Minnesota Whistleblower Settles Suit for $990,000

A Minnesota man who alerted the U.S. Department of Defense to a Humvee manufacturing change that could potentially put soldiers at risk has won nearly $1 million after settling his whistleblower lawsuit.

David McIntosh lost his job at M.K. Battery in 2007 after he called defense officials to warn them the manufacturing process on Humvees gun turrets had changed. He said the change cut the life span on the battery that turned the turret by about half, which could result in fatal consequences for soldiers involved in a gun fight in Iraq.

The 49-year-old Stacy man tried to persuade his employer to tell the Army about the change and after 14 months called the Defense Department himself and was fired for insubordination.

The Star Tribune says M.K. Battery has denied the batteries don’t meet the required specifications.