The French Armed Forces consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the National Gendarmerie. Deaths among active-duty military personnel are reported by military physicians to the Armed Forces’ epidemiological surveillance unit. Deaths are also recorded by the Pension Service, an administrative body outside the military health service, in connection with pension applications filed by the beneficiaries of a deceased service member. The objective of this study was to describe the leading causes of death among the active-duty military population and to compare them with those of the general population. In total, between 2002 and 2007, these two sources identified 2,115 deaths. The crude mortality rate was 103 per 100,000 person-years (PY). Mortality rates differed significantly by age and branch of service (p<0.001). For those aged 17–24 and 25–44, traffic accidents (61 per 100,000 and 21 per 100,000) and suicides (20 per 100,000 and 24 per 100,000) were the most common causes of death. For those aged 45–59, tumors (104 per 100,000) and cardiovascular diseases (41 per 100,000) accounted for more than half of all deaths. Mortality in the armed forces was 30% lower than in the general population, a result of several selection mechanisms (including the "healthy worker effect"), but excess mortality, particularly from traffic accidents, was observed among those under 25, especially in the Army. Efforts to prevent traffic accidents and suicides must be strengthened in the armed forces to reduce preventable mortality, particularly among young people. (R.A.)