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By privatizing the military, America pierced the last frontier to let private mercenaries serve in place of conventional forces. Singer defines three types of companies:
1. "Military provider firms"
Whatever their functions, they're used tactically as combatants with weapons performing services formerly done exclusively by conventional or special forces.
2. Military consulting companies
They train and advise, much the way management consulting firms operate for business. They also provide personal security and bodyguard services.
3. Military support firms
They perform non-lethal services. They're "supply-chain management firms....tak(ing) care of the back-end, (including) logistics and technology assistance...." They also supply intelligence and analysis, ordnance disposal, weapons maintenance and other non-combat functions.
Overall, the industry is huge and growing, grossing over $100 billion annually worldwide, operating in over 50 countries. By far, the Pentagon is their biggest client, and in the decade leading up to the Iraq War, it contracted with over 3,000 PMCs, and now many more spending increasingly larger amounts.
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