▁with ▁the ▁con voy . ▁C uster ▁Batt les ▁employees ▁handed ▁over ▁c ash ▁to ▁avoid ▁discipl inary ▁action . ▁ ▁Background ▁C uster ▁Batt les , ▁L LC ., ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁its ▁found ers , ▁Scott ▁C uster ▁and ▁Michael ▁Batt les . ▁C uster ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁Army ▁R anger ▁and ▁defense ▁consult ant , ▁while ▁Batt les ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁Army ▁officer ▁and ▁C IA ▁intelligence ▁officer ▁who ▁ran ▁un success fully ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁in ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁The ▁company ▁described ▁itself ▁as ▁follows :" C uster ▁Batt les , ▁L LC , ▁an ▁international ▁business ▁risk ▁consult ancy , ▁is ▁a ▁veter an ▁owned ▁business ▁that ▁provides ▁objective ▁risk ▁management ▁and ▁security ▁consult ing ▁services ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁quality ▁and ▁within ▁an ▁eth ical ▁framework ." ▁It ▁offered ▁pros pective ▁clients ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁services ▁r anging ▁from ▁global ▁risk ▁consult ing ▁to ▁close ▁personal ▁security ▁detail ▁to ▁weapons ▁training ▁and ▁Foreign ▁Cor rupt ▁Pract ices ▁Act ▁( F CP A )/ H uman ▁Rights ▁Vi ol ations ▁in qui ries , ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 0 3 , ▁C uster ▁Batt les ▁provided ▁crisis ▁management ▁and ▁security ▁assistance ▁to ▁human itar ian ▁organizations ▁working ▁in ▁high - ris k ▁conflict ▁areas ▁throughout ▁the ▁world . ▁They ▁were ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁companies ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁presence