Military casualties

[leatherneck]

While the loss of any military member is tragic and I don't want in any way to understate the loss of lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, I've always known that being in the military is dangerous, whether in peace or at war. When I was on active duty during peacetime, I was aware of many Marines dying during training exercises and had to investigate several tragedies.

 

I got the below info in an e mail today which put some numbers behind my thoughts. I have not verified the accuracy of the numbers however. It is interesting and definite food for thought if accurate. The following is the e mail:

 

"Subject: Military losses, 1980 through 2006

 

 

 

Military losses, 1980 through 2006

 

These are some rather eye-opening facts.

 

Since the start of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, the

sacrifice has been enormous. In the time period from the invasion of Iraq in

March 2003, through today, we have lost over 3,000 military personnel to

enemy action and accidents.

 

As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is,

consider the following statistics: The annual fatalities of military

members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2006:

 

1980 ........ 2,392

1981 . 2,380

1984 ......... 1,999

1988 .......... 1,819

1989 . 1,636

1990 ........ 1,508

1991 ......... 1,787

1992 . 1,293

1993 ......... 1,213

1994 .......... 1,075

1995 . 2,465

1996 ........ 2,318 Clinton years @14,000 deaths

1997 . 817

1998 ......... 2,252

1999 .......... 1,984

2000 . 1,983

2001 .......! .. 890

2002 ..... ..... 1,007

2003 . 1,410

2004 .......... 1,887

2005 ....... 919

2006....... 920 Bush years (2001-2006): 7,033 deaths

 

If you are confused when you look at these figures, so was I.

 

 

Do these figures mean that the loss from the two latest conflicts

in the

Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during

Mr. Clinton's presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war? And, I

was even more confused; when I read that in 1980, during the reign of

President (Nobel Peace Prize winner) Jimmy Carter, there were 2,392 US

military fatalities!

 

These figures indicate that many members of our Media and our

Politicians will pick and choose. They present only those "facts" which

support their agenda-driven reporting. Why do so many of them march in

lock-step to twist the truth? Where do so many of them get their

marching-orders for their agenda?

 

Our Mainstream ! Print and TV media, and many P politicians like to

slant; that the se brave men and women, who are losing their lives in Iraq,

are mostly minorities! Wrong AGAIN ?" just one more media lie!

 

The latest census, of Americans, shows the following distribution

of American citizens, by Race:

 

European descent (White) ..... 69.12%

Hispanic ........................... 12.5%

Black............................... 12.3%

Asian . 3.7%

Native American .................... 1.0%

Other ............................... 2.6%

 

Now... here are the fatalities by Race; over the past three years

in Iraqi

Freedom:

 

European descent (white) ...... 74.31%

Hispanic . 10.74%

Black ............................... 9.67%

Asian ............................... 1.81%

Native American . 1.09%

Other ................................ 0.33%

 

You do the Math! These figures don't lie, but, Media-liars figure

and they sway public opinion !

 

(These statis tics are published by Congress! ional Research Service,

and they may be confirmed by anyone at:

 

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf > )

 

Now ask yourself this question:

 

1. Why does the mainstream Print and TV Media never print

statistics like these?"

 

Any thoughts?

[gchs_uk9]

I see no numbers for 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1987.

[ladiesbballcoach]

If these numbers are accurate this stands in direct contrast to the picture that the Dems are trying to paint.

 

I would be interested to know how many terrorists attacks were against American interests in the Clinton years compared to Bush years.

[HHSDad]

1982....2,319

1983....2,465

1985....2,252

1986....1,984

1987....1,987

 

Average per year of presidency:

Reagan - 2,150

Bush I - 1,556

Clinton - 1,284

Bush II- 1,229

[H]

1982....2,319

1983....2,465

1985....2,252

1986....1,984

1987....1,987

 

Average per year of presidency:

Reagan - 2,150

Bush I - 1,556

Clinton - 1,284

Bush II- 1,229

 

I don't believe the size of the military has remained constant over that time span. I think it would be appropriate to normalize those figures by the average number of active duty military serving in those period. For example, 100 deaths per 100,000 active duty military. I'm not directing this comment at you specifically, HHSDad, just making the observation using the numbers in your post.

[75center]

I believe the military was down about a third between 1981 and 2005.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I believe the military was down about a third between 1981 and 2005.

 

I thought one of Reagan's big claim to fame was rebuilding the military?

[75center]

I thought one of Reagan's big claim to fame was rebuilding the military?

 

Don't know what it was before him but during his time it was around 2 million and was around 1.4 million by the late 90's.

[HHSDad]

Don't know what it was before him but during his time it was around 2 million and was around 1.4 million by the late 90's.

Average # of active duty:

Reagan - 2,135,000

Bush I - 1,969,000

Clinton - 1,469,000 (1,372,000 in last year)

Bush II - 1,404,000

[Habib]

I found this chart in the link provided in the original post.

 

 

The numbers seem different. Am I missing something?

[ladiesbballcoach]

Where is the mathemagician when we need to know how the casualties breakdown compared to # of soldiers?

[sportsfan41]

Where is the mathemagician when we need to know how the casualties breakdown compared to # of soldiers?

 

And that's how accounting majors and other mathematicians can get paid descent money to work as campaign advisors. You've gotta love politics.

[lynks66]

How did all of those loses occur during times of peace?

[PepRock01]

How did all of those loses occur during times of peace?

 

 

Training accidents, general accidents, police operations and so on.

 

I have said it many times over, despite having our troops in numerous areas at once and involved incombat we have not declared war since WWII. Most people seem to forget that.

 

Accodring to our constitution only Congress has that power, being given the power temporarily by congress to use troops more or less equates to police actions(and a number of other euphamisms).

[HHSDad]

How did all of those loses occur during times of peace?

In a typical year, 1/2 to 2/3 are accidental deaths. During Clinton's 8 years, that were 376 that died as a result of hostile action and another 1,279 that were murdered. 1,224 died from illness.