I remember my dad reading the Air Force Times several years ago when the war in Iraq was only a couple years along... he threw the magazine down & exclaimed "they've lied to us!" He'd just read the real numbers of dead servicemen from the Iraq war, now multiply that several years. Only those who actually died "with their boots on in combat" are considered a casualty. If someone dies in transit or later from injuries sustained from the war, that doesn't count for their numbers. Lots of deception.
http://www.viewzone.com/wardeaths.html
http://www.viewzone2.com/gulfwar.deaths.pdf
Nor does it include the suicides which have plagued both current and separated veterans. Lost a good 1SG a few months ago when he sadly took his life after being retired for about a year.
Spence, that is right. I worked for the VA for 21 yrs. The last 7 yrs have been in ER. We had suicidal Vets coming in everyday - just couldn't deal w/PTSD,etc.
War takes a terrible toll on our young men & women, families, society... and now the authorities lie about it so people don't realize how very devastating it really is.