US contractors in Kuwait decry meager bunkers and pay cuts amid Iran war: 'We're treated as expendable'

[cbabe]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/01/us-contractors-stranded-kuwait

US contractors in Kuwait decry meager bunkers and pay cuts amid Iran war: ‘We’re treated as expendable’

Employees say they have heard little from major defense contractor V2X Inc about safety and evacuation protocols

Katie McQue
Sun 1 Mar 2026 06.00 EST

Employees of major defense contractor V2X Inc on US military bases in Kuwait say they lack adequate bunker facilities and have had their pay reduced amid Iranian missile attacks across the Persian Gulf region, while receiving limited communication from their employer about safety and evacuation procedures.

The Guardian interviewed three V2X employees on the US bases Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring in Kuwait, following Iranian missile strikes on Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan on Saturday.

The attacks follow United States and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier on Saturday. Iran has since launched a series of retaliatory attacks targeting US military bases and, according to regional authorities, some civilian infrastructure in the Persian Gulf.

“The worst part is, the company has yet to put out anything so we don’t know what’s happening or what would happen to us if our base gets hit or anything. We got zero instructions,” said one American worker, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. “We have nobody and no instructions. We don’t know what will happen or how we would even get out of here.”

… more …

(Now they learn their true worth. Expendable people.)

[CanonRay]

1. They're sucking down big bucks. Nobody twisted their arms.

[ret5hd]

2. donald and jeffry thank you for your sacrifice.

[Srkdqltr]

3. Drag up and come home.

[Historic NY]

4. You are, and they probably have life insurance policy on you, so it's a win-win for them either way. SUCKERS

[UTUSN]

5. AWwww, poor babies - not like playing football with cash bundles in Iraq, eh.

[Dave Bowman]

6. Mercs have been considered expendable for thousands of years.

Interesting that they believe they're different.

[Kid Berwyn]

7. Man up and take one for the Reich, crybabies!

[EX500rider]

8. In Kandahar in 2005 all we had were half buried shipping containers

They filled with mud & bugs and were pretty icky.

[RockRaven]

9. FAFO.

How did you think suckling on the US MIC teat was gonna go?