- Expected US Casualties From War
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- A Commentary by Dr. Doug Rokke
- Former US Army's DU team health physicist
- Former US Army's DU Project Director
- 10-14-2
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- The upcoming battle Gulf War II will result in
casualties that include:
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- * killed in action
- * wounded in action
- * killed in accidents
- * and additional casualties that do not show up
until after the completion of hostilities.
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- During the Gulf War between 1990 and 1991 the United
States military incurred: 467 individuals
wounded in action, 148 killed in battle, and 145 killed in other than
battle (i.e. accidents). Therefore, the total number of
US Gulf War casualties was 760 at the time of redeployment.
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- The United States Department of Veterans Affairs'
Veterans Benefit Administration Office of Performance Analysis and
Integrity Data and Information Services Gulf War Veterans Information
System report that was just published (May 2002) states that
as of May 2002: 696,778 individuals had
served during the Gulf War with 572,833 individuals now eligible for
Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to include lifetime medical
care, financial compensation, and a lifetime pension.
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- The difference of 123,945 individuals includes
Desert Storm veterans who are still on active duty, who already received
a disability rating directly from the military, and those who are
ineligible for benefits for various reasons.
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- As of May 2002, 206,861
veterans had filed claims for benefits based on service-connected
injuries and illnesses caused by Gulf War combat related duties.
Department of Veterans Affairs officials have processed 183,249 claims
for medical care, compensation, and pension, determining that for
159,238 veterans their injuries and illnesses are service connected,
caused by Gulf War exposures and injuries. Consequently they have been
awarded lifetime medical care, compensation, and pensions based on the
extent of their medical problems.
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- The VA still has claims from 23,612 individuals
pending while they have denied benefits to 24,011 veterans.
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- SINCE THE CESSATION OF GULF
WAR HOSTILITIES IN 1991; AN ADDITIONAL 8013 VETERANS HAVE DIED FROM
SERVICE CONNECTED INJURIES AND EXPOSURES INCURRED DURING OPERATION
DESERT SHIELD AND OPERATION DESERT STORM.
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- The implications of this official report are
staggering! As of May 2002, the Gulf War
casualties include 8306 veterans dead and 159705 veterans injured or ill
as a consequence of wartime service to our nation. The official May 2002
Department of Veteran Affairs report classifies 168011 individuals as
"disabled veterans". That reflects a staggering casualty rate of 29.3%
for combat related duties between 1990 and 1991.
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- We still know that many sick veterans have not
submitted claims. We also know that some veterans have received
disability benefits directly from the military. Thus the actual casualty
rate from combat during 1990-1991 is probably higher than the 29.3% rate
the new VA report verifies. However, combat activities did not stop in
1991. Therefore, since August 1991 a cumulative total of 1,127,458
individuals have been deployed to the Gulf with 851480 veterans now
eligible for veterans benefits.
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- Consequently the VA officially recognizes in the May
2002 report that a total of 262,586 individuals are "disabled veterans"
due to duty in the Gulf and that 10,617 veterans have died of combat
related injuries or illnesses since the initiation of the Gulf War
during August 1990. That gives us a verified casualty rate of 30.8%. If
we are to initiate Gulf War II we had better be ready for the possible
casualties.
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- GIVEN THAT: (a) OUR MEDICAL SUPPORT SYSTEM IS
INEFFECTIVE, (b) OUR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT TO DEFEND AGAINST POSSIBLE USE OF WEAPONS OF MASS
- DESTRUCTION ARE DEFECTIVE, (c) COMBAT READINESS IS
QUESTIONABLE, AND (d) A VERIFIED IRAQI THREAT HAS
NOT BEEN PROVEN; THE CITIZENS AND LEADERS OF OUR
- NATION WOULD BE CRAZY TO AUTHORIZE A PREEMPTIVE
ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ.
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