Wounded soldiers and their families accuse Army Pete Hegseth of downplaying war injuries
Questions are mounting about how the US military describes casualties to US forces after an Iran-linked drone strike, with wounded soldiers and their families accusing the military of downplaying the severity of what happened.The case has also drawn new attention to comments made in March by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said that “nearly 90%” of the nearly 400 injured U.S. service members had suffered only minor injuries and had returned to duty. Some families now say that description does not match what they were told or what soldiers are still dealing with.According to interviews by CBS News, soldiers who were injured in a March 1 drone strike in Kuwait say their conditions were much worse.Chief Petty Officer Rodney Berman was working at Shuaiba Port when a drone struck his station. Medical records reviewed by CBS News show he suffered shrapnel throughout his body, a concussion, loss of hearing and vision, and lung damage. The army described his condition as “not serious.”“This assessment is unacceptable,” his wife, Amy Berman, told CBS News.The raid resulted in the death of six American soldiers and the wounding of more than 20 others, making it one of the most serious incidents involving American forces in recent years.
It also raised questions about preparedness, after soldiers told CBS News they warned of security and medical gaps before the attack.Amy Berman said she was first informed of an official call from Fort Knox. She was told that her husband’s injuries were classified as “not serious” and that he had been “treated and returned to duty”.“From being a military wife for almost the past 25 years, I knew that if anything happened to my husband during his service, I knew I would receive either an official phone call or an official visit,” she said.But she later heard directly from her husband that the situation was more serious. Speaking from a hospital in Kuwait, he told her: “I will be fine.” Then he added after a moment: “I can’t go back.”Staff Sergeant Corey Hicks, who was also injured in the same strike, said he was told his injuries were minor despite undergoing multiple surgeries for shrapnel wounds. “They said your husband was hurt, he had a minor jaw injury, and he was going back to duty,” Hicks recalled.He said he believed the incident had been downplayed. The army rejects this claim.In a statement, an Army spokesman said injury designations such as “not serious injury” follow strict medical definitions. “The care and well-being of our soldiers is the highest priority,” the Army said. “Any assertion that the Army seeks to downplay a soldier’s injuries is simply not true.”The military said the phrases “serious injury” or “extremely serious injury” only apply when there is a risk of death within 72 hours.Families and survivors also expressed concerns about conditions before the raid, including allegations that forces warned of gaps in protection and medical support. CBS News previously reported that a Democratic senator had launched an investigation into the matter.Berman’s case has attracted political attention ever since. Senator Shelley Moore Capito wrote to the Army asking for clarification on how his injuries were classified and what his wife was told. Maj. Gen. Michael J. Linney later defended the designation, saying it did not diminish Berman’s service or sacrifice.Nearly four months after the attack, Hicks is still being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a serious brain injury and faces months of recovery.
