt kidding. The commander responsible for Fallujah was Marine Colonel John Toolan. He spent 12 years in the Navy SEALs until he left in 1994 as an E-6 (Quartermaster First Class).Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. And so, literally, the people that killed them were able to walk up and open fire on them. This is not even close. I was going to I pick up the phone and say, Mr. Secretary, Ive got an interesting question. So they were easy to pick out. Obviously they concealed a material witness by hiring him and sending him out of the country. Callahan says Blackwater took advantage of the Potters financial straits to hinder the case against the company. STUDENT: I was hoping your answer might be a little more specific. So what this lawsuit is about, its about creating accountability for those firms, those private military firms that are working in Iraq, and its also not only about holding Blackwater accountable for these four deaths, but its also about sending a message to the other private security firms out there that they cannot cut costs to increase their bottom line and put lives at risk. I mean, thats I knew it was him from his looks, everything. You know, I need to meet with these people.. I went up to him, and I tried to shake his hand. Find 1 person named Justin Shreck along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. Theyre angrytheyre saying, Let me go over,' Blackwater spokesman Chris Bertelli told the Virginian-Pilot ten days after the killings, adding that applications to work for Blackwater had increased considerably in that time. I wrote an email to Gary Jackson, the president of Blackwater. If it had been up to Katy Helvenston, her son wouldnt have been in Iraq at all. The night before he left, Helvenston sent an e-mail to the Owner, President and Upper Management of Blackwater, subject: extreme unprofessionalism. In this e-mail, obtained by The Nation, he complained that the behavior of McQuown (referred to as Justin Shrek in the e-mail) was very manipulative, duplicitive [sic], immature and unprofessional. He describes how his original team leader tried to appeal to Shrek not to reassign him, but, Helvenston wrote, I think [the team leader] felt that there was a hidden agenda. [Blackwater] then flew him to Jordan for ultimate deployment in the Middle East, Miles says. And then, when we come back, I want to ask you about your request for an incident report from Blackwater to understand what had taken place and also about a memorial service that Blackwater held, and well continue this discussion. But first we begin by going back to March 31 2004 the day Scott Helvenston and three other Blackwater contractors drove into Fallujah. Heres Why. The original contract between Blackwater/Regency and ESS, obtained by The Nation, recognized that the current threat in the Iraqi theater of operations would remain consistent and dangerous, and called for a minimum of three men in each vehicle on security missions with a minimum of two armored vehicles to support ESS movements. [Emphasis added.]. If you think Democracy Now!s reporting is a critical line of defense against war, climate catastrophe and fascism, please make your donation of $10 or more right now. MARTIN SMITH: Around 9:30 a.m., they approached the center of town. AMY GOODMAN: Well, what was the memorial service itself like? KATY HELVENSTON: I called Blackwater at about 7:00 at night. In addition, the paper reports, Blackwater billed Regency separately for all its overhead and costs in Iraq. Regency would then bill ESS an unknown amount for these services. What happened that day, as far as you have been able to understand and as your lawsuit alleges? By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 andagree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. VIDEO: People in Denmark Are a Lot Happier Than People in the United States. Were joined in our New York studio by Democracy Now! Hooyah!!. He thought that was a really funny thing to and he was so glib and just blew it off. They could have easily traveled this route in a single day, and it would have been extremely less dangerous. Once the cover boy on a Navy calendar, he also had several workout videos. The GOPs War Against Trans People Is a War Against Democracy, Green Rationales for Harsher Immigration Policies Are Nothing New, Gun Violence: A Week of Response to the Weak Republican Response to Mass Shootings in the USA. carson hunter massena, ny; what type of bonding is al2s3; did arsenic and old lace win any academy awards It is unusual, though, for the head of a company to cast its lot entirely with one party, and it has paid off, because Blackwater literally is making a killing right now, to the point where Gary Jackson, the president of Blackwater, after Bush won the election in 2004, sends out an email to Blackwaters mailing list that says, Bush wins, four more years!! Justin Timberlake voices King Arthur, Fiona's distant cousin and next in line for the throne of Far Far Away after Shrek (who understandably just wants to return to his swamp). Had they been, I sincerely believe that theyd be alive today. And the insurgents knew that it was a fairly easy mark. Were joined by Jeremy Scahill, who did the piece for The Nation magazine, out today, Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater, appearing in the new issue; Katy Helvenston with us, mother of Scott Helvenston - today, she is speaking out in a national broadcast live for the first time -; and Marc Miles, attorney for the families of the four men, the Blackwater contractors killed in Fallujah. By signing up to receive emails, you agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation's journalism. AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to go for a minute we only have a few minutes to a comment of President Bush about private military contractors operating in Iraq. We can send our men out to die so that we can pad our bottom line, and if anybody comes back at us, we have insurance. Its essentially insurance to kill.. AMY GOODMAN: Were going to break, Katy. Were gonna go have fun. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. Youre out of your mind. They say Blackwater refused to redraft the contract. Stephen "Scott" Helvenston (June 21, 1965 - March 31, 2004) was a United States Navy SEAL.He was working as a security contractor for Blackwater Security when he was killed in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush within days of arriving in Iraq.. Helvenston was a personal trainer for Hollywood celebrities such as Demi Moore (for G.I. I would support them in any way I could, but they had to figure out how to get through college. Helvenston et al. Insurgents would ambush them from behind. JUAN GONZALEZ: Marc Miles, I would like to ask you, obviously there have been about 425, now, Americans who have been working for contractors who have been killed in Iraq. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. The U.S. attack was sparked by the gruesome killing of four private contractors inside Fallujah. In one of its few statements on the suit, Blackwater spokesperson Chris Bertelli said, Blackwater hopes that the honor and dignity of our fallen comrades are not diminished by the use of the legal process. Katy Helvenston calls that total BS in my opinion, and says that the families decided to sue only after being stonewalled, misled and lied to by the company. And I think that, you know, when we talk about Iraq corruption, a lot of times its Halliburton overcharged for this or Bechtel did this. And Bush jokes about it. And so, we have seen Blackwater really sort of embody the war profiteering in this war on terror. Hooyah! For more on this ground-breaking lawsuit, we are joined by the three guests: JUAN GONZALEZ: This is an excerpt from _Frontline_s program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. Well, he was a Navy Seal for about 12 years, and he resigned from the Navy, and times got tough. Helvenston's great-great-uncle was Secretary of War Elihu Root. He had a job waiting for him, but he needed to make some money in those two months. Sign up for our free daily newsletter, along with occasional offers for programs that support our journalism. Katy, of course, can talk about how Scott ended up going there. He came from a proud family of Republicans; his great-great-uncle, Elihu Root, was once US Secretary of War and the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize-winner. On the one hand, you have the allegations that Blackwater systematically defrauded these men by not providing them with the armored vehicles, the weapons, the adequate personnel for the mission, the opportunity to do a pre-trip risk assessment, etc., all the things that Marc Miles has laid out. Im gonna take care of you. You know, just stuff like that, which obviously wasnt true. And the guard that was in charge of me, I said, You know, you really need to do something about these helicopters. You know, and he left for a minute or two, and finally the helicopters went away. Nation Books released his second book, Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield, in 2013. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. And when we come back from break, Katy, I want to ask you if Scott felt ready to go out on that day, March 31, 2004. And I think we can look to a situation such as a new firefighter. And I said, I want an incident report on Scotty. And I said, I want a copy of his contract that he signed with you. And he said, Why? And I said, I just want to know what happened. He said I could he would get it to me in the next few weeks. And so, Scotty got over to the Middle East, and he was in Kuwait City for about a week, and then he was sent up to Baghdad, and all of a sudden, this same guy, Justin McQuown is Scotts boss. justin shrek'' mcquown Help. The gruesome image is soon beamed across the globe. Lets see if we can screw with Scott. This is an excerpt from Frontlines program Private Warriors, a documentary on the role of private military contractors working in Iraq. AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? The men were working for Blackwater USA, one of the biggest security firms operating in Iraq. They charged the government $400,000 for 14 guys for 28 days in September of 2005 14 guys, $400,000 for 22 days in September. People should understand, Scotty Helvenston wasnt even in Iraq for more than 48 hours before he was sent to Fallujah. The killing was March 31. And by the end of the year, the companys president, Gary Jackson, was bragging of what he called a staggering 600% growth, and so Blackwaters prospects were very, very strong while the families were grieving. The original content of this program is licensed under a. KATY HELVENSTON: I was in my home office doing research, and I was on the computer and I had CNN on. It wasnt just a compilation of everything that was going on. Helvenston v. Blackwater Security - Wikipedia tn_subject: ['criminal-j', 'society', 'us-wars-an', 'war-and-pe', 'war-on-ter'], None of that was true, says attorney Callahan. So, essentially, they had G.P.S. JEREMY SCAHILL: Per day. During training, McQuown would often improperly instruct the class or provide erroneous information, tactics or techniques, the suit alleges. The company has been slapped with a lawsuit that, if successful, will send shock waves through the world of private security firms, a world that has expanded significantly since Bush took office. The suit alleges that the four men should have had a chance to gather intelligence and familiarize themselves with the dangerous routes they would be traveling. I believe that we should have gone into Afghanistan, but I never believed we should have gone into Iraq, and Scott bought the whole story about Saddam Hussein being involved with Al Qaeda and all that. And there are other people that have talked to Katy and Marc that have affirmed all of this. Helvenston Et Al. V. Blackwater Security - Facts & Allegations At $21 million, it represented the companys biggest contract in Iraq. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. In one, Man vs. Helvenston v. Blackwater Security Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 Scott Helvenston, Katys son, was the youngest Navy Seal ever. placementName: "thenation_right_rail", Blackwater founder Erik Prince personally delivered money to some of the families for funeral expenses, and the company moved to get the mens wives and children benefits under the governments Defense Base Act, which in some cases insures those on contract supporting US military operations abroad. You know, at least I know he wasnt burned alive. There should be three men per team. KATY HELVENSTON: They said Fallujah, and I said, well, Scotty, hes in Baghdad. Erik Prince comes from a major powerful Republican family in Michigan. Had they had a rear gunner, had they had armored vehicles, a very strong case could be made that they never would have been killed. Its that the United States has opened Iraqs door to mercenaries who roam the country with impunity. It was the event that sparked the U.S. siege of Fallujah, in which hundreds and hundreds of Iraqis were killed, many of them who had nothing to do with this whatsoever women, children, others. According to Department of Labor statistics, at least 425 U.S. civilians have died in Iraq including at least 22 Blackwater contractors. Helvenston et al. These men and women are never included in the death tolls provided by the Pentagon or reported on in the media. Blackwater has fought to have the case dismissed by claiming that all liability lies not with the company but the U.S. government. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Also with us, attorney Marc Miles, who joins us from studio in Irvine, California. Ill only be away from my kids for a couple of months. Thats why he chose Blackwater, she recalls. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I was going to ask him. He said, Give us a map. And they said, Youre going to have to wing it.. As we expose Blackwater in this case, it will also expose the inefficient and corrupt system that exists over there.. Were talking to Katy Helvenston, Scotts mother; Jeremy Scahill, whos breaking the story today in The Nation magazine; and Marc Miles, the attorney for the families of the four Blackwater employees. According to the suit, McQuown lacked the credentials of Helvenston and other ex-SEALs. AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, thank you for being with us. Our Daily Digest brings Democracy Now! The fact that [McQuown]was being exposed infuriated him. Scotts mother believes, based on Scotts e-mails and conversations with contractors who served with her son, that McQuown feared that Scott might replace him at the company. Hidden Potential Official Site. AMY GOODMAN: You were all staying in a hotel? If he had had the armored vehicle, if he had had the rear gunner, if he had been familiar with the area He asked. And I called them, and I said, Thats just not acceptable. We were actually told, recalls Zovkos mother, Danica, that if we wanted to see the paperwork of how my son and his co-workers were killed that wed have to sue them., Thus began the legal battle between Blackwater and the dead mens families. MARTIN SMITH: By the time the press arrived, a mob had set the cars on fire. AMY GOODMAN: Can you tell us what happened when you asked for an incident report for what happened to your son? But while the families were grieving, Blackwater viewed it as a profit opportunity. And so, what happened that particular day from the evidence that Ive accumulated is that they were basically told to escort three flatbed trucks, which I understand were going to pick up some kitchen equipment, far different from what Scott Helvenston had understood, that he would be guarding an ambassador. AMY GOODMAN: Were you all in the same hotel? The man heading the training was Justin McQuown, nicknamed Shrek, after the green ogre movie cartoon character. Is he okay? And they said they didnt know. And Scotty finally went to casting, and he said, This guy is just not going to work, because he will not get in the water. So, Scotty did play a small role. In early 2004 Helvenston was between jobs and was eking out a living with the stints on reality TV, the movie consulting and the fitness videos. Shortly after entering the city, they get stuck in traffic, and their small convoy is ambushed. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. They said it was the direct line. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. tn_ptype: 'article', Please give today. They said Blackwater.. Katy Helvenston, your response? MARC MILES: Well, its important and its groundbreaking and its precedent-setting, because were working in such a unique situation here, where we have private American companies working within a war zone. JEREMY SCAHILL: Right. By the time I got the message hed already been killed., Shortly after Helvenston left that message, the men left the base and set out for their destination. Erik Prince, himself, for this piece I worked with the Center for Public Integrity, and we put together a profile of Erik Princes familys political contributions. I said, Ill take any statement you want to give. I wanted to interview Justin McQuown. Blackwater has not offered a rebuttal to the specific allegations made by the families, except to deny in general that they are valid. That was an experience, and the way that show was produced, there was a lot of editing, and it really didnt happen the way it was produced. One of the people profiled in the story is Katy Helvenston, the mother of 38-year-old Scott Helvenston, who was killed on that day in Fallujah. Simply Ernest: Pity the poor mercenary - Blogger The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties . But three days before the deposition, Miles says, Blackwater hired Potter up, flew him to Washington where its my understanding he met with Blackwater representatives and their lawyers. correspondent Jeremy Scahill. rocky mountain prep fletcher staff navy seal scott helvenston death video Scott Helvenston was a walking ad for the military. Several armed men approach the two vehicles and open fire from behind, repeatedly shooting the men at point-blank range. This is a precedent-setting case, says Marc Miles, an attorney for the families. He was ranked 12th in the nation in tennis. An analysis of Princes contributions prepared for The Nation by the Center for Responsive Politics reveals that since 1989, Prince and his wife have given some $275,550 to Republican campaigns. AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, unfortunately, we were not able to get Blackwater on, writing us the letter and saying no. Jane movie, and he ended up playing a small role on the film, because the guy that was supposed to play the Navy Seal instructor was terrified of the ocean. Instead, each vehicle had only two men and far less powerful Mach 4 guns, which they had not even had a chance to test out. AMY GOODMAN: But you did meet at the memorial service. And I presume that thats the defense that Blackwater is going to make. It will be precise, and it will be overwhelming. Within days of the ambush, US forces laid siege to Falluja, beginning what would be one of the most brutal and sustained US operations of the occupation. Scott Helvenston Net Worth 2023: Wiki Bio, Married, Dating, Family And thats the type of conduct at Blackwater that were dealing with. Well, Scotty chose the military, and he wanted to continue his education through that. We will hunt down the criminals. Helvenston v. Blackwater Security explained Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. You raised a whole issue of the contract that required a risk assessment on their part and an overview of the mission that they were involved in. And, Katy, I know this is difficult for you, and its the first time youre speaking out in a live national broadcast, but I would like to step back for a minute and have you tell us about your son Scott. He was a great golfer. Later that night, according to Scotts mother, McQuown came up to Helvenstons hotel room. This was not a roadside bomb, it was not any other explosive device. This is life and death were talking about here, and as Marc Miles says, the commodity that Blackwater deals in is human beings. But, anyway, thats another story. In an expose in the new issue of the Nation magazine, independent journalist Jeremy Scahill tells the story of the struggle of the four families of the slain Blackwater contractors to hold those responsible for their deaths accountable. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin " Shrek " McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed. It was good money, but it was never enough, his mother remembers. I was thinking of construction when they said contractor. And a couple hours later, they said security contractors, and I said, My god, Scotty is a security contractor, but hes not in Fallujah. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. And he did say, Well, its nice to meet you, and then he turned around and left. And only the one person that survived the thing, and the whole team had to survive, so if someone on a team didnt make it through, then the whole team was pretty much eliminated. He would have to reimburse any monies that had been paid to him, and he was on his own to get home. Go ahead. The suit alleges that there were six guards available that day, but McQuown intervened and ordered only the four to be sent. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, apparently he had the audacity to suggest that maybe there was a better way of running these certain missions, in that the people who were subcontracting out with Blackwater would actually survive the mission. This month marks the two-year anniversary of the first US siege of Fallujah, in which at least 600 Iraqis were killed. Blackwater had told all of us that none of us wanted to communicate with each other. Blackwater and this lawsuit is going to be the first of its kind, and its going to go forward, and were going to go into trial and prove all of the allegations that weve set forward. As always, click on the title of the post above. We rely on contributions from you, our viewers and listeners to do our work. There is not a whole lot of jobs out there for ex-Special Forces guys, and obviously he didnt realize that at the time. Jane and did a few stints on reality television. V. Blackwater Security - Facts & Allegations. But Katy mentioned the name of a guy named Justin McQuown, and I think its important to kind of back up for a second and explain who he is, because its a key part of this lawsuit. He trained Demi Moore for her film G.I. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions. The Uniform Code of Military Justice does not apply to these contractors in Iraq. You dont just stick a Navy Seal on a brand new team with guys and send them into a combat zone. There was a manmade pond with brand-new bark, you know, cypress bark. MARTIN SMITH: But the men were uneasy. And I think there were ten in all. But today, Blackwater is facing a potentially devastating battlethis time not in Iraq but in court. AMY GOODMAN: Katy Helvenston, when did you last speak to your son Scotty? Justin McQuown Email & Phone Number - Caretaker.. | ZoomInfo And if you stop and you think about it, thats the size of some small towns here in America. KATY HELVENSTON: He refused to even speak to me. McQuown Theyre whores. Helvenston began training at Blackwater USA's facilities in March 2004, and developed a personal conflict with head trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown. All four of these men were veterans of the U.S. military, of Special Forces. v. Blackwater Security is the lawsuit for wrongful death filed by the families of the four contractors for Blackwater Security (since renamed Academi) murdered in the 31 March 2004 Fallujah ambush. Since the team was driving without a rear-gunner and did not have armored vehicles, the insurgents were able to literally walk up behind the vehicles and shoot all four men with small arms at close range, the suit alleges. Katy Helvenston, thanks for joining us, and condolences on the death of your son Scott. Were talking about a groundbreaking lawsuit that has been filed against Blackwater. Full Interview: Frank Mugisha on New Anti-, Former Guantnamo Prisoners Ask Biden to Let Them Keep Art They Made to Escape Inhumane Conditions.