NYT: Army Revises Upward Number of Desertions in ’06

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/23/us/23awol.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Army Revises Upward Number of Desertions in ’06

By PAUL von ZIELBAUER
Published: March 23, 2007

A total of 3,196 active-duty soldiers deserted the Army last year, or 853 more than previously reported, according to revised figures from the Army.

The new calculations by the Army, which had about 500,000 active-duty troops at the end of 2006, significantly alter the annual desertion totals since the 2000 fiscal year.

In 2005, for example, the Army now says 2,543 soldiers deserted, not the 2,011 it had reported. For some earlier years, the desertion numbers were revised downward.

National Public Radio first reported on Tuesday that the Army had been inaccurately reporting desertion figures.

A soldier is considered a deserter if he leaves his post without permission, quits his unit or fails to report for duty with the intent of staying away permanently. Soldiers who are absent without leave — or AWOL, a designation that assumes a soldier still intends to return to duty — are automatically classified as deserters and are dropped from a unit’s rolls if they remain away for more than 30 days.

Some Army officers link the recent uptick in annual desertion rates to the toll of wartime deployments and point to the increasing percentage of troops who are on their second or third tours in Iraq or Afghanistan.

more...

[LostinVA]

1. Definitely NOT an insignificant number, eh?

[babylonsister]

2. And numbers were inaccurately reported until they got caught.

:grr:

[LostinVA]

3. Exactly!

And, who knows how many have REALLY deserted.

This story should be front page news in all media.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Follow the leader." - Commander AWOL

[LostinVA]

5. Yup -- good point

[SpiralHawk]

8. "Thank you for your support." - Commander AWOL

"Loyal repulicons MUST stand behind their Chickenhawk leaders. You can be sure VP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney & all the other republicon chickenhawks appreciate your kind words about our undistinguished records of military failure and desertion."

- Commander AWOL

[LostinVA]

9. Yup -- bizarro world, eh?

[Ganja Ninja]

6. It pisses me off that these guys have to resort this.

Some of them have probably served 2 or 3 tours or more in Iraq and have had their enlistments extended well past the original date for their discharge. Now we're going to label them deserters? This country has been asking too much of them. They deserve better treatment and they shouldn't have to bare the burden beyond what they've signed up for.

[babylonsister]

7. I totally agree; the negative connotation of the word 'deserter' probably

doesn't apply to the bulk of these soldiers. They should get mental healthcare, not be condemned for their actions. This admin 'deserted' the soldiers.