Most war casualties white, report says

[thedrifter]

Most war casualties white, report says

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times

The majority of soldiers and Marines killed or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were young, white, enlisted personnel from active-duty units, according to a study released Friday by the federal Government Accountability Office.

The demographic study involved 1,841 service personnel who were killed and 12,658 who were wounded, as of May 28.

Whites, who constitute 67 percent of the active-duty and reserve forces, accounted for 71 percent of the fatalities. Blacks are 17 percent of the overall force and were 9 percent of the fatalities. Hispanics are 9 percent of the force and were 10 percent of the fatalities.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are 3 percent of the force and were 3 percent of the fatalities. American Indian/Alaskan Natives are 1 percent in each category. The race of the remaining fatalities was listed as "multiple or unknown."

For whites, the percentage of deaths was the lowest since the Defense Department began keeping such statistics. In Korea, 80 percent of fatalities were white, in Vietnam, 86 percent, and in the Persian Gulf War, 76 percent.

The statistical report was requested by Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.

Skelton and Rangel wanted the report to further discussion of the nation's all-volunteer approach to military service. Rangel has suggested the nation may need to return to a draft so that the burden of wartime military service is equally shared.

The report appears to support the contention that service in the military reserves is most attractive to young men living in low- or medium-income families in rural communities.

Of the 482 reservists who had died in Iraq and Afghanistan as of May 28, most were from low- or middle-income communities.

More than 80 percent were from rural and urban communities, whereas 18 percent were from the suburbs. The report warns that issues of ethnicity and socioeconomic status can be difficult to determine without strict definitions to ensure they are uniformly applied.

Ellie

[Joseph P Carey]

This has got to be the most ridiculous thing! Of Course most Soldiers and Marines that are killed or wounded are White! Demographically speaking, it is stupid to say otherwise!

The Democrats want the draft for political reasons, not for any other reason. They only want the draft to make a case to produce another Case-Church Amendment, and to create a problem where none exists. Should a Republican President be forced to sign into law a new Draft Law, it would give them one more nail to use against the Republicans in the next election!

Even in Vietnam, when the battle cry of the antiwar movement was that men were being drafted to be cannon fodder in the war, the truth of the matter was that only 40% of the troops sent to Vietnam were draftees, the rest (60%) were all volunteer enlistments.

They said the same thing of the troops in Vietnam that most were troops of color, and there was a disproportion of ethnic troops to White troops being killed. This was proven to not be the case as well, but it made good antiwar material at the time, when it was not backed up with facts, as most of their statements never are!

[hrscowboy]

Well i have no problem with the draft what so ever... as a matter of fact i think it should be a manditory 2 year service required from any and all United States Citizens.. other countries do it why should we not be one also.. You send some of these damn gang bangers it would change there attitude real quick..

[RLeon]

Originally posted by hrscowboy
Well i have no problem with the draft what so ever... as a matter of fact i think it should be a manditory 2 year service required from any and all United States Citizens.. other countries do it why should we not be one also.. You send some of these damn gang bangers it would change there attitude real quick..
I would have to respectfully disagree. I know there would still be a screening process but I can only believe that some standards would drop and the collective quality of the troops would also. Draftees will never be as dedicated as those who choose to serve, and military service is no guarantee to fixing up a gangbanger. Other countries may do it,but I bet there units aren't as effective as an all volounteer force. It's bad enough we got fellas in our fighting holes who "are only here for the college money" Imagine being next to a guy who "is only here cause he has to"...just a thought.

[Joseph P Carey]

HRS and Leon,

Actually, I think there should be a National Service of two years, but not necessarily Military, but along the lines of a military. There should be military structure, and general military bearing. There would be no 4-F. It would involve working the infrastructure of the nation, or emergencies. It should teach the basic mechanics that would involve modern vehicles, Carpentry, Computer data input, general administration, electrical work, Hospital nursing and phusician aid work, and other practical employment tasks. Should the conscript not wish to build the infrastructure, he, or she, would have the option to become part of the military for a three year tour.

In effect, it would bolster the military, and it would act as a national trade school, and general citizenry course of what is to be expected of them in their future employment as citizens of this nation.

Now, should they wish to go on to college, state college tuitions should be halved for those that qualify, and government loans should be made available to assist them who show promise in business ventures. Should the young people already be in college, upon graduation, two years should be set aside in national service, and the Pros would just have to wait for their Football, baseball, basketball recruits until their national service is completed.

[hrscowboy]

I would agree with that Cpl Carey.

[RLeon]

sounds good to me.

[EDNA TRIMBLE]

I ALSO THINK THAT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA.

[Nagalfar]

Yep I agree, if not military service, something along the lines of a national service doing community projects or what ever... too many freeloaders who spend whole lifetimes never doing anything for...

[artymarine]

Draft sounds great, but how in the hell are you going to hold a draft when you have young Marines that can't reenlist because they have a tattoo below their elbow?

[David Jameson]

That a problem HQMC created themselves.They seem to dream up new regs. in the name of standards.You can't re-up with a bad fit rep,a Marine who gets a DUI is not promotable(spelling),A poolee has to wait for the damn next war to get into the 03 field ect. The standards were high enough.Alot of this new stuff is just alot of chicken **** that is suppose to go out the window when gun fire starts.

[drumcorpssnare]

Can't speak for those other services, but I can guaran-freakin-tee you, that EVERY Marine casualty was not white, or brown, or red or yellow....but GREEN!!!

Ooorah!!:usmc:

[bootlace15]

let the other branches draft,leave the Corp Clean,we weed out the non hackers anyway

[booksbenji]

http://icasualties.org/oif/ETHNICITY.aspx


http://icasualties.org/oif/RadControls/Chart/Image.aspx?UseSession=true&ChartID=79d71054-4853-3093-980a-184794f33c22_chart_Ethnic1:RadChart1&imageFormat=Png&random=0.486720755922944


MAIN SOURCE: http://icasualties.org/oif/



:thumbdown

[booksbenji]

http://25thaviation.org/id275.htm#vietnam_war_casualties

Scroll down 2 Ethnic background and the difference.

[ggyoung]

Now wait just a min. here. most of the drafts I seen in Vietnam were damn good Marines. Some even made the Marines a correar. Hears another one for people to think about. In bootcamp my plt. had 3 people brought in by the S.D. county sheriff in handcuffs. I know a lot of Marines who had the option of jall or the Marines. They chose the Marines. Most of them were OUTSTANDING MARINES. They found a home in the Marines and made the most of it. Rememder WW2 when the japs said that "the Marines were nothing but murrders, rapests, and all kinds of bad people" Some times I think that still might be a good idea.

[bootlace15]

GGYOUNG,

Semper Fi, I stand corrected!!!!!!!!! I sometimes don't have all the other facts before I shoot myself in the foot. Bravo you are right,somebody gotta kill those bastar*s......................:evilgrin: