That AWOL list goes back decades, so this story is a crock.
Exactly. The article contradicts itself -- it says "since the start of President George Bush's so-called war on terror", then at the end of the paragraph: " Some have been missing for decades.
".
It's just a leftist rag, who can't stand our success in Iraq and in the WoT, so they try to find something to demoralize our soldiers and their supporters.
Remember the man who was charged with murder at the sentry post for killing the two Iraqi's? Then there was the grunt who got charged when he killed the wounded guy in the house search.
That would be my concern about joining today. Train me to kill and then when I do, you want to charge me for it.
I think this sergeant probably needs to be treated for PTSD and reassigned to supply or the mess hall.
>>"Sergeant Kevin Benderman cannot shake the images from his head. There are bombed villages and desperate people. There are dogs eating corpses thrown into a mass grave. And most unremitting of all, there is the image of a young Iraqi girl, no more than eight or nine, one arm severely burnt and blistered, and the sound of her screams."<<
Having 1% one or 2% who can't handle the job doesn't surprise me. Making a fuss about it does.
This makes more sense.
>>"The vast majority of those who desert do so because they have committed some criminal act, not for political or conscientious objector purposes."<<
This probably answers most of the criminals.
>>After 30 days of being Awol a serviceman is considered a deserter, and a warrant is issued for his arrest.<<
This might just be the answer for these guys who don't want to go into combat!
Boudreaux's Theory
Boudreaux's first military assignment was to a military induction center, and--because he was a good talker--they assigned him the duty of advising new recruits about the government benefits, especially the GI insurance to which they were entitled.
Before long the Captain in charge of the induction center began noticing that Boudreaux was getting a 99% sign up for the top GI insurance.
This was odd, because it would cost these poor inductees nearly $30.00 per month more for their higher coverage than what the government was already granting.
The Captain decided that he would not ask Boudreaux about his selling techniques but that he would sit in the back of the room and observe Boudreaux's sales pitch.
Boudreaux stood up before his latest group of inductees and stated, "If you have the normal GI insurance and go to Iraq and are killed, the government pays your beneficiary $6,000. If you take out the supplemental GI insurance (which will cost you an additional $30.00 per month), the government pays your beneficiary $200,000.
"NOW," Boudreaux concluded, "which bunch do you think they're gonna send into battle first?"
....Put a price tag on yer butt that makes the bossman think about just how much yer worth to him!