All of the wars fought by man have one thing in common – deaths due to “friendly fire.” This is something the military in all countries have tried to eliminate, but in the heat of battle, with smoke, noise, fear, and confusion, accidents happen. But there is new technology that makes it less likely that the military will inflict casualties on their own troops. As far as civilian deaths, collateral damage is something that is also part of warfare, and newer technology also makes it less likely this will happen. But the facts are, it may only be able to lessen the number and not eliminate it entirely.
Other negligence involves caring for injured troops. Luckily for soldiers, medical technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past couple of decades that greatly improves the odds of surviving a serious wound. Some of the latest news has also involved medical negligence in the care of veterans, and hopefully technology can help solve this pervasive problem.
Drone Warfare Takes Soldiers Out of the Equation
Unmanned drones have been in the news a lot lately. They take soldiers out of the equation as they are remotely operated to kill at long distances. Newer drones have been developed that are more deadly, that fly faster, and carry a bigger payload of weapons to do more damage to the enemy.
But there is one thing drones cannot do, and that is completely distinguish between friend and foe. Since technology has evolved, it is more likely that the people operating the drones know the location of all of their troops, but it is not completely foolproof. Another thing drones cannot do is eliminate the possibility of collateral damage to civilians, and in fact, this has been one of the major criticisms of using them in warfare.
Military Safety Programs Designed to Reduce Negligence
Over the years safety programs in all branches of the military have been developed and refined to keep injuries, deaths, and other accidents to a minimum. Strict guidelines for the use and handling of explosives, ammo, guns, and other weapons have kept accidents to a minimum in recent years.
Also in the news recently have been stories of neglect and lack of proper care in Veteran’s Administration hospitals and other care facilities. Now that it has come to the attention of the public at large, you can be sure that more funds are being dispersed to help to attract better talent in doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals that can make care more professional, and do it in a more timely manner.
Medical technology also advances by leaps and bounds on an annual basis. You can be sure these latest technology advances will be incorporated into VA hospitals, as well as medical personnel on the front lines in any future armed conflicts.
There may never come a time when negligence does not lead to injury and some deaths in the armed forces, but recent advances in technology have ensured that those incidents will be kept to a minimum.