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Updated May 20, 2019
Recent Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths
Summary of Deaths
OCO Deaths
Since 2006—five years after the start of major combat
Section 101 of Title 10, United States Code, defines a
operations in Afghanistan and three years after the U.S.-led
contingency operation as any Secretary of Defense-
invasion of Iraq—a total of 16,652 active-duty personnel
designated military operation “in which members of the
and mobilized reservists have died while serving in the U.S.
armed forces are or may become involved in military
armed forces. Seventy-three percent of these casualties
actions, operations, or hostilities against an enemy of the
occurred under circumstances unrelated to war, a category
United States or against an opposing military force.”
classified in this report as Non-Overseas Contingency
Approximately 4,536 military personnel have died in such
Operations, or Non-OCO. Twenty-seven percent have died
operations since 2006 in more than 25 countries (and
while serving in OCO operations—primarily within the
locations at sea).
territory of Iraq and Afghanistan—during periods of active
combat operations. OCO operations related to Afghanistan
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) caused nearly half
primarily include Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s
(45%) of all U.S. deaths in operational war zones. Their
Sentinel. For Iraq, OCO operations include Iraqi Freedom,
lethality closely tracked surges of troop deployments to
New Dawn, and Inherent Resolve. Figure 1 summarizes all
OCO operations, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan.
service deaths since 2006.
Figure 2. Deaths in Overseas Contingency Operations
Due to quality issues with pre-2006 data, earlier years have
been excluded from this analysis.
Figure 1. Active Duty Military Deaths Since 2006

Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data
Center (DMDC), Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
to CRS, March 28, 2019.

Non-OCO Deaths

Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
Approximately 12,116 servicemembers have died in
to CRS, March 28, 2019.
circumstances unrelated to OCO operations since 2006. On
Note: Primarily Iraq comprises Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and
average, for each full year from 2006-2018, there have been
Inherent Resolve; Primarily Afghanistan comprises Enduring Freedom
917 deaths, with the total number varying by as much as
and Freedom’s Sentinel. Includes casualties at al associated locations.
12% on an annual basis. Personnel perished in more than 70
countries (and at sea), with the majority (93%) of deaths
Overall Deaths in Iraq
occurring in the United States. Other locations have
Since 2006, 2,178 U.S. troops have died in Iraq during
included Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy, and the United
OCO operations. Approximately half (48%) of all these
Kingdom. Most servicemembers who died outside of OCO
military deaths are attributable to IEDs (and their variants).
operations during this period died as the result of accident,
Of those that were not killed by IED related incidents, 37%
self-inflicted wounds, or illness. Alcohol was a factor in
died under nonhostile conditions, primarily from accidents
14% of all accidental deaths and 7% of non-OCO deaths.
(including loss of aircraft or ground vehicle) or as the result
of self-inflicted injury.
Approximately 16% of all non-OCO deaths, or 1,915,
involved vehicles. For these latter records, the data do not
indicate whether alcohol was also involved.
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Recent Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths
Figure 3. Overall Deaths in Iraq
Figure 4.Overall Deaths in Afghanistan

Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
to CRS, March 28, 2019.
to CRS, March 28, 2019.
Source of Casualty Data
Overall Deaths in Afghanistan
Data in this report was provided by the Defense Manpower
Since 2006, approximately 1,975 U.S. troops have died in
Data Center (DMDC). When a U.S. casualty occurs, each
Afghanistan. Nearly half (46%) of all these military deaths
service is required to complete a form (DD 1300 Report of
are attributable to IEDs and their variants, which took their
Casualty) that includes circumstances related to death. This
greatest toll between 2009 and 2012. Most U.S. personnel
information is subsequently entered into the service’s
not killed by IEDs during this period died as the result of
Casualty and Mortuary Affairs database (Defense Casualty
gunshot wounds, or after suffering other multiple physical
Information Processing System, or DCIPS) which, in turn,
trauma in action. A substantial number (162), died in
is made accessible to DMDC. Casualty data is refreshed
connection with the loss of an aircraft or ground vehicle.
daily, and past records are subject to change. For details on
Most such incidents were classified as accidental (69%),
casualty matters, policies, and procedures, see Department
and occurred under nonhostile conditions.
of Defense Instruction 1300.18.
Table 1. U.S. Active-Duty Military Deaths (in all Countries), 2006-2018
Casualty
Sum of
Category
Category
Non-OCO
OCO
Category
(as % of Total)
Accident
4,827
478
5,305
31.9%
Self-inflicted
3,579
284
3,863
23.2%
Il ness / Injury
2,791
119
2,910
17.5%
Kil ed in Action
6
2,704
2,710
16.3%
Died of Wounds
1
885
886
5.3%
Homicide
479
41
520
3.1%
Undetermined
267
17
284
1.7%
Pending
148
2
150
Less than 1%
Terrorist
18
2
20
Less than 1%
While Captured
0
4
4
Less than 1%
Total
12,116
4,536
16,652
100%
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided to CRS, March 28, 2019.
Notes: The self-Inflicted subcategory includes an apparent-suicide designation, however, for comprehensive statistics on this subject, please
consult the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO). Of the six personnel that were kil ed in action during Non-OCO operations, four were
kil ed in Niger, one in Iraq, and one in Somalia. Includes 35 alcohol or substance abuse related casualties during OCO operations.
Hannah Fischer, Information Research Specialist
Christopher T. Mann, Analyst in Defense Policy and
Trade
IF10899

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Recent Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths



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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10899 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED