Soldiers And Enlistees Are Deserting In Numbers That Have Not Been Seen Since Vietnam

A U.S. officer and Iraqi soldiers attend the handover ceremony of a military base from U.S. forces to the Iraqi army in Yusufiya, 20 km (12 miles) south of Baghdad, October 20, 2008. Picture taken October 20, 2008. REUTERS/Bassim Shati (IRAQ)

Army Needs Rebuilding -- Washington Times

When the U.S. military, along with a handful of allies, invaded Iraq in spring 2003, hopes ran high that our lighter, swifter, all-volunteer service would accomplish the mission quickly and be home by Christmas.

Five years later, a crude reality has emerged: Our all-volunteer service is straining under the weight of forces few in Washington predicted. Some analysts believe our military has been irreparably damaged by the protracted conflicts in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Because the military is all-volunteer, the biggest problems are recruitment and keeping personnel in the ranks for the duration of their enlistments. To meet recruitment goals and to keep troop levels adequate during this era of the so-called war on terror, the military, especially the active Army and the Reserves, has been forced to lower its standards for enlistees.

The result, some officials acknowledge, is that the Army is ailing, and the problem is reflected in the rate of desertions. More soldiers and enlistees are deserting in numbers that have not been seen since Vietnam, when the draft was in effect.

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My Comment: This is not good news.Not during a time of war.