If you count combat deaths, then the military probably counts as the most dangerous during wartime. However, America is not always at war and when it is, not all military personnel are in combat situations or even in dangerous locations. My personal opinion is not that the most dangerous job is military service, but rather the civilian contractors hired to perform security in warzones.

Some interesting statistics (surveys over a period of years from 2000-2005):

http://money.cnn.com/2003/10/13/pf/dangerousjobs/
http://www.comebackalive.com/df/dngrjobs.htm
http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/03/0903worksafe.html
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P63405.asp
http://www.insurance.com/Article.aspx/Top_10_Most_Dangerous_Jobs/artid/23

1. Truck driver
2. Farm worker
3. Sales supervisor/proprietor
4. Construction worker
5. Police detective
6. Airplane pilot
7. Security guard
8. Taxicab driver
9. Timber cutter
10. Cashier
11. Fisherman
12. Metal worker
13. Roofer
14. Firefighter
Source: U.S. Labor Department

1. Timber Cutters
2. Fishers
3. Pilots and Navigators
4. STructural Metal Workers
5. Driver-Sales Workers
6. Roofers
7. Electrical Power Installers
8. Farm Occupations
9. Construction Laborers
10. Truck Drivers
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics


>FWIW
>
>>Do you allow your kids to:
>>
>>1. Drive - A life or death activity. More likely to be killed in an auto accident than in war.
>
>Yes, but only after careful instruction and a long supervised learning period.
>
>>2. Drink - ditto
>
>A thimble of wine on Friday night. Nothing else.
>
>>3. Have Sex
>
>No.
>
>>4. Smoke
>
>No.
>
>>5. Cross streets
>
>See #1 above.
>
>>6. Fly
>
>Yes.
>
>>7. Marital Arts
>
>What exactly are "marital arts"? <bg> I hope my husband and I have demonstrated a good way to be married.
>
>To answer what you meant, never came up.
>
>>8. Fire weapons
>
>No.
>
>>9. Swim, etc, ad nauseum...?
>
>Yes, but see #1 above.
>
>We spent a lot of time and thought trying to balance risks vs. benefits of many activities and teaching our kids how to be as safe as possible without living in a bubble.
>
>Tamar