THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BATTLE INTENSITY AND DISEASE RATES AMONG MARINE CORPS INFANTRY UNITS

Disease and non-battle injury (DNBI) rates were examined in conjunction with casualty rates across two Marine Corps operational scenarios, the assault on Okinawa and the Korean War. DNBI rates increased significantly with battle intensity among Marine infantry battalions involved in both operations. Highly significant positive correlations (p < 0.001) were evidenced between DNBI rate and wounded-in-action (WIA) rate, DNBI rate and killed-in-action rate, and DNBI rate and the preceding week's WIA rate among infantry units in both Okinawa and Korea. The severity of wounds and DNBI rate were also significantly correlated.