Medical evacuations, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, 2013-2015

From 1 January 2013 through 31 December 2015, a total of 3,912 medical evacuations of service members from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility were followed by at least one medical encounter in a fixed medical facility outside the operational theater. Overall, there were more medical evacuations for mental disorders than for any other category of illnesses or injuries. Among all service members, annual rates of medical evacuations attributable to battle injuries decreased from 3.4 per 1,000 deployed personyears (dp-yrs) in 2013 to a low of 0.7 per 1,000 dp-yrs in 2015. Annual rates of medical evacuations attributable to non-battle injuries and illnesses were relatively stable during 2013-2014 but decreased by 43.1% in 2015. The overall rate of medical evacuations was higher among females than males. Overall medical evacuation rates were highest among black, non-Hispanic and white, non-Hispanic service members and lowest among service members of "other" or unknown race/ethnicity. Compared to their respective counterparts, rates of evacuation were higher among deployers aged 40 years or older, in the Army or Marine Corps, in the reserve component, enlisted (junior or senior), and in armor/motor transport or combat-specific occupations. The majority of service members who were evacuated were returned to normal duty status following their post-evacuation hospitalizations or outpatient encounters.