8,000 desert during Iraq war

Yahoo! News ^ | 3/7/06 | Bill Nichols

[libertarianPA]

[Gannett, which only allows headlines and links]

[alarm rider]

Bump for later reading...

[zkbeta51]

885. ART. 85. DESERTION
(a) Any member of the armed forces who--
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another on of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States; is guilty of desertion.
(b) Any commissioned officer of the armed forces who, after tender of his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away therefrom permanently is guilty of desertion.
(c) Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the desertion or attempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.

[yankeedame]

At least 8,000 members of the all-volunteer U.S. military have deserted since the Iraq war began,...

What is this supposed to mean? That they deserted while in Iraq (or Middle East). I sure could be read that way. A more objective way of writing that line would be:

Since the beginning of U.S. involvement in the Iraqi war, more than 8,000 member of the U.S. military have deserted..."

[DJ Taylor]

"The last thing they want is for people to think ... that this is like Vietnam,"

It's not at all like Vietnam. In Iraq, there's no jungle, cold beer is not allowed, and the local women...let's just not even go there.

[dakine]

I only joined for the free college education and to pick up chicks."

For me, the cable TV and golf courses...

[Roccus]

Ali, please ping me when you post it.

Thanks,
Roccus

[rlmorel]

I saw a guy jump off of the fantail of the USS Kennedy back in the 70's as we pulled out of Norfolk...apparently his wife was with some guy on the dock, and they weren't just waving...:(

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

You got that right. Most desertions are from people that don't adjust well to the military. Typical MSM propaganda.

[libertarianPA]

You are correct sir - my bad

[tonycavanagh]

re :The correct title of the article should be "US Armed Forces experiences LOWER desertion rate year over year since 9/11"

This is my take I was confused since it stated that desertions are down since 9/11.

I wonder how many are just AWOL rather than outright desertions

[\/\/ayne]

Since fall 2003, 4,387 Army soldiers, 3,454 Navy sailors and 82 Air Force personnel have deserted.

Hmmm...does the AF keep their Airmen in cages?

The Air Force has fantastic gyms, day rooms and fancy resturants (we called them "chow halls). I always loved stopping by an AF base when I was in the Army!

[Coop]

I saw a guy jump off of the fantail of the USS Kennedy back in the 70's as we pulled out of Norfolk...

Man, that's quite a leap. With some nasty screws awaiting if you survive the fall. Did he make it?

[tonycavanagh]

re :It was always something like those I mentioned above.

I agree a major problem especially with young soldiers away from there girlfriends the first time was Dear John letters.

In most cases it was AWOL rather than outright desertions.

[tonycavanagh]

re :The Air Force has fantastic gyms, day rooms and fancy resturants (we called them "chow halls). I always loved stopping by an AF base when I was in the Army!

Same with the RAF.

[rlmorel]

To paraphrase the soldier from "Band of Brothers" when one of his buddies opined, as they walked through the woods into Germany..."You know, this place kind of reminds me of Bastogne..."

And he replies:
"Well...besides the fact that there ain't no snow...we got warm grub in our bellies, and...the trees ain't F*cking exploding, yeah, Frank, it does remind me of Bastogne."

So, when the libs say "...this is like Vietnam...", we can say:

"Well...besides the fact that we don't have an incompentent Democratic President and a idiot for a Secretary of Defense, the people by and large want us there, the commies aren't supplying and protecting the terrorists, we aren't losing an average of 15 men a day, and there ain't no shit dipped booby traps or F*cking sizeable anti-war movement, yeah, Dumbass, it does remind me of Vietnam.

[massgopguy]

Eddie Slovik got the firing squad for walking away from his unit in 1945.

[GOP_1900AD]

String 'em up.

[rlmorel]

The tugs were moving us away...he leaped off of the fantail rather than the flight deck, so he was only maybe 30 feet or less from the water. I can't remember how high...

[Calpernia]

I would really like a reporter write about how many kids are being kicked out of the military for stupid stuff like underaged drinking or other various infractions. Rumor is someone wants to leave the MIL short handed they can
justify a draft. But the hundreds being kicked out is verifiable. And a worthy news story for reporting on.

[Coop]

Aha. Tugs = no screws. And you guys were close enough he probably swam back to the pier, slapped his wife, and proceeded to strangle the SOB with her.