Afghan Death Toll at 13 Years

As of Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at least 2,207 members of the United States military had died as as a result of a deployment to Afghanistan (count by Associated Press). 1,826 of those deaths were the result of hostile action. Over 20,000 were wounded in Afghanistan; some very seriously with life-long injuries. See "US Military Deaths in Afghanistan at 2,207", ABC News, October 7, 2014.

Human Cost Afghan War for UK

The United Kingdom has lost 453 military members in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are many more who have been wounded and are still recovering from severe physical injuries. And, of course, there are those with the burden of mental scars not readily observed or recognized. Between 2001 and 2014 over 220,000 individuals deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan; some with multiple tours. Read more in "Iraq and Afghanistan: Human cost of war for British servicemen and women", BBC News UK, September 21, 2014.

Study - Some Wounded Could Have Survived Afghanistan

A team of medical professionals in Washington spent six months reviewing the autopsies of thousands of casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan and determined that some died from survivable wounds. Read more in "Are U.S. Soldiers Dying from Survivable Wounds?", The Wall Street Journal, September 19, 2104.

U.S. Casualties Named

The Department of Defense announced the names of the two Americans killed in a recent SBVIED attack near Massoud Circle in Kabul on September 16, 2014. MAJ Michael J. Donahue, 41, of Columbus, Ohio was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Stephen Byus, 39, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was a member of the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio. He was working as a supply specialist and assigned to Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan while deployed. In addition, a Polish NCO was killed in the attack. Read the DoD news release.

Three NATO Troops Killed in Kabul Bombing

Three coalition Soldiers died after a Taliban suicide vehicle rammed into a military convoy in Kabul on Tuesday morning. Read the ISAF news release on this event. A number of Afghan civilians were injured in the attack. The incident took place on the airport road close to Massoud Cirlce at a location near the U.S. embassy and the Afghan Supreme Court. The U.S. embassy sounded its 'duck and cover' alarm and the Taliban have claimed credit for the attack. Some news reports (BBC, New York Times, CNN) are providing initial reports on the bombing. According to icasualties.org one of the victims was from Poland.

Two Massachusetts Families Lose Their Marines in Final Days of the War in Afghanistan

Two Marines from Massachusetts will be remembered as casualties at the waning end of a long war. Read "In Afghan wars twilight, two farewells in Mass", The Boston Globe, February 17, 2014.

Mortuary Affairs at Bagram: A Quick Glimpse of the Job

Mortuary Affairs is not a job for everyone. However it is one that has to be done and it is important to friends and family of the deceased that it be done correctly. Read about one of the toughest jobs in the Army in "Death shapes life for teams that prepare bodies of fallen troops for final flight home", Stars and Stripes, February 17, 2014.

Afghan Security Force Members Turning on Westerners

In recent years there have been numerous instances of individual members of the Afghan security forces turning on members of coalition military members.  The most recent event was the killing of four French military members in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan in January 2012.  The New York Times has a recent news article that explores this phenomenon.  See "Afghanistan's Soldiers Step Up Killings of Allied Forces", The New York Times, January 20, 2012.

Casualties in Afghan War Drop in 2011

American casualties in the Afghanistan War dropped in 2011 as compared to 2010.  In 2010 there were 499 total deaths - in 2011 there were 415 total deaths.  Since the invasion of Afghanistan the 2009-2011 time frame has been the most costly in terms of U.S. deaths in Afghanistan. The below data is taken from "Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians", By Susan G. Chesser, Congressional Research Service, January 18, 2012.  This CRS report can be found on the website of the Federation of American of Scientists (FAS) at this link.

Year                     Deaths
2001                        11
2002                        49
2003                        45
2004                        52
2005                        98
2006                        98
2007                      117
2008                      155
2009                      311
2010                      499
2011                      415

Casualty Data on Afghanistan War by Congressional Research Service (Oct 28, 2010)

The Department of Defense and other entities tracks casualty data from the Afghanistan War.  Read a recent report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).  See "Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians", CRS, October 28, 2010.

Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan

"More private contractors than soldiers were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent months, the first time in history that corporate casualties have outweighed military losses on America’s battlefields.  More than 250 civilians working under U.S. contracts died in the war zones between January and June 2010, according to a ProPublica analysis of the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Labor, which tracks contractor deaths. In the same period, 235 soldiers died, according to Pentagon figures."

Read more in "This Year, Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Ones in Iraq and Afghanistan", ProPublica, September 23, 2010.