( CNN ) -- A major Defense Department contractor has ordered its employees in Iraq to turn in their personal cell phones because `` of a safety and security concern . '' KBR says , `` Any individual using a personal cell phone will be disciplined . '' Houston , Texas-based KBR Inc. , formerly Kellogg Brown & Root , issued a statement saying the company had sent a message with the order to its Iraq employees , but it did not explain the concern that prompted it . `` The matter giving rise to this message is still being reviewed by KBR management , so the company will not provide further comment at this time , '' the statement said . According to an e-mail obtained by CNN , the company issued the order to all KBR employees in Iraq , Afghanistan and Kuwait -- although in its communications with CNN , the company specified only Iraq . In the e-mail , employees are ordered to stop using their cell phones as of 8 a.m. Saturday and turn them in to the company 's human resources department . `` Any individual using a personal cell phone will be disciplined , '' the e-mail says . `` Termination is an option of discipline . The cell phone will be confiscated . '' According to the e-mail , employees will be given a receipt when they turn in their phones , which will be returned to them `` when the individual departs the site . '' Haris Memisevic , the KBR quality manager in Afghanistan who forwarded the e-mail to some employees , said he could not discuss the matter and referred calls to KBR 's legal department . A KBR employee , who asked to remain anonymous , said he was `` not aware of any security breaches involving the use of cell phones '' and that employees were not given any reason for the order . He said he has no plans to comply and believes his personal security would be at risk without his cell phone . `` 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 , '' he said . `` We pay for this use with our own funds . '' Some corporate employees have company-provided cell phones , he said , but at his location there is only one company-provided phone for use if the communication system fails . He said the U.S. Army confiscates cell phones from Afghans who work at military installations and returns them when they finish their daily duties . An Army spokesman told CNN on Saturday that the order is strictly a KBR initiative .
Defense contractor KBR Inc. tells workers to call in personal phones . Source says order applies to KBR contractors in Iraq , Afghanistan , etc . Nature of security breach is not known ; KBR security matter is being investigated .