Update: Cold weather injuries, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012-June 2017

From July 2016 through June 2017, a total of 387 members of the active (n=328) and reserve (n=59) components had at least one medical encounter with a primary diagnosis of cold injury. Among active component service members, the total number of cold injuries in the 2016-2017 cold season was the lowest since 1999 and the overall incidence rate was lower than in any of the previous four cold seasons. Frostbite was the most common type of cold injury. During the five cold seasons in the surveillance period (2012-2017), rates tended to be higher among service members who were in the youngest age groups, female, non-Hispanic black, or in the Army. The numbers of cold injuries associated with overseas deployments have fallen precipitously in the past three cold seasons and included just 10 cases in the most recent year.