A Guide to U.S. Military Casualty Statistics:
Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation New
Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and
Operation Enduring Freedom
Hannah Fischer
Information Research Specialist
November 20, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RS22452

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Summary
This report presents statistics regarding U.S. military casualties in the active missions Operation
Inherent Resolve (OIR, Iraq and Syria) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan), as
well as operations that have ended, Operation New Dawn (OND, Iraq) and Operation Iraqi
Freedom (OIF, Iraq). This report includes statistics on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputations, evacuations, and the demographics of casualties. Some
of these statistics are publicly available at the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) website and
others have been obtained through contact with experts at DOD.
This report will be updated as needed.


Congressional Research Service

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Contents
Overall Casualties in OIR, OIF, OND, and OEF ............................................................................. 1
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ....................................................................................................... 2
Traumatic Brain Injury .................................................................................................................... 3
Major Limb Amputations................................................................................................................. 6
Self-Inflicted Wounds ...................................................................................................................... 7
Gender Distribution of Deaths ......................................................................................................... 8
Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths ...................................................................................... 8

Figures
Figure 1. Annual Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnoses in All Services, 2000-2014 ............. 3
Figure 2. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by Classification, 2000-2014 Q2 ...................................... 5
Figure 3. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Over Time, 2000-2014 Q2, ............................................... 5
Figure 4. Major Limb Amputations Due to Battle Injuries in OIF, OND, and OEF, 2001-
2014 .............................................................................................................................................. 7

Tables
Table 1. Overall Casualties in OIF, OND, and OEF, 2001-2014 ..................................................... 1
Table 2. Annual New Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnoses in All Services, 2000-
2014 .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Table 3. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by Classification and Service, 2000-2014 Q2 .................... 4
Table 4. Individuals with Battle-Injury Major Limb Amputations for OEF, OIF, and OND,
2001-2014 ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Table 5. OIF and OND Gender Distribution of Deaths, 2002-2014 ................................................ 8
Table 6. OEF Gender Distribution of Deaths, 2001-2014 ............................................................... 8
Table 7. OIF and OND Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths, 2002-2014 ............................. 8
Table 8. OEF Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths, 2000-2014 ............................................. 9

Contacts
Author Contact Information............................................................................................................. 9

Congressional Research Service

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Overall Casualties in OIR, OIF, OND, and OEF
On August 31, 2010, President Obama announced that the U.S. combat mission in Iraq (Operation
Iraqi Freedom, or OIF) had ended.1 A transitional force of U.S. troops remained in Iraq under
Operation New Dawn (OND), which ended on December 15, 2011.2 (For more information on
war dates, see CRS Report RS21405, U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts, by
Barbara Salazar Torreon.) Several thousand U.S. civilian personnel, contract personnel, and a
limited number of U.S. military personnel remain in Iraq carrying out U.S. government business
and cooperative programs under the auspices of agreements with the Iraqi government. On
October 15, 2014, U.S. Central Command designated new military operations in Iraq and Syria
against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR).3
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) began on October 7, 2001, and is primarily located in
Afghanistan. OEF is ongoing.
Daily updates of total U.S. military casualties in OND, OIF, and OEF can be found at the
Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) website, at http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf. Table 1
gives the overall casualties in OIF, OND, and OEF.
Table 1. Overall Casualties in OIF, OND, and OEF, 2001-2014
(as of October 30, 2014)
U.S. Department of
U.S. Servicemember
Defense Civilian
U.S. Servicemembers

Deaths
Deaths
Wounded in Action
Operation Iraqi Freedoma
4,412
13
31,949
Operation New Dawnb 66
0
295
Operation Enduring Freedomc 2,,346
4
20,037
Operation Inherent Resolved
2 0 0
Source: Table compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
a. Department of Defense (DOD), “Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) U.S. Casualty Status,” Fatalities as of
October 30, 2014, 10 a.m. EDT, at http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf.
b. DOD, “Operation New Dawn (OND) U.S. Casualty Status,” Fatalities as of October 30, 2014, 10 a.m. EDT,
at http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf.
c. DOD, “Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) U.S. Casualty Status,” Fatalities as of October 30, 2014, 10 a.m.
EDT, at http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf.
d. DOD, “Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) U.S. Casualty Status,” Fatalities as of October 30, 2014, 10 a.m.
EDT, at http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf.

1 The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, remarks by the President in Address to the Nation on the End of
Combat Operations in Iraq, August 31, 2010, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/08/31/remarks-
president-address-nation-end-combat-operations-iraq.
2 Remarks by the President and First Lady on the End of the War in Iraq, December 14, 2011, at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/14/remarks-president-and-first-lady-end-war-iraq.
3 U.S. Department of Defense, “Centcom Designates Ops Against ISIL as ‘Inherent Resolve’,” October 15, 2014, at
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123422&source=GovDelivery.
Congressional Research Service
1

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon General (OSG), using the Defense Medical Surveillance
System (DMSS), provided the statistics on the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
cases. According to Dr. Michael Carino of the OSG, a case of PTSD is defined as an individual
having at least two outpatient visits or one or more hospitalizations at which PTSD was
diagnosed. The threshold of two or more outpatient visits is used in the DMSS to increase the
likelihood that the individual has, or had, PTSD. A single visit on record commonly reflects
someone who was evaluated for possible PTSD, but did not actually meet the criteria for
diagnosis.
All those who have been diagnosed as having PTSD during deployment were diagnosed at least
30 days after they deployed. However, it is not possible to be certain that the PTSD resulted from
an event associated with the deployment. The PTSD could have resulted from an event that
occurred prior to a deployment.4 OIR began after the cut-off date, therefore its numbers are not
included.
Table 2. Annual New Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnoses in All Services,
2000-2014
(as of September 5, 2014)
Incident Cases
Incident Cases
Year
(Not Previously Deployed)
Among OEF/OIF/OND Deployed
2000 1,611 —
2001 1,703 —
2002 1,746 90
2003 1,736 985
2004 2,137 3,564
2005 2,287 6,682
2006 2,123 7,572
2007 2,571
11,586
2008 2,889
14,260
2009 2,957
13,936
2010 2,969
14,780
2011 3,119
15,933
2012 3,202
17,640
2013 3,329
14,200
2014
1,942
7,268
TOTAL 36,321 128,496
Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11,
2014. Data from Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS).
Note: “Deployed” incident cases indicate a deployment to OEF/OIF/OND for longer than 30 days.

4 CRS communication with Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense liaison, September 21, 2010.
Congressional Research Service
2

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Figure 1. Annual Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnoses in All Services,
2000-2014
(as of September 5, 2014)
25,000
20,000
es 15,000
as
SD C 10,000
PT
5,000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total
Incident cases (not previously deployed)
Incident cases among OEF/OIF/OND deployed

Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11th,
2014. Data from Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS).
Note: Deployed servicemembers have been deployed to OEF/OIF/OND for longer than 30 days.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Many statistics on traumatic brain injury (TBI) are available to the public at the Defense and
Veterans Brain Injury Center, at http://dvbic.dcoe.mil/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi. Unlike PTSD
numbers, which are broken out by those deployed and those not previously deployed, TBI
numbers represent medical diagnoses of TBI that occurred anywhere U.S. forces are located,
including the continental United States.5 OIR began after the cut-off date, therefore its numbers
are not included.

5 Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center at http://www.dvbic.org/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi. The DOD
categorizes TBI cases as mild, moderate, severe, or penetrating. Mild TBI is characterized by a confused or disoriented
state lasting less than 24 hours; loss of consciousness for up to 30 minutes; memory loss lasting less than 24 hours; and
structural brain imaging that yields normal results. Moderate TBI is characterized by a confused or disoriented state
that lasts more than 24 hours; loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes, but less than 24 hours; memory loss
lasting greater than 24 hours but less than seven days; and structural brain imaging yielding normal or abnormal results.
Severe TBI is characterized by a confused or disoriented state that lasts more than 24 hours; loss of consciousness for
more than 24 hours; memory loss for more than seven days; and structural brain imaging yielding normal or abnormal
results. A penetrating TBI, or open head injury, is a head injury in which the dura mater, the outer layer of the system
of membranes that envelops the central nervous system, is penetrated. Penetrating injuries can be caused by high-
velocity projectiles or objects of lower velocity, such as knives, or bone fragments from a skull fracture that are driven
into the brain. “Not Classifiable” indicates additional incident information is required prior to TBI categorization.
Congressional Research Service
3

---

Table 3. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by Classification and Service, 2000-2014 Q2
(as of August 19, 2014)
2014
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (Q2) Totals
Army
Severe
or
Penetrating 199 198 174 206 256 275 349 428 548 648 379 357 248 116 72
4,642

Moderate
591 612 560 560 740 780 878 1,353
1,242
1,167
1,102
1,069 916 754 465
13,603

Mild
3,167 3,678 4,074 4,454 5,521 6,238 7,866 12,402 15,245 15,152 15,793 17,346 16,102 10,235 5,817
146,413

Not
Classifiable
675 507 436 287 225 271 170 336 2,583
1,872
1,306
2,175
1,938
1,550 774
15,060

Total
4,632 4,995 5,244 5,507 6,742 7,564 9,263 14,519 19,618 18,839 18,580 20,947 19,204 12,655 7,128
179,718
Navy
Severe
or
Penetrating
88 113 90 91 98 81 54 57 46 46 43 44 38 20 17
958

Moderate
346 367 312 340 292 336 229 261 223 194 169 174 200 144 136
3,825

Mild
1,475 1,617 2,023 2,093 2,351 2,377 2,320 2,442 2,482 2,677 2,554 2,662 2,937 2,076 1,306
34,234

Not
Classifiable
555 364 258 211 71 62 62 64 69 91 87 143 130 97 82
2,353

Total
2,464 2,461 2,683 2,735 2,812 2,856 2,665 2,824 2,820 3,008 2,853 3,023 3,305 2,337 1,541 41,370
Air
Severe
or
Penetrating
75 78 67 81 67 63 55 57 49 52 48 61 43 30 15
867

Force
Moderate
331 317 278 252 248 232 220 225 208 232 220 193 202 155 100
3,535

Mild
1,430 1,698 1,947 2,216 2,366 2,282 2,255 2,410 2,298 2,887 3,058 3,141 3,267 2,250 1,544
35,997

Not
Classifiable
241 155 132 76 128 78 41 46 70 64 71 129 143 110 68
1,515

Total
2,077 2,248 2,424 2,625 2,809 2,655 2,571 2,738 2,625 3,235 3,397 3,524 3,655 2,545 1,727 41,914
Marines
Severe
or
Penetrating
90 86 60 75 97 92 89 86 74 90 74 97 68 30 15
1,159

Moderate
343 374 291 275 294 269 295 391 254 282 324 322 210 171 148
4,407

Mild
1,107 1,313 1,604 1,518 1,692 2,009 2,123 2,634 3,008 3,292 3,797 4,396 3,705 2,298 1,413
36,705

Not
Classifiable
245 142 101 80 73 86 31 25 63 131 163 316 259 214 110
2,009

Total
1,785 1,915 2,056 1,948 2,156 2,456 2,538 3,136 3,399 3,795 4,358 5,131 4,242 2,713 1,686
44,280


Grand
Total
10,958 11,619 12,407 12,815 14,519 15,531 17,037 23,217 28,462 28,877 29,188 32,625 30,406 20,250 12,082 307,282
Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11th, 2014. Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS),
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, http://www.dvbic.org/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi.
Note: Deployed and not previously deployed are combined.
CRS-4

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Figure 2. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by Classification, 2000-2014 Q2
(as of August 19, 2014)
2.6%
7.1%
8.6%
Severe or Penetrating
TBI
Moderate TBI
Mild TBI
Not Classifiable
85.8%

Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11th,
2014. Data from Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS), Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center,
http://www.dvbic.org/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi.
Note: Deployed and not previously deployed are combined.
Figure 3. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Over Time, 2000-2014 Q2,
(as of August 19, 2014)
35,000
30,000
25,000
s
se
20,000
no
ag
15,000
n Di
e
10,000
id
c
In
5,000
-
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Q2
Total
Severe or Penetrating TBI
Moderate TBI
Not Classifiable
Mild TBI

Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11th,
2014. Data source is Defense Medical Surveil ance System (DMSS), Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center,
http://www.dvbic.org/dod-worldwide-numbers-tbi.
Note: Deployed and not previously deployed are combined.
Congressional Research Service
5

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Major Limb Amputations6
Table 4 shows the number of individuals with battle-injury major limb amputations for OIF,
OND, and OEF. A major limb amputation includes the loss of one or more limbs, the loss of one
or more partial limbs, or the loss of one or more full or partial hand or foot. The total number of
amputations in OIF, OND, and OEF as of September 1, 2014, is 1,573. OIR began after the cut-
off date, therefore its numbers are not included.
Table 4. Individuals with Battle-Injury Major Limb Amputations for OEF, OIF, and
OND, 2001-2014
(as of September 1, 2014)
Injury Date
OEF
OIF/OND
Total (OEF, OIF, OND)
2001 0 0
0
2002 0 0
0
2003 9 68
77
2004 6 149
155
2005 16 145
161
2006 9 148
157
2007 13 196
209
2008 28 66
94
2009 62 22
84
2010 204 1
205
2011 251 2
253
2012 141 0
141
2013 33 0
33
2014 4 0
4
Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11,
2014.

6 A previous update of this report included major and minor limb amputations. However, statistics on minor limb
amputations were not available for this update.
Congressional Research Service
6

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

From 2003 until the first quarter of 2009, the majority of the major limb amputations due to battle
injuries occurred in OIF. In the second quarter of 2009, however, the trend changed, and since
that time, the majority of the major limb amputations due to battle injuries have occurred in OEF.
Figure 4 charts the number of major limb amputations due to a battle injury in OIF, OND, and
OEF from 2001 through September 1, 2013, for all services.
Figure 4. Major Limb Amputations Due to Battle Injuries
in OIF, OND, and OEF, 2001-2014
(as of September 1, 2014)
300
250
on
ti
ta
u
p 200
m
A
mb
r Li 150
ajo
y, M 100
nur
I
le
att
50
B
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total (OEF, OIF, OND)
OEF
OIF/OND

Source: CRS communication with Dr. Michael J. Carino, Army Office of the Surgeon General, September 11th,
2014. Data from DOD-VA Extremity Trauma & Amputation Center of Excel ence (EACE).
Self-Inflicted Wounds
According to DOD’s casualty website, as of November 5, 2014, 235 servicemembers died of self-
inflicted wounds while serving in OIF and OND and 114 died of self-inflicted wounds while
serving in OEF.7 Currently, there is no casualty summary by category for OIR.

7 Department of Defense Personnel and Procurement Statistics, Statistical Information and Analysis Department, OIF at
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oif_type.xhtml, OND at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/
report_ond_type.xhtml, and OEF at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/report_oef_type.xhtml.
Congressional Research Service
7

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Gender Distribution of Deaths
Table 5 and Table 6 provide statistics on the gender distribution of OIF, OND, and OEF
casualties. All numbers for OIF, OND, and OEF are current as of November 5, 2014. Currently,
there is no casualty summary by demographics for OIR. Percentages may not total 100 due to
rounding.
Table 5. OIF and OND Gender Distribution of Deaths, 2002-2014
(as of November 5, 2014)
Gender
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
Male 4,368
97.5
Female 110
2.5
Total 4,478
100.0
Source: Data from Defense Manpower Data Center, at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/
casualties.xhtml.
Table 6. OEF Gender Distribution of Deaths, 2001-2014
(as of November 5, 2014)
Gender
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
Male 2,295
97.9
Female 51
2.1
Total 2,346
100.0
Source: Data from Defense Manpower Data Center, at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/
casualties.xhtml.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths
Table 7 and Table 8 provide statistics on the race and ethnicity distribution of OIF, OND, and
OEF casualties. All numbers for OIF, OND, and OEF are current as of November 5, 2014.
Percentages do not total 100 because servicemembers may be listed twice, once under a race
(such as “White”) and once under an ethnicity (such as “Hispanic or Spanish”).
Table 7. OIF and OND Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths, 2002-2014
(as of November 5, 2014)
Race/Ethnicity
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
American Indian/Alaska Native
43
1.0
Asian 78
1.7
Black or African American
444
9.9
Hispanic or Spanish
220
4.9
Native Hawai an or Other Pacific Islander
18
0.4
White 3,698
82.6
Multiple Races
63
1.4
Congressional Research Service
8

---

U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: OND, OIF, and OEF

Race/Ethnicity
Military Deaths
% of Total Deaths
Unknown 134
3.0
Total 4,478

Source: Data from Defense Manpower Data Center, at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties.xhtml.
Table 8. OEF Race and Ethnicity Distribution of Deaths, 2000-2014
(as of November 5, 2014)
Percentage of Total
Race/Ethnicity Military
Deaths
Deaths
American Indian/Alaska Native
30
1.3
Asian 62
2.6
Black or African American
191
8.1
Hispanic or Spanish
95
4.0
Native Hawai an or Other Pacific Islander
8
0.3
White 1,995
85.0
Multiple Races
30
1.3
Unknown 30
1.3
Total 2,346

Source: Data from Defense Manpower Data Center, at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/pages/casualties.xhtml.

Author Contact Information

Hannah Fischer


Information Research Specialist
hfischer@crs.loc.gov, 7-8989

Congressional Research Service
9

---