As the Obama administration winds down the US military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the use of non-military personnel is becoming more important. Already, more than 60% of the Pentagon's employees in Iraq are non-military personnel -- amounting to an 'invisible army' of 70,000 people.

Many of these Third Country Nationals (or TCNs) are employed by shady sub-contractors who charge them thousands of dollars for the privilege of working a lucrative 'Middle East' contract. Reports of abuse are widespread, many workers are paid only a fraction of what is promised to them, yet they are held captive by their employers until the contract period it over. Journalist Sarah Stillman investigated the issue.