DOD Contractor Census, FY JANUARY 2021 Afghanistan, Iraq & Syria

BACKGROUND: This report provides Department of Defense (DoD) contractor personnel numbers for 1st quarter Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) and the current status of efforts underway to improve management of contractors accompanying the United States (U.S.) Forces. It includes data on DoD contractor personnel deployed in Afghanistan, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS); Iraq and Syria, Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR); and the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

KEY POINTS: During 1st quarter FY21, USCENTCOM reported approximately 38,164 contractor personnel supporting DoD in the USCENTCOM AOR, a decrease of approximately 5,645 from the previous quarter.

DoD Contractor Personnel in the USCENTCOM AOR

o Contractor Posture: Approximately 18,214 DoD contractors supported operations in Afghanistan during 1st quarter FY21, a decrease of 19.3% from 4th quarter FY20. Local Nationals comprise 26.1% of total contractor force; 13,469 US/TCN remain in Afghanistan. Decreases in military personnel drove reductions in requirements for contracted support and contractor populations in 1st quarter FY21.

o A total of 1,575 Private Security Contractors (PSCs) personnel were supporting USCENTCOM operations in Afghanistan as of 1st quarter FY21. A detailed summary is provided in the following table.