A lot of deaths in the military are due to training accidents. When you have a less educated, lower quality force (as we did prior to the 1980s), these deaths are going to be higher due to...acts of stupidity. For example, a friend of mine (who was a clerk typist in the Army in the early 80s) used to tell me that the most common death letter involved people who went out into the field on manuevers, fell asleep in the high grass, and got run over by tanks. Not very smart. I am sure that the more lethal (and hopefully less essential) training practices have been phased out over the years as well.
“...involved people who went out into the field on maneuvers, fell asleep in the high grass, and got run over by tanks. Not very smart.”
Tell your friend his is either an idiot or full of crap!
One of the leading causes of death among military personnel, and it is a matter of much concern among base commanders and of the DoD in general, is off-duty automobile crashes in the U.S.A. and its territories. Even young men (and women) with high IQs and college degrees can act stupidly while driving an auto, especially with the aid of a few beers or margaritas.
Another leading cause of death is helicopter crashes while engaged in training exercises or routine flights in non-combat areas (i.e., stateside).
I’ve seen data showing that even in Iraq about 25 percent of the milpers killed lost their lives in non-combat accidents. My number may be off a bit, but the percentage is not insignificant.
The numbers cited here may be total military fatalities, both combat related and not.
Don't confuse motivation with "quality".