Army desertion up 80 percent since Iraq war

[underpants]

Source: AP/MSNBC

updated 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

While the totals are still far lower than they were during the Vietnam war, when the draft was in effect, they show a steady increase over the past four years and a 42 percent jump since last year.

According to the Army, about nine in every 1,000 soldiers deserted in fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30, compared to nearly seven per 1,000 a year earlier. Overall, 4,698 soldiers deserted this year, compared to 3,301 last year.

Despite the continued increase in desertions, however, an Associated Press examination of Pentagon figures earlier this year showed that the military does little to find those who bolt, and rarely prosecutes the ones they get. Some are allowed to simply return to their units, while most are given less-than-honorable discharges.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21836566/

[saigon68]

1. Rustics who join realize their recruiter LIED TO THEM

I have seen this before

[superconnected]

2. Only 9 in every 1000?

[fenriswolf]

3. thats about 1 in every company

so if you think about it about every soldior knows of someone who went awol, thats a huge impact on moral.

[Acadia Blue]

4. That is a high percentage.

[Karenina]

5. It needs to get WAY HIGHER.

That would be a GOOD THING!

[Algorem]

6. Go,Army.Go,go,go.

Army Str-gone!

[defendandprotect]

7. Army desertion rate up 80 pct. since '03

Source: AP

Army desertion rate up 80 pct. since '03 By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

While the totals are still far lower than they were during the Vietnam War, when the draft was in effect, they show a steady increase over the past four years and a 42 percent jump since last year.

"We're asking a lot of soldiers these days," said Roy Wallace, director of plans and resources for Army personnel. "They're humans. They have all sorts of issues back home and other places like that. So, I'm sure it has to do with the stress of being a soldier."

The Army defines a deserter as someone who has been absent without leave for longer than 30 days. The soldier is then discharged as a deserter.

According to the Army, about nine in every 1,000 soldiers deserted in fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30, compared to nearly seven per 1,000 a year earlier. Overall, 4,698 soldiers deserted this year, compared to 3,301 last year.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071117/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_deserters

[Diclotican]

8. defendandprotect

defendandprotect

Is not the number 4690 mor og less the same number as the number that is killed in Iraq after 4-5 year with war?

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language

[Algorem]

9. they must be recruiting too many sane people

[Voltaire99]

10. Deserters of the world, unite!

You have nothing to lose but your arms, legs, eyes, balls, etc.

Can't blame a single one of them.