Sports were a significant cause of non-combat injuries (NCI) for the U.S. military services, representing the 3rd leading cause of injury hospitalizations (13%) in 2006. Among Army soldiers deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) from 2001 to 2008, sports were the leading cause of NCIs (21%; rate: 2.3/10,000 person-years) that required medical air evacuation (AE) from OIF. The impact of sports as a cause of NCI among deployed service members (SM) from the Air Force (USAF), Marines (USM), and Navy (USN) is unknown. PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of sports-related injuries that required air evacuation of SMs in the USAF, USM, and USN while deployed for OIF and describe the distribution of sports injuries by sport, injury type, and anatomical location. METHODS: SMs (USAF, USM, and USN) medically air evacuated from OIF for an NCI were identified from AE records for the period March 2003 to May 2008. In addition to demographic and administrative details, AE records included medical information such as patient history and diagnosis. Records were reviewed for injury cases to identify the injury cause, diagnosis, and location. For each service, descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of sports injuries by sport, injury type, and location. RESULTS: Of 7,838 SMs (non-Army) air evacuated from OIF (USAF: n=1,608; USM: n=4,949; USN: n=1,281), 2,478 had an NCI (USAF: n=536; USM: 1,465; USN: n=477). Overall (23%), and for each service, sports were the leading cause of NCIs (USAF: 31%; USM: 21%; USN: 22%). Leading injury sport activities were basketball (25%), wrestling/martial arts (18%), football (15%), and weight lifting (14%), but rank order and proportions differed by service. Leading injury types were fracture (36%), sprain/strain/rupture (24%), and dislocation (16%). Leading injury sites were ankle/foot (22%), knee (20%), wrist/hand (14%), and shoulder (10%). CONCLUSION: Sports were the leading cause of NCIs medically air evacuated from OIF (March 2003 - December 2008) for the USAF (31%), USM (21%), and USN (22%). Only the USAF had a significantly higher proportion of sports injuries compared to the previously reported sports injury proportion among deployed U.S. Army soldiers (21%).