An unpublished study from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research,  based on facts and figures presented by Col. Eastridge to the Defense Health Board, finds that almost a quarter of 4,596 combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan were medically preventable - that is, 1 in 4 were "potentially survivable" if there had been improvements in medical care or equipment. Many of us would respond to these already appalling numbers with another bitter fact: Maybe 25% medically preventable, but 100% politically preventable.