What is a Veteran

[Vllad]

Death rates for American soldiers during peace time if you include the incursions of Lebanon, Grenada and Honduras averaged 2,300 a year from 1980 to 1989 and 1,900 a year from 1990 to 1999 including Gulf War I. Total reported injuries over this 20 year period was 13% of total military personal.

Death rates for American soldiers since we have been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan have averaged 1,506 per year. Total reported injuries over the last 10 years is 7% of total military personal.

The bottom line is the most dangerous job in the US is to be a soldier whether we are in a time of war or not.

Thank you Thudz, Grunldesnapp, Slamz, Veraphim, Gnarnok and Amins for serving our country. If I missed any other veterans on this board please give a shout out.



Vllad

[Jakensama]

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/death_Rates.pdf">http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/C ... _Rates.pdf</a><!-- m -->

Interesting to see the breakdown.

But thanks to all you guys who had the balls to do something I certainly didn't.

[Dustie]

I think we'd add Gnarnok, Slamz, and Veraphim to the list? Oh and maybe Vllad?

[Vllad]

List updated.


Vllad

[Vanraw]

Yea, ditto. Thanks to all for serving and protecting.

[Thudz]

/salute

Happy Birthday Marines!

The United States Marine Corps traces its institutional roots to the Continental Marines of the American Revolutionary War, formed at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress on 10 November 1775, to raise 2 battalions of Marines. That date is regarded and celebrated as the date of the Marine Corps' "birthday".

[Hoofhurr]

Thank you very much.

[Grieve]

Thanks to all for serving!

http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CA..._Rates.pdf

Wow, the number of accidental deaths in the 80s is staggering. I wonder what the story behind that is? Larger military? More live fire training during the cold war? More troops stationed overseas? Worse medical care than now?

[Vllad]

Thanks to all for serving!

http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CA..._Rates.pdf

Wow, the number of accidental deaths in the 80s is staggering. I wonder what the story behind that is? Larger military? More live fire training during the cold war? More troops stationed overseas? Worse medical care than now?

I think it is a combination of size, technology and enlistment requirements. In the 80's (Cold War Period) we had twice the military we do today which one can easily conclude means a lower standard for enlistments.

The requirements to re-enlist today make mine in the 80's look like a complete joke. They really do keep the best of the best in todays military. That generally means more idiots where in the military in my day and hence more stupidity that causes accidents.

The other thing is the technology of today for heavy equipment (where most accidents occur) is far superior. I fell out of the sky twice in a Huey in my time in the military. One time I was the only survivor the other time we had 4 deaths. Had I been in a Blackhawk during that period it is possible we would have suffered no deaths.

When trying to keep a military up and running that is twice the size of today on a smaller budget means you are working with Tin cans and String to help kill Russians who are working with Sea shells and Llama tails.

Put in laymens terms when you built a piece of heavy equipment it stayed in the field for way to long because you needed quantity not quality.

Today we can spend our money on more safety protocols to employ a leaner and meaner military machine. We no longer need to maintain a 2 to 4 million manned army ready to fight WWIII.

Granted having a small military has created some havoc with our ability to close Iraq out but the numbers do say smaller, safer and smarter is better even if that translates to longer deployements.

In other words if Iraq would have happened in the 1980's we would have been much further along in securing Iraq then our current military was able to accomplish just simply by the deployment size we could throw at it.

The trade off would have been we would have suffered far more deaths and casulties to accomplish it.

In this case I think the new way is far better.

The final piece is during the cold war the military was on constant alert and running massive live drills (Corp size) which was getting us ready to fight Russians which is just plain dangerous. In todays military they do smaller deployment drills so unless you are in Iraq or Afgan they can control things far better then they could during the cold war.


Vllad

[Thudz]

Thanks to all for serving!

http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CA..._Rates.pdf

Wow, the number of accidental deaths in the 80s is staggering. I wonder what the story behind that is? Larger military? More live fire training during the cold war? More troops stationed overseas? Worse medical care than now?

The percentage of accidental deaths to total deaths is pretty consistent through that chart. And the total deaths as a percentage of active duty military seems to be pretty consistent too. You have to also consider that alot of military jobs are very dangerous for reasons other than weapons. Working on an Aircraft Carrier deck is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.