About 400 bulletproof vests destined for Ukraine were stolen from a New York City non-profit organization that’s been leading an effort to collect and ship tactical gear to people in the warzone, police said Wednesday.
Police say the used vests, donated by local law enforcement, were taken from the offices of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America on Second Avenue in Manhattan.
Police responded around 9:15 a.m. to a call of a burglary and “were informed that approximately 400 bulletproof vests were removed from the location,” NYPD Sergeant Edward Riley said. A message-seeking comment was left with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
Police departments in the New York City area have donated hundreds of decommissioned bulletproof vests to charities supporting Ukrainian forces fighting Russia’s invasion.
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office on Long Island said it worked with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America to donate 450 used, decommissioned vests, but could not confirm that the vests that were stolen were the ones it donated.
The sheriff’s office stops using the vests after five years, but officials said they remain sturdy enough to offer protection in warfare.
“It is despicable that someone would break into a building to steal supplies and materials intended to aid those affected by this humanitarian crisis,” said Vicki DiStefano, a spokesperson for Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.
Andrij Dobriansky, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, said last week that the plan was for donated gear to be shipped by air to Poland and then transported into Ukraine.
The items were most likely to be used by civilian security and medical teams, including citizens who have joined the fight against the Russian military, not Ukrainian soldiers themselves, officials said.
Obtaining work with an international military contractor (PMC) or a private military contractor – isn’t easy, even if you have the required combination of expertise and training. It also helps that you are in top physical condition and have a spotless criminal record. Rank and responsibilities are determined by the value you bring to the organization you decide to work for.
America isn’t a signatory to that treaty, even though the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries prohibits its signatories from using mercenaries, or from raising mercenary troops. A Department of Defense mandate enables PMCs working under the auspices of a U.S. government contract to protect themselves, their customer, and their customer’s assets, but a military commander must ensure the PMC doesn’t participate in military operations, such as raids or pre-emptive strikes against opposing forces.
Experience Needed
The biggest U.S. PMC, Constellis, supplies security staff to the authorities. Constellis requires its security staff to get at least two years of expertise in physical security, DoD anti-terrorism and force protection, and investigation and interview techniques. An appropriate background includes service with the U.S. Army military police, U.S. Air Force Security Service, or military intelligence service. A high school diploma or its equivalent is mandatory; however, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a security or political science-related discipline is preferred. U.S. citizenship and security clearance, or the skill to get a security clearance, are needed for many duties.
Physical conditions
Security staff should have the strength to wear proper personal protective gear, like Kevlar vests and helmets, during prolonged high-risk conditions. They need to survive prolonged intervals of combat and not be concerned about poor living conditions in distant places. International or national travel, often on short notice, is needed as well as multi-lingual skills.
Prognosis and Pay
Details on pay and job satisfaction for foreign military contractors are sketchy and anecdotal. However, the private citizen with military expertise will benefit so long as authorities will willingly pay for private security contractors, and they typically receive a 6-figure salary.
The Embassy compound in Beijing built-in 2008, is a safe, secure, and functional state-of-the-art facility. The Beijing New Embassy Compound is the second largest overseas construction project in the history of the Department of State. The multi-building complex is on a 10-acre (4-hectare) site, creating a secure and pleasant environment for approximately 950 employees. The NEC buildings represent the best in modern American architecture, while the landscape design borrows heavily from Chinese planning principles.
Housing is assigned by the Embassy Housing Committee. The Embassy rents/owns and maintains several apartments in the city. They are fully renovated to Western standards and located about 5 to 45 minutes from the Embassy. Employees travel to work via public transportation (metro, trolley, bus, etc.), walking, or in their personally owned vehicles. Some employees choose to purchase a vehicle when they arrive at to post.
Looking for a job at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing? Start Here
In the City
Beijing, sometimes romanized as Peking, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world. The population as of 2021 was 21,333,332. The metropolis, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government, with 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties. Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of a neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast.
Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation's political, cultural, and educational center. It is home to the headquarters of most of China's largest state-owned companies and is a major hub of the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail networks. The Beijing Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.