Citation

Terry JP. Armed Forces Soc. 2010; 36(4): 660-670.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0095327X10361669

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) has contracted defense support operations to private U.S. and foreign firms in an ever-increasing manner in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Significant factors that have contributed to this outsourcing include the proliferation of military operations, the increased sophistication of U.S. weapons systems used in these operations, and a reduction in the size of the U.S. military after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. The concerns raised with this process have centered on contract management and oversight. Despite the fact that DoD has continually updated its written guidance to defense officials charged with oversight of contractor performance, DoD has faced continuing problems related to a lack of visibility over the totality of contractor support at deployed locations, a lack of adequate contract oversight personnel, and the failure to collect and share institutional knowledge on the use of certain contractors.