Table 1.
Categoriesa and Causesb of Death Among U.S. Army Active Duty Soldiersc,2014–2019 (n=2,530)d
| Year of Death, n (%) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2014-2019 | |
| (n=434) | (n=415) | (n=385) | (n=431) | (n=427) | (n=419) | (n=2,511) | |
| Combat | 31 (7) | 31 (1) | 12 (3) | 20 (5) | 14 (3) | 16 (4) | 96 (4) |
| Accidente | 136 (31) | 137 (33) | 123 (32) | 154 (36) | 128 (30) | 136 (32) | 814 (32) |
| Motor vehicle | 76 (56) | 71 (52) | 70 (57) | 77 (50) | 66 (52) | 71 (52) | 431 (53) |
| Motorcycle | 15 (11) | 13 (10) | 12 (10) | 10 (7) | 11 (9) | 2 (1) | 63 (8) |
| Air, space, other transportationf | 9 (7) | 12 (9) | 3 (2) | 10 (7) | 7 (5) | 6 (4) | 47 (6) |
| Drug/alcohol overdoseg | 16 (12) | 21 (15) | 18 (15) | 31 (20) | 24 (19) | 11 (8) | 121 (15) |
| Drowningh | 6 (4) | 7 (5) | 9 (7) | 9 (6) | 5 (4) | 12 (9) | 48 (6) |
| Falli | 5 (4) | 5 (4) | 2 (2) | 3 (2) | 3 (2) | 5 (4) | 23 (3) |
| Otherj | 6 (4) | 5 (4) | 9 (7) | 11 (7) | 8 (6) | 10 (7) | 49 (6) |
| Unknownk | 3 (2) | 3 (2) | 0 | 3 (2) | 4 (3) | 19 (14) | 32 (4) |
| Naturall | 104 (24) | 109 (26) | 85 (22) | 84 (20) | 84 (20) | 68 (16) | 534 (21) |
| Neoplasm | 56 (54) | 58 (53) | 48 (57) | 38 (45) | 34 (40) | 29 (43) | 263 (49) |
| Circulatory system | 30 (29) | 36 (33) | 19 (22) | 23 (27) | 30 (36) | 7 (10) | 145 (27) |
| Otherm | 17 (16) | 11 (10) | 12 (14) | 11 (13) | 11 (13) | 8 (12) | 70 (13) |
| Unknownk | 1 (1) | 4 (4) | 6 (7) | 12 (15) | 9 (11) | 24 (35) | 56 (11) |
| Suiciden | 140 (32) | 144 (35) | 144 (37) | 139 (32) | 165 (39) | 151 (36) | 883 (35) |
| Gunshot wound | 99 (71) | 92 (64) | 99 (69) | 95 (68) | 103 (62) | 87 (58) | 575 (65) |
| Hanging/asphyxiation | 28 (20) | 38 (26) | 34 (24) | 36 (26) | 44 (27) | 48 (32) | 228 (26) |
| Drug/alcohol overdoseg | 7 (5) | 8 (6) | 5 (4) | 6 (4) | 6 (4) | 1 (1) | 33 (4) |
| Othero | 5 (4) | 5 (3) | 3 (2) | 2 (1) | 7 (4) | 3 (2) | 25 (3) |
| Unknownk | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 3 (2) | 0 | 5 (3) | 12 (8) | 22 (2) |
| Homicide | 17 (4) | 14 (3) | 16 (4) | 17 (4) | 17 (4) | 13 (3) | 94 (4) |
| Gunshot wound | 11 (65) | 12 (86) | 9 (56) | 16 (94) | 15 (88) | 11 (85) | 74 (79) |
| Sharp object | 3 (18) | 2 (14) | 4 (25) | 0 | 1 (6) | 2 (15) | 12 (13) |
| Legal interventionp | 2 (12) | 0 | 1 (6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (3) |
| Otherq | 0 | 0 | 1 (6) | 1 (6) | 1 (6) | 0 | 3 (3) |
| Unknownk | 1 (6) | 0 | 1 (6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (2) |
| Undeterminedr | 5 (1) | 8 (2) | 5 (1) | 15 (3) | 5 (1) | 3 (1) | 41 (2) |
| Pendings | 1 (<1) | 0 | 0 | 2 (<1) | 14 (3) | 32 (8) | 49 (2) |
Abbreviation: n, number.
aCategory of death was obtained from the Defense Casualty Information Processing System or the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System.
bUnderlying cause of death was obtained from the Suicide Data Repository (SDR), maintained by the DOD and Veterans Affairs.
cIncludes Army active component, activated National Guard, and activated Reserve soldiers. Due to rounding, some percentages may add up to more than 100.
dTotal includes all 19 deaths with missing category or cause information.
eExcludes 8 deaths that were missing cause of death information.
fOther transportation includes rail, water transport, and all other transportation.
gDrug/alcohol overdose includes poisonings from other solids and liquids, including medications.
hIncludes accidental drowning in any body of water.
iIncludes falls from high places, ladders, and any other type of fall.
jIncludes explosions, pending, and all other accidental deaths.
kIncludes any deaths that have no known cause of death or are classified as unknown.
lExcludes 5 deaths missing cause of death information.
mIncludes diseases related to nervous system, respiratory system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, mental and behavioral disorders, congenital malformations, blood, endocrine, skin, pregnancy, infections, surgical complications, and all other natural conditions.
nExcludes 3 deaths missing cause of death information.
oIncludes carbon monoxide and other gas/vapor poisonings, jumping from a high place, and all other means.
pLegal intervention includes legal execution and deaths by police or other law enforcement agents.
qIncludes strangulation, blunt object, bodily force, and all other means.
rExcludes 2 deaths missing cause of death information.
sExcludes 1 death missing cause of death information.