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Soldiers Seriously Wounded in Iranian Drone Strike Tell AP the Military’s Medical System Failed Them
Nine wounded service members said delayed diagnoses, coding errors and poor evacuation planning left them fighting for care after the strike.
On March 1, 2026, an Iranian drone struck a U.S. tactical operations center at Kuwait's Port Shuaiba, killing six soldiers and wounding dozens in the deadliest attack on American troops since Operation Epic Fury began.
Intelligence officers warned Major Gen. John Hinson and Gen. Clint Barnes that Port Shuaiba lacked air protection against drones; the command team rejected proposals to relocate the logistics headquarters to safer sites.
Survivors including Arturo Lincón and Stephen Ramsbottom report systemic failures: administrative "coding errors" prevented combat-wounded documentation, delaying essential treatment, while the Pentagon maintained all medical care was appropriate.
The Army completed its investigation in June but has not released the report; on July 20, a watchdog letter concluded there was insufficient evidence to find misconduct by Barnes, though families demand accountability.
Years of U.S. military disinvestment and closure of regional medical facilities complicated the response; troops wounded in the strike faced significant bureaucratic hurdles, reflecting the long-term cost of drawdown policies.