Implications for Modeling Casualty Sustainment During Peacekeeping Operations
Abstract
Data detailing fatalities incurred in previous peacekeeping operations and unit strengths of those operations were extracted from several United Nations sources. From these data, rates of killed-in-action (KIA) were computed for the deployed forces. National and international news accounts of 188 peacekeeping incidents in which casualties were sustained were then extracted using the WestNews service. The ratios of wounded-in-action (WIA) to KIA were computed, and WIA casualty rates were then derived. Casualty data were further analyzed by geographical theater, weapon of attack, severity of wounds, and temporal lag between casualty incidents. The mean KIA rate across UN operations in regions of potential US involvement was 0.709 per 1,000 strength per year. The estimated mean WIA rate for these operations was 3.16 per 1,000 strength per year; the estimated WIA rate for individual operations ranged from 0.49 to 12.50. There were an average of 3.8 wounded and 0.86 killed in the 188 casualty incidents examined. Thirty-eight percent of the wounds were described as serious. The baseline casualty rates of this investigation can be used to provide a basis for projecting casualties expected in future peacekeeping operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA400155
Entities
People
- C. G. Blood
- Gregory J. Walker
- Jinlun Zhang
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center