Battlefield Contractors: Operational Risk and System Support Contractors

摘要

Service support contractors are a foundational part of the modern U.S. military. Reliance on contingency contractors dates back to at least the American Revolution, but the number of support contractors has grown significantly in the past decade. In fact, contractors now outnumber active duty personnel in operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. This paper will focus specifically on high technology system support contractors. While possessing a number of benefits, such as expertise and reduced long-term costs, the U.S. military's over reliance on high technology system support contractors creates unacceptable risks for the operational commander. The U.S. military has struggled with the risks of poor contractor oversight and the individual contractor's right to refuse to perform duties under high threat conditions. This paper will discuss these risks and propose solutions to improve contracting staff and deployed oversight, and providing a means to replace contractors who fail in harm's way.