Leftovers from Afghanistan and Iraq Wars: 1,558 Amputations; 7,224 Severe Brain Injuries; 118,829 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

Monday, March 03, 2014
George W. Bush with Afghanistan War amputees Neil Duncan and Max Ramsey, July 24, 2006 (photo: Chris Kleponis, Pool, Getty Images)

The American toll from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can be contemplated in many different ways, thanks to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

 

A new CRS report (pdf) has provided a human accounting not only of how many service personnel died in the two conflicts, but of the many kinds of serious, life-long injuries with which thousands returned home.

 

A total of 1,558 soldiers endured major limb amputations as a result of battlefield injuries. Major limb amputations include the loss of one or more limbs, the loss of one or more partial limbs, or the loss of one or more full or partial hand or foot, according to the CRS.

 

Considerably more military personnel suffered “severe or penetrating brain injuries”— 7,224.  Another 23,319 men and women were diagnosed with “moderate” brain injuries.

 

When “mild” and “not classifiable” cases are factored in, nearly 288,000 total brain injury cases were reported among all military personnel deployed and not deployed.

 

Then there are the post-traumatic stress disorder cases. The military and the Department of Veterans Affairs are currently trying to help 118,829 individuals who made it back with this mental disorder.

 

The CRS report also provided a demographic breakdown of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan (so far).

 

The Iraq campaign resulted in 4,476 American deaths. Female personnel accounted for 110 of the fatalities; the rest were men.

 

The vast majority of Iraq war deaths were Caucasian (3,697), followed by 444 blacks,

230 Hispanics, and 78 Asians.

 

In Afghanistan, there have been 2,299 military deaths as of January 6, of whom 49 were female. The ethnic composition is as follows: 1,953 whites, 188 blacks, 92 Hispanics, 63 Asians, and others.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

To Learn More:

A Guide to U.S. Military Casualty Statistics: Operation New Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom (by Hannah Fischer, Congressional Research Service) (pdf)

Obama Afghanistan Deaths Top Those of Bush (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

139 Female Soldiers Have Died in Iraq and Afghanistan (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Number of Americans Wounded in Iraq is Obscured by Fog of War…and Peace (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Comments

Carmella Foster 9 years ago
As much as people complain about the injuries and death toll, and let me tell you there is a lot of that. It humbles me to know that there are true American Patriots whom write a blank check to the cause of freedom, up to and including their lives. I am grateful to the families of the warriors sent out to defend our great land, despite how the current leadership is not worth the toilet paper we wipe our butts with. These men and women remind me of one great eternal truth. Freedom, any freedom is a blessing and a gift paid for by the lives and blood spill by these great souls. Man can not be free unless it is given to them by another, even as we in our eternal lives have Jesus Christ to thank for our freedom to choose to return to the Father of our souls, so too are they who are in our military. It is however, our job afterwards to take proper care of these warriors, and in that I am ashamed to say our nation is failing them. But to answer the question, 'All of this misery and death for what?' It is so you have the freedom to ask that question, and complain about the after effects, to have the freedom to vote and have equality. To not have a life where you are not dictated to on every account. The point is to keep our enemies afraid of us, so our fellow American citizens are safe. That is the point, and another point is that we should take better care of our Veterans.
jaleel shakir 10 years ago
ALL OF THIS MISERY AND DEATH FOR WHAT!

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