Casualty Wounding Patterns in Special Operations Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom

This report describes compiled data on wound patterns for casualties sustained by Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The intent of this report is to provide information to the SOF Medic on the types of combat-related wounds that are most common in the ongoing Iraq war. During the period evaluated, the extremities and the head were the most common wound sites. Extremity wounds were commonly associated with fractures. Most of the fatally-injured had head and/or neck wounds. The information in this report may be used by SOF Medics to focus training to better address the types of injuries that are commonly seen on the current battlefield and to plan operational and logistical aspects of combat trauma medicine.