[wmbwinn]

Our mercenaries are the usually unknown quiet forces.

Here is how it works:
1)Uncle Sam trains special forces men. They are taught the upmost level of destructive ability. They are the Seals, Green Berets, Rangers. They are the most effective units on the Earth. The Brits train equally effective troops. A few others do as well.
2)These men are underpaid based on what the market will bear
3)These men leave the armed forces of the USA just so that they can join Blackwater and other mercenary units.
4)These men are paid amounts like 100K to 250K per operation.
5)They are not affiliated with the USA officially.
6)They are used in many different ways
a)They are officially hired by the US government with pre-arrangements with the country they will enter (such as Iraq and Afghanistan). They are cleared ahead of time by the country they enter and by the USA that they bear no liability for their actions. They are the really effective units that go in without rules and act effectively. And the media is usually oblivious as the participating/approving government and the USA intend that their actions be not announced or known.
b)They are hired by the US government to enter places as an attacking force to hit single or small unit targets or specified hard targets. They go in with huge pre-paid salaries and are incredibly effective. If they are caught by the country they entered, the USA knows nothing about them, won't negotiate for their release, won't act if they are killed, won't give their families anything as to benefits like they would the family of an Army man killed in combat, and won't admit ever that they were the hiring force. These men are on their own and their reward is their huge payment.
c)They are hired by other governments and other interests. They might get hired by the government of Columbia to hit Cocaine/Drug Cartels for them. Again, they act as paid mercenaries with no government and no support.

Now, these groups are sold/given the best in equipment. They drive around in HumVees armored and armed to the hilt. They get the planes, tanks, guns, etc. that they need. And, they keep them after the job...

You don't know much about them on purpose. They are the worst sort of men to have to engage... They are the most effective... They can act in ways that other forces cannot. They are not bound by Geneva or any other laws. They are intentionally given complete relief from liability legally for their actions. And, if a group captures them and kills them... well that is the risk they take by taking the job and the money.