Military occupation and deployment: descriptive epidemiology of active duty U.S. Army men evaluated for a disability discharge.

OBJECTIVE

Physically demanding jobs and history of deployment put Soldiers at increased risk for injury, hospitalizations, and disability. Characterizing differences in disability outcomes by occupation and deployment history may identify specific military populations for targeted prevention and intervention programs as well as potential areas of future research.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on U.S. Army enlisted men evaluated in the Department of Defense's Disability Evaluation System (DES) between fiscal years 2005 and 2011, comparing those assigned a Combat Arms military occupational specialty (MOS) to individuals with any other MOS (Other).

RESULTS

Among deployed Soldiers, those with Combat Arms MOS were substantially and significantly more likely to receive medical disability retirement than Other MOS and were more likely to be evaluated for conditions compatible with combat exposures, including post-traumatic stress disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury, and paralysis. Among nondeployed Soldiers, Combat Arms MOS were only slightly more likely to receive medical disability than Other MOS, and no substantial differences in medical conditions were noted between the two MOS groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Combat Arms MOS is a significant risk factor for disability retirement primarily among deployed men. Further research is needed to identify specific military occupations most at risk for disability retirement.