Blackwater USA is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark. It has alternatively been referred to as a security contractor or a mercenary organization by numerous reports in the international media. Blackwater is based in the U.S. state of North Carolina, where it operates a tactical training facility that it claims is the world's largest. The company trains more than 40,000 people a year, from all the military services and a variety of other agencies. Blackwater is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors, providing a total of 987 contractors. Of the 987 provided, 744 are American citizens. At least 90 percent of its revenue comes from government contracts, two-thirds of which are no-bid contracts. Missions cond...more >>ucted by Blackwater Security Consulting have raised significant controversy both through casualties suffered and inflicted by their employees. Blackwater USA is currently contracted by the United States government to provide security services in the Iraq War. The cost for each Blackwater guard in Iraq, $445,000 per year, has come under fire.