The future use of civilian on the operational battlefield and their supporting combat roles will provide relief to an overwhelmed military and will ultimately help win the war. The role of the civilians is just going to continue to escalate at an increasing rate. The number of private security personnel and other civilian contractors on today's battlefields range from 126,000 to 180,000 nearly as many, if not more than, the number of Americans in uniform. Most are not Americans. They come from Fiji, Brazil, Scotland, Croatia, Hungary, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia, and other countries. Secretary of Defense predicts that the number of contractors providing military logistics support will shrink, in part, because the US effort will wind down at some point and in part, because the US plans to increase the armed forces by 92,000 soldiers and marines over the next five years (Knickerbocker, 2007). Contract provisions & details for theatre of war support of vital systems are still under evaluation for the future.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.