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Analyzed were all deaths among active duty military, including
activated members of the reserve components, between 1 August 1990 and
31 July 1991 reported to the DoD Worldwide Casualty System. Worldwide
there were 1769 deaths among active duty military. 372 deaths occurred
among servicemembers in the Gulf region. 147 occurred as the direct result
of combat, 194 resulted from injuries not incurred in battle, and 30 resulted
from illness. Of the 30 illness deaths, none was from cancer, 1 was from
infectious disease, 2 were from cardiovascular causes, 21were initially
described as unexpected/undefined, and 6 others died from miscellaneous
causes. Of the 21unexpected deaths, autopsies were performed on 18 of
the deceased. Findings at autopsy were: 13 had serious heart disease;
1 had pulmonary embolism from venous thrombosis in the leg; 1 died of
ethanol toxicity and aspiration pneumonia; 1 from unintentional drug overdose;
1from gangrene of the bowel due to mesenteric volvulus; and, 1from a ruptured
cerebral aneurysm. There was no excess risk for unexpected /undefined
death among the deployed. Deaths from unintentional injury among the deployed
exceeded the number expected based upon rates that obtained for the non-
deployed. Limitations of this study: The databases used are not intended
for use in medical research; the accuracy of the personnel data to determine
who deployed had not been validated; there was some imprecision in the
dates of deployment for many of the servicemembers. |
