Department of Defense Contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq: Background and Analysis

The critical role contractors play in supporting military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq necessitates that the Department of Defense DOD effectively manage contractors during contingency operations. Lack of sufficient contract management can delay or even prevent troops from receiving needed support and can also result in wasteful spending. Some analysts believe that poor contract management has played a role in permitting abuses and crimes committed by certain contractors against local nationals, which may have undermined U.S. counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. DOD relies extensively upon contractors to support overseas contingency operations. As of December 2010, DOD had more contractor personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq 159,000 than uniformed personnel 144,000. Contractors made up 52 of DODs workforce in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since December 2009, the number of DOD contractors in Afghanistan has exceeded the number in Iraq. According to DOD, in Afghanistan, as of December 2010, there were 87,483 DOD contractor personnel, compared to approximately 96,900 uniformed personnel. Contractors made up 47 of DODs workforce in Afghanistan at that time. This compares to December 2008, when contractors represented 69 of DODs workforce in Afghanistan. According to DOD data, the recent surge of uniformed personnel in Afghanistan and the increase in contract obligations did not result in a corresponding increase in contractor personnel. DOD obligated approximately 11.8 billion on contracts performed primarily in the Afghanistan theater of operations including surrounding countries in FY2010, representing 15 of total DOD obligations in the area. From FY2005-FY2010, DOD obligated approximately 33.9 billion on contracts in the Afghanistan theater, representing 16 of total DOD obligations in the area.