WTF???-20% of soldiers that die in Iraq are not combat related???

Who Will Probe 'Noncombat' Deaths in Iraq?
About 20% of the U.S. deaths in Iraq are officially labeled "noncombat," and that number has been surging. This includes accidents, friendly fire and well over 120 suicides. But the government, and the media, seem reluctant to expose the tragedy, argues vets leader Paul Rieckhoff.

By Greg Mitchell

NEW YORK (November 06, 2007) -- Pretty much alone in the media, E&P for weeks had been charting a troubling increase in non-combat deaths among U.S. troops in Iraq. So it came as no surprise recently when the Pentagon announced that it would probe the perplexing trend. Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, operations director of the Joint Staff, said commanders in Iraq were concerned enough about the spike in non-combat deaths -- from accidents, illness, friendly-fire or suicide -- that it had asked for an assessment by an Army team.

According to Pentagon figures, 29 soldiers lost their lives in August for non-hostile reasons, and another 23 died of non-combat causes in September. Compare that with the average for the first seven months of this year: fewer than nine per month. The spike has coincided with extended 15-month deployments, one senior military official said.

The military officially counts about 20% of the nearly 3900 U.S. fatalities in Iraq as "noncombat." It has officially confirmed 128 suicides in Iraq since 2003, with many others under investigation (and still more taking place on the return home).

more at:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003668890

Non-Combat means less $$ to the families, doesn't it? :shrug:

:grr:

war on behalf of the U.S. is unfortunate enough to die in some way other than combat his family is paid less? What an atrocity!

Death Gratuity

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/casualty/blgratuity.htm

A lump sum gratuitous payment made by the Air Force to eligible beneficiaries of a member who dies
on AD, ADT, or IDT, or full-time National Guard duty. Its purpose is to help the survivors in their
readjustment and to aid them in meeting immediate expenses incurred.

The death gratuity payment is $12,420, and is non-taxable.

For those whose death is as a result of hostile actions and occurred in a designated combat operation
or combat zone or while training for combat or performing hazardous duty, the payment is $100,000.

The death gratuity payment is made to survivors of the deceased in this order:

...her close friend's brother was killed in Iraq in a jeep "accident" two years ago, and his death was classified non-combat related, with less benefits to the family as a result.

:grr:

They've been running this war "on the cheap" ONLY where our servicepeople are concerned; before, during, and especially after; everyone else involved is making a bundle!

:banghead:

This HAS to stop!!

IMPEACH NOW!

personally I don't care if the guy slipped in the shower and died because he broke his neck -- or if he DID commit suicide. It's GOT to be combat related if it's in a war zone. The whole point of these nitpicky distinctions - which is far from new BTW - is to rip off the family of the dearly departed.

Is there a source - I'd love to be able to counter the "war is working" "casualties minimum" folks on another board with the information.

thanks

then they are not even included in the total. However, non-combat deaths are included in the official total.


This website shows they do show non-combat deaths: http://icasualties.org/oif/prdDetails.aspx?hndRef=11-2007

The reason there is "Friendly Fire" going on is because they are in Combat. Sometimes mistakes are made and some of that fire goes astray but that doesn't mean that they weren't engaged in Combat. This is just a way of getting out of paying the Combat Death benefit which I believe has been raised to over a hundred thousand dollars..

if they give it away to American families?

Remember, they own the hive and they want as much of the honey as they can get. Damn the drones!