Armed Forces News

Fewer soldiers died as a result of accidents both while off duty in fiscal year 2016 (Oct. 1, 2016-Sept. 30, 2016) than 2015. The Army Combat Readiness Center reported that the 109 deaths in fiscal 2016 were one fewer than the prior year, and markedly lower than the 127 accidental deaths reported in 2014. This year’s toll is the lowest in 45 years. However, motorcycle fatalities are up 32 percent. Even though only 16 percent of the Army’s total force rides motorcycles, such accidents accounted for more than half of all vehicular and pedestrian deaths in 2016.