Cold weather injuries among the active and reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces, July 2020-June 2025.

From July 2024 through June 2025, a total of 806 members of the active (n=702) and reserve (n=104) components of the U.S. Armed Forces had at least 1 cold weather injury. Compared to the 2023-2024 cold season, the cold weather injury rates during the 2024-2025 cold season increased by 41.8% (from 38.6 to 54.7 per 100,000 person-years) and 45.8% (from 8.5 to 12.4 per 100,000 person-years) in the active and reserve components, respectively. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps recorded their highest cold weather injury rates during the 2024-2025 season of the 5-year surveillance period. Frostbite was the most common cold weather injury in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, with the Marine Corps experiencing the largest surge in frostbite rates. Over the entire surveillance period, U.S. active component service member cold weather injury rates were generally higher among male service members, non-Hispanic Black individuals, and those under age 20 years. The incidence rate of cold weather injuries among active component service members increased by over 40% between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 cold seasons, resulting in a 5-year rate of 41.5 per 100,000 person-years. This increase was primarily attributable to higher rates in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Marine Corps evinced the largest incidence rate increase (77.4%) during the 2024-2025 cold season. This year's update expanded cold injury surveillance to include "other specified and unspecified effects of reduced temperature," to provide a more comprehensive assessment of cold weather injuries.