New Pentagon Scandal: U.S. Soldiers Reveal the True Extent of Injuries Sustained in the War with Iran
Medical Reports and Testimonies from Service Members Reveal Serious Wounds Officially Classified as "Minor," While Families Accuse the Military of Deliberately Misleading the Public
NYN | Reports and Analyses
CBS News has reported growing criticism within U.S. military circles over what wounded service members and the families of victims describe as a deliberate effort to downplay the severity of injuries sustained by American troops during the recent war with Iran.
According to the network’s report, the official account presented by the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) does not accurately reflect the medical condition of many soldiers wounded in Iranian attacks. This comes despite earlier statements by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said that approximately 90 percent of the injured personnel had returned to duty after suffering only minor injuries.
Serious Injuries Classified as Non-Critical
The report highlighted the case of Master Chief Petty Officer Rodney Beerman, who was injured during a drone attack targeting a U.S. military installation at Shuaiba Port, Kuwait, in early March.
Medical records showed that Beerman suffered a traumatic brain injury (concussion), partial hearing and vision loss, lung damage, and multiple shrapnel wounds, despite being officially categorized as a non-critical casualty.
Multiple Surgeries and Traumatic Brain Injury
The report also detailed the case of First Sergeant Corey Hicks, who sustained severe shrapnel injuries requiring a series of emergency surgical procedures. He continues to receive treatment for a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
According to CBS, Hicks’ family was initially informed that his injuries were relatively minor, only to later discover the true extent of the damage he had suffered.
Human Losses Raise Questions About the Official Narrative
The network reported that the attack on the U.S. base at Shuaiba Port resulted in the deaths of six American service members and left more than twenty others wounded.
However, survivors and relatives of the victims maintain that the U.S. military significantly understated both the number of casualties and the severity of the injuries sustained during the attack.
Allegations of Political Cover-Up
In its concluding remarks, CBS News cited several surviving service members and the families of victims as saying they believe the U.S. military deliberately minimized descriptions of the casualties and injuries for political and strategic reasons.
According to those interviewed, the objective was to preserve public morale and avoid the political consequences of acknowledging the full extent of the damage inflicted by the Iranian attacks on U.S. forces.
