They say that those who long for war have never experienced it. It should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that military combat is extremely dangerous.

Of course, there is a great risk to suffer injuries or even death. But are you familiar with the real numbers behind military casualties? You may be surprised by the statistics.

We’ve compiled a list of five significant characteristics regarding US military injuries and casualties. Read on to learn more about the risks serving in the armed forces.

The Human Costs Of Battle

The noble desire to defend one’s countries and freedoms leads millions of men and women to volunteer for the US military. They leave their loving families and the comforts of home to travel around the world to risk life and limb.

Tragically, many of these soldiers are injured or even killed in the line of duty.

You may not be aware of the actual probabilities of suffering military injuries while on tour. Here is our list of five statistics regarding US combat casualties.

1. Operation Iraqi Freedom: The Numbers

The Iraq War, known as Operation Iraqi Freedom to the US Department of Defense, took place between March of 2003 until the end of 2011. The vast majority took of the fighting took place in Iraq with the goal to oust Saddam Hussein.

The total number of US death tallied about 4,432. Of these, 942 were not directly related to combat, but we will talk more about that later.

Plus, the number of US personnel wounded in action totaled just shy of 32,000. This gives us a total of nearly about 35,000 Iraq casualties.

2. The Casualties of Operation Enduring Freedom

The US armed forced named their global war on terror Operation Enduring Freedom. They include a number of military operations in several countries throughout the world in response to the attack on the Twin Towers.

The majority of the fighting took place in Afghanistan but US casualties also occurred in Ethiopia, Yemen, Jordan, and other countries.

The total number of deaths was 2,352. Plus, another 20,000 people were injured.

3. Year By Year Comparison

If you look at military deaths by year in Iraq you get a better idea of the flow of combat and the resulting insurgency.  

In 2003, the year the invasion began, 486 US soldiers lost their lives. The Iraqi military was soundly defeated. Many believed this would be the end of the fighting but this was far from the truth.

During the next four years, the amount of dead per year was nearly double. US casualties continued to rise as many questioned why they remained abroad.

4. Non-Combat Deaths

A high number of casualties during the war are surprisingly not related to combat.

Falls, car crashes, and other accidents lead to nearly one thousand deaths during the Iraq War.

5. Mental Health Struggles

Tragically, the horrors of combat follow soldiers long after the battles are over.

In the year 2018 alone, 321 servicemen and women took their own lives.

Know The Facts

War takes a massive toll on the men, women, and children who have to experience it. 

Casualties are an inherent part of armed conflict. Clearly, there is a huge risk of death and injury. Also, psychological health can be easily be affected.

Check out this article about compensation for workers under the Defense Base Act.