[mbynack]

I knew two people who deserted. In both cases it was a mixture of personal problems and an inability to adapt to military life that caused it. Both were overseas and were going through a divorce. The spouse was back in the states charging up the credit cards and hiring the best lawyer the GI could afford.

Most of the guys that I knew that claimed to oppose a military deployment were actually opposed to being separated from their family for six months and really didn't get into the politics of why we were doing what we were doing. It makes a better case for the lawyer if they can claim the client had objections to the war, rather than "he was afraid of getting hurt" or "he missed his family."

[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...:(