Soldiers' war wounds run deep (12/9/04)

Soldiers' war wounds run deep

Fewer soldiers dying, but more are severely hurt
By Marilynn Marchione, Associated Press

For every American soldier killed in Iraq, nine others have been wounded and survived -- the highest rate of any war in U.S. history.
It isn't that their injuries were less serious, a new report says. In fact, some young soldiers and Marines have had faces, arms and legs blown off and are now returning home badly maimed. But they have survived thanks, in part, to armor-like vests and fast treatment from doctors on the move with surgical kits in backpacks.

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On the Net:

New England Journal: www.nejm.org

Defense Department: http://www.defenselink.mil

Directorate for Information Operations and Reports:

http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/casualty/castop.htm

and http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/casualty/WCPRINCIPAL.pdf