PTSD is on the Rise

Study: PTSD is on the Rise

Over the past several decades, the combat role of women has expanded exponentially, especially in places like Afghanistan. Some researchers are concerned that the incidents of female Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have increased even more quickly. A group of doctors looked at female Air Force veterans. Not surprisingly, PTSD incidents increased as the women had more combat experiences. Unit cohesiveness …

Blackwater Founder Repeats Clarion Call for Privatization

Blackwater Founder Repeats Clarion Call for Privatization

After his meeting with President Donald Trump apparently failed to gain traction, Eric Prince took his ideas for the Afghanistan War to YouTube. In a July video, Mr. Prince accused the DoD of “squandering” resources in the 12-year war. Private contractors could do a better job for “a fraction” of the cost, he claims. In fact, just 6,000 private contractors …

CENTCOM Releases 2Q 2018 Statistics

CENTCOM Releases 2Q 2018 Statistics

In the second quarter of 2018, the U.S. Central Command used significantly more contractors in places like Syria. Most of these contractors served in Afghanistan under the banner of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Some 26,000 contractors, including about 15,000 foreign nationals, served in this theater. About 5,500 contractors served in Iraq and Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The report …

Contractor Footprint in Middle East Gets Bigger

Contractor Footprint in Middle East Gets Bigger

Six3 Intelligence Solutions recently received a $10 million contract to provide services in Syria, Italy, and Germany. The company is a division of CACI International. The company’s CEO called the contract “the biggest deal in CACI’s 51-year history.” The intelligence support branch of the company could eventually mean $15 billion in new business, he added. CACI’s prior contributions to the …

The Link Between Firefighter Injuries and Burn Pit Injuries

The Link Between Firefighter Injuries and Burn Pit Injuries

Under many state laws, most firefighter cancer diagnoses related to a carcinogenic substance are presumed to be employment-related. Does the same logic apply to burn pit injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan? Over 3.7 million War on Terrorism veterans were exposed to burn pits. Many of these individuals developed serious lung diseases and even cancer. Yet the Veterans Administration refuses to …

The Changing Face of PTSD

The Changing Face of PTSD

As the nature of combat changes, the nature of combat-related injuries is changes, as well. That is especially true for Afghanistan contractors, like the one described below, who work with the drone program. Like many other Americans, Christopher Aaron signed up to do his part in the War on Terror shortly after 9/11. By 2006, he worked with the nascent …

Fighting Intensifies in Afghanistan

Fighting Intensifies in Afghanistan

In a Tet Offensive-style attack, Taliban fighters killed about 30 soldiers and captured a major military installation during a post-Eid ceasefire attack. After a three-day truce, Provincial governor Abdul Ghafoor Malikzai said the Taliban attacked two installations shortly after dawn. The heavy fighting also killed four government soldiers elsewhere in the province and at least 15 Taliban fighters. In the …

Russian Mercenaries Pull Double Duty During World Cup 2018

Russian Mercenaries Pull Double Duty During World Cup 2018

Some of the same guards who keep a watchful eye on inebriated soccer fanatics during the World Cup Finals in Russia were recently fighting clandestine wars for the Motherland in the Ukraine and Syria. Can we expect private military contractors to perform the same duties when the Finals come to North America in 2026? Some 800 Cossacks with over a …

Fourth Circuit Tosses Burn Pit Lawsuit

Fourth Circuit Tosses Burn Pit Lawsuit

The federal courts cannot second-guess the Department of Defense (DoD)’s wartime decisions and therefore Iraq War veterans have no legal recourse for their burn pit injuries, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Does this case also cut off compensation for injured private military contractors? Several dozen lawsuits against KBR allege that company-maintained burn pits bellowed …

Contractors Stepping Up in Africa

Contractors Stepping Up in Africa

Mostly for logistical and political reasons, contractors from America and mercenaries from Russia are the sharp end of the stick for their respective nations in what amounts to a modern-day Scramble for Africa. In fact, the ratio of contractors to servicemembers is almost one to one in many places. As they do in other parts of the world, some contractors …

newsletter banner

DBA Newsletter – July 2018

COMING TO LIMA, PERU Periodically we travel throughout the world to meet with clients. We are happy to announce that we will be traveling to Lima, Peru in early October 2018 to meet with certain clients. If you need to meet with one of our attorneys regarding your case while we are in Lima, please let us know. Further, if …

Will Syria be the Next Afghanistan?

Will Syria be the Next Afghanistan?

Most people believe that postwar reconstruction in Syria will be a largely private effort. There are indications that combat operations might be privatized, as well, thus fulfilling Blackwater founder Erik Prince’s vision. Russia has already largely privatized operations in Syria. Wagner Group mercenaries usually take on the toughest combat assignments. Despite international law restrictions, these mercenaries supposedly enter Syria by …