Around 50 personnel working with the U.S. military’s Joint Staff have undergone polygraph examinations as part of an investigation into leaks to journalists, officials briefed on the matter said. The disclosures reportedly included details about shortages of key munitions resulting from the Iran war, the New York Times reported.
Military officers and civilian staff were questioned about whether they had shared classified information with members of the media. Investigators also asked whether they had disclosed details concerning reduced U.S. munitions stocks.
The examinations took place in August, following a series of media reports highlighting shortages of critical weapons, including long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors.
The Joint Staff
has between 1,500 and 2,000 officers and officials working for it.
According to the NYT, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, in a statement, said the department “does not comment on internal personnel or investigative matters but takes all leaks of classified national security information extremely seriously and investigates accordingly.”
“Securing classified information is critical to ensuring the security of the United States and of our troops deployed around the world,” he added.
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