New Pentagon Job Posting Sparks Debate Over Hidden Casualties in Middle East Conflict

Judging by the grim expressions of Donald Trump and members of his inner circle, the operation against Iran is not unfolding as smoothly as the American leadership had originally hoped. The number of casualties among US servicemen also appears to be significantly higher than the seven or eight deaths cited by official sources.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Roland Balik, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

U.S. Airmen tow a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Jan. 3, 2014 140103-F-BO262-036

Doubts Surround the Operation

Tehran claims that hundreds of American soldiers have already been killed, though such figures should also be treated with caution. The first casualty of war is always the truth. Any side involved in a conflict tends to minimize its own losses while exaggerating those of the enemy.

In addition, wartime secrecy, censorship, and other elements of information warfare make it difficult to obtain reliable data.

One indicator that may deserve attention is the appearance of new job announcements linked to the US military. On the website of Joint Technology Solution, a company that performs various contractor assignments for the Pentagon, an unusual vacancy recently appeared — a specialist responsible for handling the personal belongings of servicemen.

An Unusual Vacancy at a Pentagon Contractor

The position involves receiving, sorting, and processing the personal effects of deceased American soldiers.

The duties listed for the role include:

• receiving, storing, processing, and shipping personal belongings;
• record-keeping and inventory management;
• cleaning and laundering items when necessary;
• photographing belongings for documentation and identification;
• sending the personal property of deceased and severely wounded servicemen to their families and next of kin.

The key requirement for the job is the ability to remain calm in emotionally difficult situations. The pay offered for this work is about $15 per hour.

It is hardly an enviable job. Whether that wage is high or low for the United States depends largely on the region. In California, for example, the legally mandated minimum hourly wage is slightly higher — around $16.

Other regions still have minimum wages closer to $10 per hour. In this case, however, the hiring is being conducted in the state of Delaware, where the minimum wage is precisely $15 per hour. In other words, the Pentagon appears to have opted for the most economical option even when it comes to handling the personal effects of its fallen soldiers.

The Notorious Dover Air Force Base

The workplace listed for the position is the well-known Dover Air Force Base. The base was opened in 1941, and in 1955 it became home to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System Mortuary Affairs Center, effectively the primary military morgue of the United States.

Since then, about 90 percent of all US military personnel killed in action — beginning with the Vietnam War - have passed through this facility.

This is what gives the Dover base its somber reputation. Additional staff are usually recruited only during major military operations when casualties increase significantly.

Moreover, the Pentagon may be understating the nature of the work by describing it solely as handling personal belongings. In reality, employees in such roles often have to deal with the bodies and remains of fallen servicemen.

It is difficult to imagine performing such work without severe psychological strain — especially for a wage of $15 per hour.

Questions About Real Casualty Numbers

While the Pentagon searches for additional personnel for its mortuary services, Karoline Leavitt, press secretary to Donald Trump, has avoided giving clear answers when journalists ask about the real number of American military casualties.

Observers note that during such briefings she often sidesteps the question — a sign, critics say, that the official figures may not reflect the full scale of the losses.

For now, the gap between official statements and speculation surrounding the conflict continues to grow.