Morale: Declining Desertion

Archives

March 16, 2006: There are fewer deserters in the U.S. military, especially since Afghanistan and Iraq were invaded. Last year, the rate was .24 percent of the total force. That's down from the Vietnam era high (in 1971) of 3.4 percent. Actually, there was another upward trend in the late 1990s (peaking at about .45 percent on September 11, 2001), nearly doubling from the rate in the early 1990s. After 911, the rate started coming down, and has been lower each year.

Most desertions are the result of personal problems, and the U.S. Army changed the way it handled deserters several years ago. Instead of promptly discharging deserters (most of whom either turn themselves in after a few months, or get picked up the next time they show ID to a cop), they were sent back to their unit. The deserter had a talk with his (most deserters are men) commanding officer. In a growing number of cases, the deserter is given another chance, and succeeds at finishing his enlistment.

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contribute. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   contribute   Close