Medical evacuations from Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed...

From October 7, 2001 to 31 December 2012, over 20,000 service members were medically evacuated from the Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) theater of combat operations to a medical treatment facility outside of theater. During the period the number, rates, and underlying causes of medical evacuations sharply varied in relation to the natures of ongoing military operations. During every month of the period, medical evacuations for disease and non-battle injuries exceeded those for battle-related injuries. The majority of evacuations (88.7%) occurred among males; however, the rate of medical evacuations was 22 percent higher among females. The major causes of medical evacuations differed among male and female deployers; however, rates of battle injuries and mental health disorders increased in both sexes during the period. Rates of medical evacuations were highest among white, non-Hispanics, soldiers, and in service members in the reserve component, junior enlisted, and in combat-specific occupations. Most service members were discharged back to duty after medical evacuation. The findings enforce the need to tailor force health protection policies and practices to the characteristics of the deployed force and the nature of the military operation.