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zimv20
Jun 29, 2005, 07:18 AM
Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 13,190 U.S. servicemembers have been wounded, according to a Defense Department tally released Tuesday [June 28]. link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5105053,00.html)

so we've got about 13k iraq wounded. let's assume about a third are from this year, so call it 4k.

can we be so bold to assume half as many were wounded in afghanistan this year? probably not, but let's. so we're up to 6k. and add a few more from other oversea assignments, and soldiers injured at home. for safety's sake, shall we double it? 12k.

what about ex-soldiers, from any war, developing maladies? shall we double it again?

estimate: 24,000 new military wounded this year.

how does that match up w/ the number of vets who're enrolling for health care benefits this year alone from Veteran Affairs? link (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/28/AR2005062800545.html)

The revised projection of 103,000 new enrollees this year includes some of the 13,700 veterans wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as others who served overseas seeking medical care.
not even if _all_ those 13,700 wounded were applying this year does that 103k number make any sense to me. what am i missing? can it truly be the case that the number wounded in iraq and afghanistan makes up only some 13% (or less) of the newly wounded?

from where do all these newly wounded come?



wordmunger
Jun 29, 2005, 08:10 AM
link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5105053,00.html)

not even if _all_ those 13,700 wounded were applying this year does that 103k number make any sense to me. what am i missing? can it truly be the case that the number wounded in iraq and afghanistan makes up only some 13% (or less) of the newly wounded?

from where do all these newly wounded come?

Aren't they just regular veterans applying for their VA health benefits? Not necessarily wounded, just a WWII/Vietnam/Korea/Gulf War 1 vet who developed an illness, not necessarily even related to combat.

miloblithe
Jun 29, 2005, 10:30 AM
I would think that there are people who fall into the category of wounded but still fighting. They have to wait until they get home to sign up for treatment of some nagging problem that isn't serious enough to take them off the front line.