Posted on Dec 21, 2022
Foreign workers killed on U.S. bases likely didn't get required compensation
3.2K
20
2
8
8
0
Many foreign workers who were hurt or killed while working for Pentagon contractors on U.S. bases in Afghanistan most likely received little or none of the financial compensation required by the U.S. government, according to a report released this week by the Costs of War Project at Brown University’s Watson Institute.
Tens of thousands of workers from Nepal, the Philippines and other developing countries took jobs at U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. At their peak in 2012, they represented more than a third of the over 100,000 contract employees, according to the report, shared exclusively with NBC News.
Called third-country nationals, or TCNs, because they were not from the U.S. or Afghanistan, they worked as cafeteria workers, janitors and often armed guards for the bases. When a car bomb or other Taliban attack occurred, Afghans and TCN contractors “were far more likely to be killed or injured,” said the report. “A U.S. military veteran … told us that Americans sometimes referred to their Nepali colleagues as ‘flak jackets’ and ‘bait’ for suicide bombers.”
Tens of thousands of workers from Nepal, the Philippines and other developing countries took jobs at U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. At their peak in 2012, they represented more than a third of the over 100,000 contract employees, according to the report, shared exclusively with NBC News.
Called third-country nationals, or TCNs, because they were not from the U.S. or Afghanistan, they worked as cafeteria workers, janitors and often armed guards for the bases. When a car bomb or other Taliban attack occurred, Afghans and TCN contractors “were far more likely to be killed or injured,” said the report. “A U.S. military veteran … told us that Americans sometimes referred to their Nepali colleagues as ‘flak jackets’ and ‘bait’ for suicide bombers.”
Foreign workers killed on U.S. bases likely didn't get required compensation
Posted from nbcnews.com
Pentagon
Afghanistan
Brown University
Government Contracts
Nepal
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
7
7
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Foreign workers are shortchanged most often, Handley told NBC News. “The laws that are supposed to compensate workers have overwhelmingly benefited Americans as opposed to third-country nationals,” he said.
The Labor Department declined to comment on the report without seeing it.
In a statement, a Defense Department spokesperson said, "The Department of Defense is not aware of the cited study nor any specific cases of Defense Base Act (DBA) noncompliance," and said the rules are "very clear when overseas workers’ compensation and war-hazard insurance is required."
NBC News previously reported on abuse and neglect of foreign employees on U.S. military bases abroad in partnership with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Washington Post, and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism. Foreign nationals were found to have been paid less than promised, charged recruiting fees that leave them deep in debt, and pressured to sign improper contracts and work long hours, according to interviews and government reports. In some cases, they faced physical abuse."
..."Foreign workers are shortchanged most often, Handley told NBC News. “The laws that are supposed to compensate workers have overwhelmingly benefited Americans as opposed to third-country nationals,” he said.
The Labor Department declined to comment on the report without seeing it.
In a statement, a Defense Department spokesperson said, "The Department of Defense is not aware of the cited study nor any specific cases of Defense Base Act (DBA) noncompliance," and said the rules are "very clear when overseas workers’ compensation and war-hazard insurance is required."
NBC News previously reported on abuse and neglect of foreign employees on U.S. military bases abroad in partnership with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Washington Post, and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism. Foreign nationals were found to have been paid less than promised, charged recruiting fees that leave them deep in debt, and pressured to sign improper contracts and work long hours, according to interviews and government reports. In some cases, they faced physical abuse."
(7)
(0)
5
5
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
(5)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google