Long before being deployed to war zones or other theaters of conflict, private military contractors need advanced training and careful vetting to make sure they are prepared for the stresses that may lie ahead. While promising efforts are underway to standardize vetting and training practices across some parts of the private security industry, present practices vary substantially from company to company.

Meanwhile, largely absent from the conversation are the parallel issues of contractor mental health and deployment-related stress.

In our 2013 RAND study of over 600 international private contractors operating in theaters of conflict between 2011 and 2013, we found that an astounding 25% screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder — a noticeably higher rate than in the civilian population (6%) or among U.S. service members (8% to 20%). And, even more troubling, many of those who screened positive for PTSD were actively deployed in theaters of conflict when they completed the survey. The vast majority of contractors with probable mental health problems were not receiving treatment and said they were afraid to report the issue to their supervisors or company officials for fear of appearing weak or losing their jobs.

While no evidence has been presented to link the convicted Blackwater contractors to any verifiable deployment-related stress condition, it is not infeasible to think that such conditions — if left untreated — could contribute to similar violence in the future. While overall rates are low, studies have found that PTSD is associated with an increased risk of violence. Other research has found a relationship between PTSD and decreased occupational functioning, which can pose substantial operational risks in war zones when peak performance is required.

This is not to suggest that private military contractors suffering from deployment-related stress conditions should lose their jobs. Rather, we want to emphasize that evidence-based treatments exist for PTSD and other mental health conditions — but only for those who actually seek mental health care. Effectively addressing this problem will require the cooperation of the companies employing contractors and their government and non-governmental clients to promote better screening — before, during and after deployment — of contractor mental health. Employers also should make mental health services available to contractors, and work to eliminate the perceived stigma associated with accessing such services.

It's time to start thinking proactively about preventing unlawful contractor behavior instead of focusing on how to deal with it after the fact. Regulations and standards aimed at ensuring contractor accountability for crimes perpetrated in theaters of conflict certainly have a role to play in deterring unlawful behavior. But any well-rounded strategy for ensuring the safe and effective use of private contractors should also focus on selecting and training highly qualified candidates for these often dangerous positions — and recognizing and treating deployment-related mental health issues when they arise.

Source: Molly Dunigan — is a political scientist and Carrie Farmer is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation.

The move also follows a string of rocket attacks and roadside bombs by Iran-backed armed groups on US installations in Iraq.

A senior Iraqi official termed the withdrawal a “minor drawdown based on security reservations from the US side”.

“They could come back,” the official told AFP news agency.

The US State Department has not commented on the reports.

Last month, US officials announced they would reduce the number of American troops in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500 by January 15 next year.

Tension in the region flared once again last week following the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh near Tehran.

There has been no claim of responsibility but Iran has blamed Israel – a key US ally – of killing Fakhrizadeh using remote-controlled technology, promising a “harsh revenge”.

“Iran’s regime is more likely to – in its own words – ‘avenge’ Soleimani’s death after Trump leaves office,” said Kasra Aarabi, an Iran analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

Arash Azizi, author of The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, US and Iran’s Global Ambitions, said Iran’s long-term goal is to see a complete US withdrawal from the region.

“But a sudden [American] withdrawal from Iraq now will actually be dangerous for Iran. It will give rise to the question: Is this the US preparing for an attack?”