▁in ▁Kab ul , ▁Afghan istan ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁working ▁for ▁various ▁N GO s ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Afghan ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Transport ation . ▁Dom est ically , ▁they ▁also ▁provided ▁critical ▁infrastr ucture ▁protection ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁with ▁ ▁focus ▁on ▁water ▁security . ▁They ▁had ▁at ▁least ▁four ▁state wide ▁contract s ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁including ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁Maine , ▁Nev ada , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁contract s ▁with ▁various ▁municipal ities ▁along ▁the ▁eastern ▁se ab o ard . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁C uster ▁Batt les ▁established ▁a ▁presence ▁in ▁Bag hd ad , ▁Ira q . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁C uster ▁Batt les ▁was ▁compet it ively ▁awarded ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁Bag hd ad ▁International ▁Airport ▁( BI AP ). ▁The ▁ 1 2 - month ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁Pro vis ional ▁Author ity ▁was ▁worth ▁$ 1 6 . 8 ▁million . ▁The ▁company ▁continued ▁to ▁expand ▁its ▁business ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁minor ▁sub cont ractor ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁h iring ▁ 1 3 8 ▁people ▁for ▁providing ▁security ▁at ▁B I AP . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁continued ▁to ▁expand ▁its ▁operations ▁in ▁Ira q ▁through ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Their ▁clients ▁included ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁Pro vis ional ▁Author