Defense contractor orders Iraq employees to surrender cell phones

KBR, Inc., formerly a division of Halliburton as Kellogg, Brown & Root, has ordered employees in the Middle East to turn in their personal cell phones, citing "a safety and security concern."

As CNN reported, an e-mail sent to KBR employees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait ordered employees to stop using their phones and turn them in, warning of disciplinary action, including termination, for noncompliance. One employee, refusing to surrender his phone, said that no reason was given for the demand, and that he was "not aware of any security breaches involving the use of cell phones."

"KBR has a communication system, but as with any system it does fail and we can only communicate with another installation by use of the cell phones," the employee added. "We pay for this use with our own funds."

"The matter giving rise to this message is stil being reviewed by KBR management, so the company will not provide further comment at this time," KBR spokesperson Heather L. Browne said in a statement.