New Report on Deserters
I get these reports through EMAIL from Military.com as a Retired service member..
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.
The increase comes as the Army continues to bear the brunt of the war demands with many soldiers serving repeated, lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military leaders - including Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey - have acknowledged that the Army has been stretched nearly to the breaking point by the combat. And efforts are under way to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps to lessen the burden and give troops more time off between deployments.
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.
I can understand the Draftees deserting but people that VOLUNTEER?????
And of course they dont punish those that do so why not?[:(]
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.
The increase comes as the Army continues to bear the brunt of the war demands with many soldiers serving repeated, lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military leaders - including Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey - have acknowledged that the Army has been stretched nearly to the breaking point by the combat. And efforts are under way to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps to lessen the burden and give troops more time off between deployments.
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.
I can understand the Draftees deserting but people that VOLUNTEER?????
And of course they dont punish those that do so why not?[:(]
0
-
And if any come to Canada you can have them right back, I hope!! 0 -
Canadia is good folks.
Doug0 -
Honestly Classic...I have kids in the AF who desert. Come on now...while the AF has changed its roles in combat over the past three years, we have it NOWHERE near as bad as the Army or Marines.
It is an all volunteer force and I get kids who tell me they came in for the college money and that they dont agree with the position of the POTUS or the conflict we are involved in. I even had one young "man" tell me that he didnt vote for Bush so therefore he doesnt have to follow his orders.
WTHO?
1. The US was and is involved in military operations when you decided to enlist.
2. US troops are getting shot at, wounded and killed.
3. You KNEW coming in that there was/is a possibility of going to the zone.
So tell me once again why you raised your right hand and took the oath.
These idiots tick me off. They want the pay, the medical/dental coverage and the educational benefits; but they dont want to do their duty when tasked.0 -
No Mexico is the 51 state and Maybe canada is 52[:(][xx(][:(!][V] 0 -
quote:George Casey - have acknowledged that the Army has been stretched nearly to the breaking point by the combat.
Wth? What BS is that? Ridiculous.0 -
I do not endorse desertion by any means.
I am a retired military officer myself.
I know this:
These poor kids are going over there three times (I know one Marine looking at his 4th tour) and it's 120 in the shade, in full battle gear!
If it was WWII and they served the entire war, they'd be home now.
Something isn't right and I don't know what it is.
I also know this:
A plan for the end game would have been good for starters.
They still don't have one.0 -
George Casey,IS A F'n RETARD!!! Let the coward among them run, their a detrament.As for G Casey..... [:(!] 0 -
Wonder what stress was on the WWII solider. 4 years before going home. Talk about stress 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Classic095
I can understand the Draftees deserting but people that VOLUNTEER?????
Because they don't have a clue what a committment is or the character to honor one.
quote:Originally posted by Classic095
And of course they dont punish those that do so why not?[:(]
You know what a Marine thinks should be done with deserters, right?0 -
quote:Originally posted by gogojoe
I do not endorse desertion by any means.
I am a retired military officer myself.
I know this:
These poor kids are going over there three times (I know one Marine looking at his 4th tour) and it's 120 in the shade, in full battle gear!
If it was WWII and they served the entire war, they'd be home now.
Something isn't right and I don't know what it is.
I also know this:
A plan for the end game would have been good for starters.
They still don't have one.
The problem is that the tours keep getting longer and the time in-between deployments is getting shorter and shorter. You've got guys doing 15 months in Iraq and they'd be LUCKY to get even a year off before being sent back for ANOTHER 15 months.
And at least with WWII, there was a finish line and the troops knew where it was: Berlin and Tokyo. They knew what they had to do to win the war. Where is the finish line in Iraq? Our government is now saying that it may be another TEN YEARS before our troops can come home!!! This is what happens when you go to war with no plan whatsoever. And don't think the troops don't know it, they know that they are fighting and dying to buy time for the idiots in the Bush Administration to figure out a plan for this war FOUR YEARS after the fact. It's one thing to be asked to fight and die for a cause, it's another thing to be asked to fight and die to correct four years worth of incompetence, mismanagement and shortsightedness on the part of your own leaders!0 -
Tours are getting Longer??? What about the guys in WW! and WWII , The duration Plus six months, or some of US from Vietnam, I did 2 unvolunteered tours at 15 months each time.. Give me a break, If ya volunteer you do what is required of you nothing more nothing less.
I have seen some come back from the sand box after six months whining about having to be away sooooooooooo long.. BS. If your a soldier and you have volunteered be prepared for what ever happens..
I have the utmost respect for those that have done their job but have no tolerance for those that Bi--- and whine about having to do their duty that they swore and oath to do and volunteered.0 -
For me, the deployments and war fighting are easier than being home and listening to all of the constant liberal BS about "not supporting the war, but still supporting the troops".
We are an Army at war (not to be confused with the concept of a Nation at war, which IMHO we are not), and we shall continue to do our mission until the day the American public and the motley fools elected to represent said peoples, lose their conviction and will power to do the right thing... "oh, the tragedy and horror of the evening news, I can't take this war anymore, we have to get out."
IMHO, unless or until you are willing to do your part (whatever that may be), your opinion really matters little to me. Men of action have made this world better by deeds and not words. The harder "right" is always the breaking point for those who would rather just go with the flow and be lead to slaughter like lambs.
For those unfortunate folks, a miserable and disappointing and unfulfilled life awaits them, only to be followed by an uneventful death upon a bed of questions such as "what have I done for my fellow man", and "how have I made this world a better place for those who follow me?"
As a soldier, I know I will never be a millionaire, but my life will be filled with joy and happiness knowing that I have both helped my fellow man and that I have been given the privledge and honor to serve beside the very best citizens our country has to offer.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Classic095
I have the utmost respect for those that have done their job but have no tolerance for those that Bi--- and whine about having to do their duty that they swore and oath to do and volunteered.
+10 -
quote:Originally posted by Classic095
.
I can understand the Draftees deserting but people that VOLUNTEER?????
[:(]
It is because many of them joined the National Guard for college money and took the chance they would not be deployed.
The National Guard seems to attract more than its share of losers because of the draw for kids who want college and money and have no desire of serving their country. I am by no means trying to insult the very worthy and capable National Guard troops who do their jobs but when the shoe fits......0 -
quote:Originally posted by Classic095
Tours are getting Longer??? What about the guys in WW! and WWII , The duration Plus six months, or some of US from Vietnam, I did 2 unvolunteered tours at 15 months each time.. Give me a break, If ya volunteer you do what is required of you nothing more nothing less.
I have seen some come back from the sand box after six months whining about having to be away sooooooooooo long.. BS. If your a soldier and you have volunteered be prepared for what ever happens..
I have the utmost respect for those that have done their job but have no tolerance for those that Bi--- and whine about having to do their duty that they swore and oath to do and volunteered.
Thank you for your service. Now if you read my post you'd note that a guy that went off to WW2 for the "duration + 6 months" , he'd be home by now. There is no end game. Still no reason to desert, but plenty of reason to bitch about it.
Now Classic095, please don't tell us you never bitched about anything in Viet Nam...that is not true. All soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines bitch about things. It is what we do. You remember the old saying, "A bitching soldier is a happy soldier". Nothing new under the sun.0 -
Bitching and Bitching and Deserting are two different topics.. We used to say when a Soldier quit bitching he was up to no good and had to keep an eye on him..
I actually did very little bitching , I was a career man, did what I had to do. Most of the bitching was done when we were on the low end of the totum pole but as ya climbed the ladder the less ya had to bitch about..
My entire point is, VOLUNTEER, ya got nothing to bitch about, do your job, you asked for it. But if your spineless and cant handle it DESERT , thats the way out..[:(]0 -
I retired from the Marine Corps with 22 years of active service. Spent 5 of those years in places that I didn't really want to go to, places where the local popluation would shoot at you and try to kill you. Viet Nam, Korea, Okinawa, Adak Alaska, Yuma, AZ to name a few.
One Friday morning Firest Sergeant held formation, marched us to battalion supply, we checked out cold weather gear then march back to the barracks for personal items, then to the flight line, on a C5 and 16 hours later we were getting off that plane in Korea. Big weather change from being stationed in Yuma AZ and the next day you're in Korea. When we got off the C5, everyone got a 5 minute call home. Didn't get that opportunity before getting on the plane. Try explaining to the wife where you've been the past 24 hours and where you are now. Stayed 60 days and came home. One of Jimmy Carter's sabre rattling things.
Got no sympathy for the folks who enlisted for the benefits and now want out because they "might" find themselves in harms way.
In the early '70's they would sometimes return deserters to their units after the courts martial to finish out their enlistment. None of us had any use for those folks and stayed away from them. They, every single one of them, were quiters, pansies, whiners, non hackers, moma's babies. At one time felt sorry for them but in my older days, have gotten over that, punish them under the UCMJ.
In the WWII days, they had folks that were contientious objectors, they felt war and violence was wrong but they still served their country in an unarmed capacity. They still served, none of this that they didn't vote for the currnt president or agree our foreign policies. I ain't about the current president, its about this country, patriotism and a whole lot more. Where these people get these thoughts?0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
17 comments