This five-part documentary from Military Times reveals a shadowy subculture outside the gates of the Navy’s Middle East headquarters in Bahrain, one that prompted a sweeping NCIS investigation in 2017 and 2018. Agents found evidence of U.S. sailors involved in trafficking and housing prostitutes —profiting from the sex trade that caters to the service members who deploy there.
Based on extensive video footage of an NCIS sting operation and subsequent interrogations, the Military Times documents the extent of U.S. sailor sex crimes in Bahrain and the Navy’s high-level effort to crack down on the problem and discipline those sailors.
Did you serve in Bahrain? Email geoffz@militarytimes.com to share your experience.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
