United States Military Casualty Statistics:
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom
Hannah Fischer
Information Research Specialist
March 25, 2009
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RS22452
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress
United States Military Casualty Statistics
Summary
This report presents difficult-to-find statistics regarding U.S. military casualties in Operation Iraqi
Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan), including those concerning
medical evacuations, amputations, and the demographics of casualties. Some of these statistics
are publically available at the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) website, whereas others have
been obtained through contact with experts at DOD.
Daily updates of total U.S. military casualties in OIF and OEF can be found at the DOD’s
website, at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf. In addition, CRS Report RS21578,
Iraq: U.S. Casualties is updated on a bi-weekly basis.
This report will be updated as needed.
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United States Military Casualty Statistics
Contents
Rates of Amputation, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) for American Forces .................................................................................................... 1
Amputation........................................................................................................................... 1
Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder................................................... 1
Gender Distribution of Deaths..................................................................................................... 2
Race/Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths ......................................................................................... 2
Self-Inflicted Wounds ................................................................................................................. 3
Medical Evacuation Statistics for U.S. Military Personnel ........................................................... 4
Operation Iraqi Freedom ....................................................................................................... 4
Operation Enduring Freedom ................................................................................................ 4
Tables
Table 1. Total U.S. Military Casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom ................................................................................................................... 1
Table 2. OIF Gender Distribution of Deaths ................................................................................ 2
Table 3. OEF Gender Distribution of Deaths ............................................................................... 2
Table 4. OIF Race/ Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths .................................................................... 3
Table 5. OEF Race/Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths .................................................................... 3
Table 6. Medical Reasons for Evacuations as of February 28, 2009 ............................................. 4
Table 7. Distribution of Evacuations Among the Services as of February 28, 2009....................... 4
Table 8. Medical Reasons for Evacuation as of February 28, 2009............................................... 5
Table 9. Distribution of Evacuations Among the Services as of February 28, 2009....................... 5
Contacts
Author Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 5
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United States Military Casualty Statistics
able 1 is a snapshot in time of the data updated daily on the Department of Defense’s
(DOD’s) website concerning casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation
T Enduring Freedom (OEF).
Table 1. Total U.S. Military Casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom
Non-Hostile Deaths
836
220
Hostile Deaths
3,425
443
U.S. DOD Civilian Deaths (Hostile and
11 1
Non-Hostile Deaths)
Total Deaths
4,261
663
Total Wounded in Action
31,131
2,725
Source: Department of Defense, http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf. Bi-weekly updates of OIF and
OEF can be found in CRS Report RS21578, Iraq: U.S. Casualties, by Susan G. Chesser.
Note: Current as of March 20, 2009.
Rates of Amputation, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),
and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for
American Forces
These injuries may overlap, that is, a single soldier may experience both a TBI and an
amputation.
Amputation
According to the Army Office of the Surgeon General, between September 2001 and January 12,
2009, there were 1,286 amputations in OIF, OEF, and unaffiliated conflicts. The total includes
935 major limb amputations and 351 minor amputations. 643 (50%) were wounded by
improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Excluding amputations resulting from unaffiliated
conflicts, but including foreigners and others who serve with the U.S. military forces, IEDs
caused 55% of the 1,184 OIF and OEF amputations. Of the 1,184 OIF and OEF amputations,
77% were in the Army, 19% were in the Marines, 2% were in the Air Force, and 2% were in the
Navy. There were 1,091 (92%) servicemembers wounded in OIF and 93 (8%) servicemembers
wounded in OEF. Of the 935 servicemembers with major limb loss, 638 have completed the
Medical Evaluation Board process, and of those, 105 are either Continued on Active Duty
(COAD), Continued in the Reserves (COAR), or Fit for Duty.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
According to the Department of Defense Report, “Report to Congress in Accordance with Section
1634 (b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008,” the Military Health
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United States Military Casualty Statistics
System (MHS) has recorded 43,779 patients who have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain
injury (TBI) in calendar years 2003 through 2007. The MHS has spent an estimated $100.0
million on direct and purchased care for TBI patients and $10.1 million on prescription costs for
all prescriptions filled after a diagnosis of TBI.1 MHS has also recorded 39,365 patients who have
been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MHS has spent an estimated $63.8
million on direct and purchased care for PTSD patients and $13.1 million on prescription costs
for all prescriptions filled after a diagnosis of PTSD.2
Gender Distribution of Deaths
Tables 2 and 3 provide statistics on the gender distribution of OIF and OEF casualties. All
numbers are current as of February 28, 2009. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.
Table 2. OIF Gender Distribution of Deaths
Gender
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
Male 4,143
97.6
Female 102
2.4
Total 4,245
100.0
Source: DOD, Operation Iraqi Freedom—Military Deaths, at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/oif-deaths-total.pdf.
Table 3. OEF Gender Distribution of Deaths
Gender
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
Male 641 97.9
Female 14
2.1
Total 655 100.0
Source: DOD, Operation Enduring Freedom—Military Deaths, at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/OEFDEATHS.pdf.
Race/Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths
Tables 4 and 5 provide statistics on the race and ethnicity distribution of OIF and OEF casualties.
All numbers are current as of February 28, 2009. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.
1 Department of Defense, “Report to Congress in Accordance with Section 1634 (b) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008,” p. 6, http://www.tricare.mil/planning/congress/downloads/
Expenditures_for_Activitieson_TBI_andPost-Traumatic_Stress_Disorder__NDAA_for_FY_2008.pdf.
2 Ibid.
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United States Military Casualty Statistics
Table 4. OIF Race/ Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths
Race/Ethnicity
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
American Indian/Alaska Native
41
1.0
Asian 81
1.9
Black or African American
407
9.6
Hispanic or Latino
450
10.6
Multiple races, pending, or unknown
46
1.1
Native Hawai an or Pacific Islander
49
1.2
White 3,171
74.7
Total 4,245
100
Source: DOD, Operation Iraqi Freedom—Military Deaths, at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/oif-deaths-total.pdf.
Table 5. OEF Race/Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths
Race/Ethnicity
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
American Indian or Alaska Native
9
1.4
Asian 8
1.2
Black or African American
52
7.9
Hispanic or Latino
52
7.9
Multiple races, pending or unknown
5
0.8
Native Hawai an or Pacific Islander
9
1.4
White 520
79.4
Total 655
100
Source: DOD, Operation Enduring Freedom—Military Deaths, at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/OEFDEATHS.pdf.
Self-Inflicted Wounds
According to the Department of Defense casualty website, 177 servicemembers have died of self-
inflicted wounds while serving in OIF and another 29 have died of self-inflicted wounds while
serving in OEF.3 In addition, it has been reported that suicides in the Army reached a historic high
in 2008 at 20.2 per 100,000 servicemembers.4
3 Department of Defense Personnel and Procurement Statistics, Statistical Information and Analysis Department, OIF at
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/OIF-Total.pdf and OEF at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/WOTSUM.pdf.
4 Anne Scott Tyson, “Military Investigates West Point Suicides,” Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012904135.html.
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Medical Evacuation Statistics for U.S.
Military Personnel
U.S. military personnel evacuation statistics as of February 28, 2009, can be found at the DOD
websites, http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/OIF-Total.pdf for OIF and
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/WOTSUM.pdf for OEF.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
According to DOD, a total of 45,583 individuals were medically evacuated from OIF from March
19, 2003, to February 28, 2009. Of the total number of medical evacuations, 36,106 cases were
non-hostile-related medical air transports, and the remaining 9,447 cases were of hostile-related
wounded servicemembers with medical air transport required. Percentages may not total 100 due
to rounding.
Table 6. Medical Reasons for Evacuations as of February 28, 2009
Number
Percentage
Wounded in Action
9,477
20.7%
Non-Hostile Injuries
9,452
20.7%
Disease 26,654
58.5%
Total 45,583
100%
Source: Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center, http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/OIF-Total.pdf.
Table 7. Distribution of Evacuations Among the Services as of February 28, 2009
Number
Percentage
Army 37,271
81.8%
Marines
5,124
11.2%
Air Force
1,772
3.9%
Navy
1,416
3.1%
Total 45,583 100%
Source: Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center, http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/
CASUALTY/OIF-Total.pdf.
Note: Navy Totals Include Coast Guard. Navy totals were reported by Force Health Protection and Readiness.
Operation Enduring Freedom
According to DOD, a total of 9,099 individuals were medically evacuated from OEF from
October 7, 2001 through February 28, 2009. Of the total number of medical evacuations, 7,639
cases were non-hostile-related medical air transports, and the remaining 1,460 cases were of
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United States Military Casualty Statistics
hostile-related wounded servicemembers with medical air transport required. Percentages may
not total 100 due to rounding.
Table 8. Medical Reasons for Evacuation as of February 28, 2009
Number
Percentage
Wounded in Action
1,460
16.0%
Non-Hostile Injuries
1,988
21.8%
Disease
5,651
62.1%
Total 9,099
100%
Source: Department of Defense, Deployment Health Support Directorate, http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/
personnel/CASUALTY/WOTSUM.pdf.
Table 9. Distribution of Evacuations Among the Services as of February 28, 2009
Number
Percentage
Army 7,003
77.0%
Marines
584
6.4%
Air Force
1,127
12.4%
Navy
385
4.2%
Total 9,099
100%
Source: Department of Defense, Deployment Health Support Directorate, http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/
personnel/CASUALTY/WOTSUM.pdf.
Note: Navy Totals Include Coast Guard. Navy totals were reported by Force Health protection and Readiness.
Author Contact Information
Hannah Fischer
Information Research Specialist
hfischer@crs.loc.gov, 7-8989
Congressional Research Service
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