Updated September 9, 2022
Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths From 2006 Through
2021
Summary of Deaths
Congress has had a sustained interest in military deaths
Source of Casualty Data
during peacetime and wartime. From 2006 through 2021, a
Data in this product were provided by the DOD’s Defense
total of 19,378 active-duty servicemembers have died while
Manpower Data Center (DMDC). When a U.S. casualty
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Of those who died, 24%
occurs, the service is required to complete a form (DD 1300
were killed while serving in in what the Department of
Report of Casualty) that includes circumstances related to
Defense (DOD) categorizes as Overseas Contingency
death. This information is subsequently entered into the
Operations (OCO)—primarily within the territories of Iraq
service’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs database (Defense
and Afghanistan. The remaining 76% died during
Casualty Information Processing System, or DCIPS), which
operations categorized as Non-Overseas Contingency
is made accessible to DMDC. Casualty data are refreshed
Operations (Non-OCO). The categories with the highest
daily and past records are subject to change. Throughout
number of active-duty servicemember deaths were
this product, the designation “active duty” refers to all
accidents, self-inflicted wounds, and illnesses or injuries.
active-duty troops, including mobilized Reserve and Guard
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components.
all active-duty military deaths by category from 2006
Figure 1. U.S. Active-Duty Military Deaths 2006-2021
through 2021. The data starts in 2006 because DOD
implemented a new casualty reporting system then, so the
analysis excludes casualties that occurred in earlier years,
including during combat operations from 2001 to 2005.
DOD Instruction (DODI) 1300.18 details department
policies and procedures for reporting military casualties.
The instruction lists but does not define all casualty
categories.
Table 1. U.S. Active-Duty Military Deaths, 2006-2021,
by Category
Deaths as % of
Category
Total Deaths
Total
Accident
6,198
32.0%
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
to CRS, April 1, 2022.
Self-inflicted
4,930
25.4%
Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan
Il ness/Injury
3,470
17.9%
Scope and Reference
Kil ed in Action
2,740
14.1%
Title 10, Section 101 of the U.S. Code, defines a
contingency operation as any Secretary of Defense-
Died of Wounds
891
4.6%
designated military operation “in which members of the
Homicide
619
3.2%
armed forces are or may become involved in military
actions, operations, or hostilities against an enemy of the
Undetermined
329
1.7%
United States or against an opposing military force.” OCO
Pending
176
0.9%
activities related to Afghanistan include Operation Enduring
Freedom (2001-2014) and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel
Terrorist
21
0.1%
(2014-2021). In April 2022, President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
While Captured
4
0.0%
announced a drawdown of all 2,500 U.S. troops remaining
in that country beginning May 1 and all troops left
Total
19,378
100%
Afghanistan on or before August 30, 2021. OCO activities
Source: U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data
primarily related to Iraq include Operation Iraqi Freedom
Center (DMDC), Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
(2003-2010), Operation New Dawn (2010-2011), and
to CRS, April 1, 2022.
Operation Inherent Resolve (2011-present).
Notes: The “self-inflicted” subcategory includes an apparent-suicide
In 2006, OCO and non-OCO deaths were fairly evenly
designation. For comprehensive statistics on this subject, please
divided; in 2021, OCO deaths accounted for 2% of active-
consult the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO). Numbers
duty deaths.
have been rounded to the nearest tenth of a percentage.
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Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths From 2006 Through 2021
Overall Deaths
During this period, 14,758 servicemembers died in
On December 15, 2011, U.S. Armed Forces in Baghdad
circumstances unrelated to OCO operations. On average,
marked the official end of the war in Iraq. The three
this amounts to approximately 922 non-war-related deaths
operations in Iraq (i.e., Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation
each year. In non-OCO operations, personnel perished in 75
New Dawn, and Operation Inherent Resolve) claimed the
countries (and at sea), with the majority (93%) of deaths
lives of 4,599 U.S. troops. From 2006 through 2021, 2,189
occurring in the United States. Other top locations included
U.S. troops died as part of OCO operations in Iraq, with
Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and the United
48% of these deaths attributable to improvised explosive
Kingdom, all of which have U.S. military garrisons.
devices (IEDs) and their variants. Of those who were not
From 2006 through 2011, 25% of deaths were due to being
killed in IED related incidents, 37% died under non-hostile
killed in action, terrorist attacks, and dying while captured.
conditions, primarily from accidents (including loss of
From 2012 through 2021, these categories made up 3% of
aircraft or ground vehicle) or as a result of self-inflicted
deaths. Self-inflicted deaths made up 11% of deaths in
injury.
2006, and in 2021 made up 32% of deaths.
The U.S. military and diplomatic withdrawal and
From 2006 through 2021, approximately 13% of all deaths
evacuation operation in Afghanistan concluded on August
and 39% of accidental deaths involved vehicles. Alcohol or
30, 2021. From 2006 through 2021, the military operations
substance abuse was a factor in 6% of all deaths and 14% of
in Afghanistan (i.e., Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Freedom’s Sentinel
accidental deaths.
) claimed the lives of 2,016
U.S. troops. Nearly half (45%) of these deaths are
Figure 4. U.S. Active-Duty Deaths, 2006-2021, by
attributable to IEDs and their variants, which took their
Cause
greatest toll between 2009 and 2012. Most U.S. personnel
not killed by IEDs during this period died as the result of
gunshot wounds or after suffering other physical trauma in
action.
Figure 2. U.S. OCO Active-Duty Deaths in Iraq, 2006-
2021, by Category
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
to CRS, April 1, 2022.
Accidental deaths dropped from over 500 per year in the
years 2006 through 2008, to under 300 per year in the years
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
2016, 2018, and 2019. In the most recent full year on
to CRS, April 1, 2022.
record, 2021, there were 301 accidental deaths, or about
30% of the 1,009 total deaths for the year.
Figure 3. U.S. Active-Duty Deaths in Afghanistan,
2006-2021, by Category
Considerations for Congress
Each service component uses the casualty categories listed
in Congress has had a sustained interest in military
deaths during peacetime and wartime. From 2006
through 2021, a total of 19,378 active-duty
servicemembers have died while serving in the U.S.
Armed Forces. Of those who died, 24% were killed
while serving in in what the Department of Defense
(DOD) categorizes as Overseas Contingency Operations
(OCO)—primarily within the territories of Iraq and
Afghanistan. The remaining 76% died during
operations categorized as Non-Overseas Contingency
Operations (Non-OCO). The categories with the highest
Source: DMDC Defense Casualty Analysis System report provided
number of active-duty servicemember deaths were
to CRS, April 1, 2022.
accidents, self-inflicted wounds, and illnesses or injuries.
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Notable Trends
all active-duty military deaths by category from 2006
From 2006 through 2021, 4,620 U.S. military personnel
through 2021. The data starts in 2006 because DOD
died in (or as the result of) OCO operations in 28 countries
implemented a new casualty reporting system then, so
and locations at sea. IEDs caused almost half (44%) of all
the analysis excludes casualties that occurred in earlier
U.S. deaths in war zones.
years, including during combat operations from 2001 to
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2005. DOD Instruction (DODI) 1300.18 details
definitions. DODI 1300.18 defines a “Hostile” and “Non-
department policies and procedures for reporting
Hostile” death, the two options for “Incident Type.”
military casualties. The instruction lists but does not
Congress may consider requiring clearer definitions for
define all casualty categories.
each casualty category to promote more reliable casualty
Table 1 to enter deaths into the DMDC system. Casualty
data and greater transparency for reporting military deaths.
data is updated daily, and the categorization of a death may
change as more information is received. With the exception
Hannah Fischer, Information Research Specialist
of “Incident Type,” the categorization of each death is up to
Hibbah Kaileh, Research Assistant
the discretion of each service in accordance with DOD
IF10899
policy. “Incident Type” is the only category that has set
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Trends in Active-Duty Military Deaths From 2006 Through 2021
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10899 · VERSION 13 · UPDATED