On: Intelligent soldiers most likely to die in battle (WW2 case study)

[gaika]

But there were at least 10 times more soldiers than officers. That means officer's death risk was at least 3 times higher than soldier's. They also mention that average IQ of a soldier that died was 95.

[karzeem → gaika]

As someone who doesn't know much about military strategy, I find it surprising that officers are more likely to die in combat (or were in WWII, at least). Isn't it enlisted guys who ride at the tip of a dangerous advance?

[DenisM → karzeem]

Officers are the most targeted, that why the officer's uniform recently looks very much like soldier's - to make them harder to snipe.

[gaika → karzeem]

Another breakdown is needed, but my guess is that it is air force pilots and bomber crew that skew the stats. Read/see "catch 22".

[cabalamat → karzeem]

Most officers in WW2, certainly in Britain, were enlisted rather than career officers. This particularly applies to the lower ranks of officer, such as captain and lieutenant.

Leading from the front was common, for officers up to the rank of General, because it was the best way of knowing what was going on. There was no "blue force tracker" in those days!)