Critics have fact-checked Vice President Kamala Harris’ claim that there are no members of the United States military on active duty in combat zones for the first time this century and found it to be misleading. Harris made the claim during a Presidential Debate, but the Pentagon clarified that while there are troops stationed in dangerous locations around the world, there is no ongoing war that they are actively engaged in. The U.S. has quietly shut down designations of war zones in recent years, despite troops receiving hazardous duty pay in countries like Syria. Military members serving in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq have been eligible for hazardous duty pay for years.
Former senior director for the National Security Council, Robert Greenway, pointed out that the U.S. has continuously deployed troops in combat zones since the Gulf War in 1991. He criticized Harris’ assertion, stating that U.S. troops have recently been involved in military operations overseas, including raids in Syria, attacks by Iranian-sponsored terrorists in Iraq, and daily assaults on ships in the Red Sea. Greenway argued that the current Vice President should be aware of these military operations and called her lack of knowledge a dereliction of duty.
Despite Harris’ claim, there are approximately 2,500 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq alone, with Iraqi officials recently announcing plans for most troops to withdraw by 2025 and leave a residual force behind. The first phase of this withdrawal plan is set to begin this year and continue until 2025, followed by a second phase completing in 2026. The U.S. military’s presence in Iraq is part of broader global deployments, which include troops in various locations around the Middle East and beyond. Despite the absence of declared wars, hazardous duty pay continues to be distributed to troops in these regions.
The Pentagon has not commented on whether troops in countries like Syria, Jordan, or Iraq, or other bases in the Middle East, have received hazardous duty pay recently amid escalating tensions with Iran. Hazardous Duty Pay is distributed to military members subjected to hostile fire, explosions, or other hostile actions while on duty in a hostile fire area. It is not limited to combat zones but is also applicable in areas where there is a risk of hostile encounters. Despite not being engaged in active war zones, U.S. troops are still facing threats and dangerous situations in various regions.
Military officials clarified that while U.S. troops are stationed in potentially dangerous locations globally, they are not currently engaged in active wars. They emphasized that decisions about troop deployments are made by the Executive Branch and are not dependent on wars declared by Congress. The U.S. has been reducing its presence in overseas conflict zones in recent years, but troops continue to be stationed in areas where there is a risk of hostilities. The ongoing deployments of troops show that despite claims of not being in active combat zones, the U.S. military remains actively engaged in various regions to address security threats and uphold national defense.
