July 18, 2008:  While combat casualties in Iraq are now only about a third of what they were a year ago (based on the last three months), there are still the same number of non-combat injuries (everything from traffic accidents to diseases). That, and the increase of casualties in Afghanistan (which are still not much more than those in Iraq currently), means that the overall reduction in medical cases in Iraq and Afghanistan is only about 30-35 percent. 

This does mean less work for the U.S. military hospitals in Germany and the United States, which have taken care of the most serious cases (which are airlifted out as soon as they are stabilized.) That will mean fewer reservists (with medical skills) will be called up, and some of the medical facilities can go back to treating military families and retirees (whose care had been turned over to civilian hospitals as military casualties increased.)