With more older troops on battlefield, Army sees rise in noncombat ailment

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27713

<snip>

To doctors at Landstuhl, Wolfe represents a new reality for the U.S. military. As reservists and National Guardsmen are called to duty in unprecedented numbers, they are bringing new medical challenges with them.

Part-time soldiers now make up about 40 percent of the 150,000 troops in Iraq, a Pentagon spokesman said. Overall, more than 184,000 reservists in all services are deployed worldwide, according to the Army National Guard Web site.

And because these troops tend to be older, military doctors find themselves dealing more with illnesses and injuries common in older patients.

The average age of reservists in all services is 33, according to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. A quarter of all reservists are over age 40.

At Landstuhl, where most soldiers injured downrange go for medical treatment, more troops arrive with noncombat injuries than fighting wounds. Eight out of 10 soldiers airlifted from battle zones since the beginning of the war in Iraq were treated for noncombat injuries, according to the reserve affairs office.

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. “We’ve never gone to war with guys as old as this before,” - scary!

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The "SuperPower"

running out of healthy bodies

hmmmmmm :freak:

From the posted Article:

“We’ve never gone to war with guys as old as this before,” he said.

In 2004 alone, Landstuhl physicians treated 559 soldiers who suffered from heart disease or experienced chest pain downrange, according to hospital statistics. That’s an average of almost 11 heart patients a week.

By comparison, the hospital treated an average of 24 patients a week for all types of war wounds combined last year, according to hospital statistics.

While most heart patients are over age 40, like Wolfe, Modlin said doctors have seen clogged arteries in reservists in their 30s.
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So what's the problem with recruitment anyhoo?

Didn't tens of millions vote this warmonger back in?? :shrug:

[98geoduck]

2. Time to draft those young republicans!

[bluestateboomer]

3. The replacement for Social Security

Putting us "Old Farts" back into combat. If you're not shot you'll probably keel over at any time.:)