Mortality rates among U.S. service members, 2010-2020

Area of Science:

• Military medicine
• Public health surveillance
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The U.S. Department of Defense monitors mortality trends among service members.
• Previous reports have detailed mortality data for active, National Guard, and reserve components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the numbers, rates, trends, and causes of death for U.S. military service members from 2010-2020.
• To identify specific subpopulations at higher risk for mortality.
• To inform targeted prevention efforts.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of mortality data for U.S. active component, National Guard, and reserve members.
• Comparison of mortality rates between different demographic and occupational groups.
• Comparison of military mortality rates with the general U.S. population.

Main Results:

• Overall mortality rates decreased from 2011-2014, coinciding with military drawdowns.
• Guard and reserve members, Army soldiers, males, non-Hispanic Whites, older individuals (55+), and those in combat roles had higher all-cause mortality rates.
• Suicide and self-inflicted injury was the leading cause of death for both men and women.
• Military members had lower all-cause mortality rates than the U.S. population, except for suicide/self-inflicted injury, which was higher.

Conclusions:

• Suicide and self-inflicted injury pose a significant risk to service members, necessitating continued emphasis on prevention programs.
• Surveillance data highlight specific high-risk subpopulations, enabling targeted interventions by the Department of Defense.
• Ongoing mortality surveillance is vital for identifying threats, evaluating interventions, and maintaining force health and readiness.