The secrets to our success

02.23.2005

Courtesy Story

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By Spc. Curt Cashour Coalition Forces Land Component Command Public Affairs Office Securing the freedom for millions of Iraqis is a tough job. But Americans in Iraq have it easy compared to servicemembers from past U.S. conflicts. As of Feb. 16, nearly two years into Operation Iraqi Freedom, the U.S. death toll for the operation stood at 1,464, according to the Department of Defense. While each death was undoubtedly a tragedy for the families and friends of those killed, the number is dwarfed by the deaths resulting from previous U.S. conflicts. In Vietnam, for example, the U.S. lost an average of 18 troops per day, according to military historian Albert Nofi, who was cited in an April 20, 2003 article in USA Today. That's nearly nine times the daily death rate for U.S. troops in OIF. In World War II, the disparity was even greater, with a rate of 221 combat deaths per day. The reason for the decrease in casualties: the U.S. military has made strides in several key areas crucial to success on the battlefield, including medical support, communications and safety equipment and procedures. The concept of having medical professionals on the battlefield arose during the Civil War. With each successive conflict, it's become increasingly clear that the quickest way to breed replacements for troops wounded or killed in action is to nurse injured servicemembers back to health so they may rejoin their units in the field, said Col. Eldon Bell, a physician and surgeon with the Coalition Forces Land Component Command Surgeons Office at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. In the Korean War, medical officials learned that the quick transport of wounded troops from the front lines to medical care facilities improved the survival rates of those hurt in action. This led the military to assign quick-transport assets such as helicopters to medical units, Bell said. The approach was honed during the Vietnam War and continues today. By integrating improvements in medical technology, rapid transport techniques and modern communication, the military continues to increase its ability to save lives on the battlefield. "Now, even a small operation that takes place in Afghanistan or in Iraq, has an immediate medical asset usually within 20 to 30 minutes from the time someone is injured," Bell said. The use of body armor is another way the military keeps its troops safe. While various forms of body armor have been around for centuries, the U.S. military didn't develop a practical armor system until World War II, when flight crews and ground troops wore vests designed to lessen the impact of projectiles and shrapnel. The technology has evolved over the years and now comes in the form of Interceptor Body Armor, which guards against shrapnel and 9 mm pistol rounds on its own, and 7.62 mm rifle ammunition when outfitted with Small Arms Protective Inserts. The body armor is just one component in a collection of equipment helping protect today's servicemembers, Bell said. "We're seeing less injuries because of the armored trucks, and because of the protective goggles and the bulletproof glass," he added. Sgt. Sefo Fanene has first-hand knowledge of how armor can help save lives. During a convoy in Iraq with his National Guard unit, the 1836th Transportation Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, the 27-year-old's Level 3 armor-equipped Heavy Equipment Transporter was caught in the blast of an improvised explosive device. The explosion put the HET out of commission, but Fanene received only a mild concussion, he said. Fanene didn't even realize how powerful the blast was until he inspected the truck's exterior. "Man, I lived through that," he said to himself. In many of history's conflicts, protecting troops from enemy attacks was only half the battle. In World War II, for example, more than 50 percent of combat losses resulted from accidents, and the same holds true for Vietnam. In OIF, less than 30 percent of combat losses are attributed to accidents, according to the Army Combat Readiness Center. Officials with the CFLCC Safety Office at Camp Arifjan attribute the decrease in accidental deaths to an increased emphasis on safety within the military. Originally, military safety policies and procedures were mainly for aviation career fields. Now safety practices permeate the military in both garrison and field environments, said Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hakanson, an aviation safety officer for the safety office. "Every unit from company [level] up has a person serving in a safety role, and nearly every battalion-level function has a full-time safety officer," said Lt. Col. Louis Sulem, director of safety for the office. Perhaps the most important factor affecting casualties on both sides is the nature of the enemy the U.S. faces in Iraq. Insurgents there tend to favor remote-detonated IEDs and suicide bombings over direct assaults on U.S. forces. The tactics make it hard for troops in Iraq to identify the enemy, according to members of the 227th Transportation Company, a Reserve Unit from Albemarle, N.C. Deployed to Camp Navistar, Kuwait, the unit has been attacked in some fashion on approximately 40 of its 140 trips into Iraq, said Capt. Jeff Schneider, 227th commander. "It's a good feeling when they stand up and fight us. If 10 of them are gonna decide to stand up and fight us, I can tell you 10 of them are gonna die," Schneider said.Related Photo:[url]http://www.dvidshub.net/img_archives/index.php?screen=view&id=5089[/url]

• Date Taken: 02.23.2005
• Date Posted: 02.23.2005 10:14
• Story ID: 1185