Pentagon Faces Questions Over Benefits for U.S. Troops Killed in Iran War

The Pentagon has faced criticism over the financial benefits provided to families of U.S. service members killed in the war against Iran. Questions have also been raised over allegations that wounded troops were not properly treated or that the severity of their injuries was downplayed.

According to The Telegraph, families of U.S. service members killed in the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran have been struggling to secure the pay and other benefits they are entitled to.

Libby Klinner, the widow of 33-year-old Maj. Alex Klinner, said she was initially told that she was not eligible for certain additional benefits following her husband's death because Congress had not formally declared war on Iran.

Alex Klinner was one of six crew members aboard a KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq in March while supporting U.S. operations against Iran. The Air Force later acknowledged that Libby Klinner had initially been given inaccurate information and clarified that her husband's final paycheck included combat-related hazard pay and tax benefits.

U.S. officials said combat pay amounts to $225 per month and does not require a formal declaration of war. Eligibility is based on whether a service member is serving in an area where there is a grave danger of injury or hostile fire.

Klinner said the experience showed how difficult it can be for grieving families to navigate government classifications, terminology and procedures while trying to secure the benefits owed to them.

Meanwhile, families of other U.S. service members have alleged that the Pentagon is understating the severity of injuries sustained by wounded troops and that some are not receiving treatment as war casualties. The U.S. Army has denied those allegations.

The dispute also comes amid continuing debate over whether the U.S. military campaign against Iran should officially be described as a war. Vice President JD Vance has resisted calling it a war, while President Donald Trump has used both “war” and “military conflict” to describe the situation.