An overview of the most dangerous occupations in the US military
At any particular moment, any job in the military might be described as the most dangerous. Whether on a military base in the United States or involved in urban combat in another country where the enemy hides among civilians, the possibility of death is ever present.
The website icasualties.org offers some insight, and the findings are both disturbing and unexpected. Looking at the first 50 names of those who died, almost half of the deaths fall into the category “non-hostile.” While some of these non-hostile deaths are attributed to vehicle accidents and helicopter crashes, others are simply noted as “non-hostile.”
The Defense Department figures seem to go along with the information presented by icasualties.org. The Defense Department website reports, as of May 28, 2010, that of the 4,404 deaths incurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom, 918 were “non-hostile.”
Not surprisingly, the Army, including the Army National Guard and Reserves, sustained 73.2 percent of the combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Rod Powers in“The Cost of War”.
Certainly some jobs in the Army present greater risk of injury and death than others. Those involved with transporting weapons, ammunition, fuel and guarding convoys are exposed to multiple dangers. Because of the ever-present danger of Improvised Explosive Devices, those involved in transportation face exceptional risks and casualties.
But one specific job does seem to be the most dangerous.
With the motto “initial success or total failure” those involved in explosive ordnance disposal top the list. When U. S. Air Force Master Sgt. Neil Jones explains his job, it’s easy to see why. Writing on thedodlive.milwebsite he gives the details, saying,
There is no margin for error for those engaged in the disposal of explosives.
For women, one of the most dangerous jobs is being an MP, according to answers.com. For those women who are engaged in combat, bomb disposal ranks as one of the most dangerous.
While American military women are not allowed in defined combat, the nature of the war often blurs that designation. Death among female soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly doubled over the numbers from earlier wars. In both theaters, women now drive Humvees, escort military police, and pilot helicopters and planes on the battlefield, according to a Judy Woodruff interview on the News Hour (July 5, 2007).
Certainly, the very nature of the work combined with the activity and training associated with military jobs, makes for greater danger. The biggest surprise comes from finding just how many of the deaths and injuries that do occur are not related to combat. Fatigue is often a cause for accidents. The stress of combat takes its toll as well, frequently manifesting itself in emotional problems along with physical ailments. Finally, the nature of these wars makes most jobs much more dangerous than previous wars and conflicts.
