Tuesday, September 04, 2007

It's not the combat that will kill you...

Via Strategy Page:

August 27, 2007: The military has made enormous progress in reducing the number of fatal accidents the troops are subject to. So much so that the death rate in the military, even with combat casualties, is lower now than it was in the 1990s. The Department of Defense Medical Mortality Registry shows that, even now, combat deaths make up a minority of deaths in the military. Unlike World War II, where combat deaths out numbered non-combat deaths three to one, better training, weapons and equipment have greatly reduced the combat death rate. The big danger now is accidents and disease.

Surprising?

2 comments:

Patrick Parker said...

The military has also implemented a combat medic program whereby much greater numbers of soldiers will be trianed and equipped to suppost combat medics, stabilizing wounds, doing first aid, and even ACLS. I think I read that as many as 1/3 to 1/5 of all soldiers will get this advanced first aid training. This program has been credited with greatly reducing combat fatalities.

Unknown said...

Good info, Pat. I wasn't aware of that. I guess it's common knowledge how much our military's advanced medicine has improved in the last decade, but I don't think many realize just how well they're doing, amid the bad publicity that has accompanied the war. Sadly, as in the "civil" war, these circumstances seem to cause the most improvements in emergency care.