Military Desertion Rate on the Rise

April 14, 2007

Newly released military documents show that the number of desertions and other "unauthorized absences" has risen sharply in the past four years.

Army officials say the desertions, which exceeded one percent of the active duty force in 2000 for the first time since the post-Vietnam era, are in a "sustained upswing again."

In the financial year 2006, 3,196 soldiers deserted, the army said, a figure that has been climbing since the financial year 2004, when 2,357 soldiers absconded. In the first quarter of the current financial year, 871 soldiers deserted, a rate that, if it remained on pace, would produce 3,484 desertions, an 8 percent increase over the previous financial year.

Also, from 2002 through 2006, the average annual rate of army prosecutions of desertion tripled compared with the five-year period from 1997 to 2001, to roughly 6 percent of yearly deserters from 2 percent, army data show. Between these two five-year spans prosecutions for similar crimes, like absence without leave or failure to appear for unit missions, have more than doubled, to an average of 390 per year from an average of 180 per year, army data show.

The rising rate of desertions is clearly a result of the brutal conditions of the wars and the rejection by the people to the on-going slaughter in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to increasing numbers of deserters, many soldiers are taking public stands against the wars. In a recent act of collective resistance, 1,171 active duty service members signed and sent to Congress an "Appeal for Redress" on January 16. This appeal calls on Congress "to support the prompt withdrawal of all American forces and bases from Iraq." Since then, more than 100 additional active duty personnel have signed the Appeal. More than 60% of the signatures are from soldiers who have or are serving in Iraq. The appeal is being circulated by Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out. Members of these organizations, as well as many of the soldiers who signed the appeal, participated in the massive marches in Washington D.C., in January and March, as well as other anti-war activities.

In the face of this resistance, the Bush administration and Congress are deploying more troops and approving more money for the wars.