Many local residents in places like Japan and Kuwait view U.S. service members as little more than a foreign occupying army. What impact does this attitude have on contractors? The American military presence in Okinawa, which has long been a sore spot for many, is a good example. In June 2016, according to police and witnesses, an intoxicated off-duty American …
Animals and PTSD Recovery
As more and more Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return with post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, an innovative therapeutic technique is helping many of them regain at least part of the lifestyle they lost. Former Marine Tony Austin has a rather typical story with an unexpected ending. Chronic PTSD made it almost impossible for Austin to reintegrate into …
An “Agent Orange” for Iraq and Afghanistan
From defoliants used in the Vietnam War to the still-mysterious “Gulf War Syndrome” to the burn pits of Iraq and Afghanistan, contractors and service members are exposed to a wide variety of non-combat hazards. During the American Civil War, commanders would place their troops in hazardous situations without a second thought. In fact, some Southern commanders often inflated casualty figures …
The Important Role of Private Security Contractors
A recent DoD survey indicates that although most officials in Afghanistan who have experience with private security contractors believe they make a positive contribution to the United States’ mission in this war-torn country, this view is not universal and some misconceptions and unfair perceptions persist. For more than ten years, advocates have argued that contractors give the U.S. military an …
Laws Affecting Contractors: The Proposed “Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act”
Most likely in the hope that the move would breathe life into the stalled Senate version of the same bill, U.S. Representative David Price (D-NC) introduced House Resolution 5339, a proposal that could have a significant impact for contractors serving in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The measure expands federal criminal jurisdiction to acts that occur outside the United States, and more …