THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR:

Abstract

This chapter provides a thumbnail sketch of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The first section describes the composition of the U.S. forces by demographic components and organizational affiliations in the Active and Reserve Components. The second section places the conflicts in perspective, comparing them with other wars the United States has fought. The third section shows the history of troop deployments in the war on terrorism and arrays those deployments against significant events that have occurred in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The third section also discusses the casualties for ground forces sustained in Iraq— those killed in action (KIA) and wounded in action (WIA)—that is, the predominantly Active and Reserve forces of the Army and the Marine Corps. It also shows the numbers who have died as a result of improvised explosive devices. The fourth section provides a brief overview of the health care systems that serve the OEF/OIF veterans.