How come AWOL is on the rise in the Military?

Question

How come so many men are leaving the military before their time is up?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question. Most kids that come into the service now a days (within the last 7 years) are basically good kids who wantto serve their country, earn some pay, and make something of themselves. There are of course the rotten apples in every bunch who are spineless cowards and blame everything that goes on in the world (let alone their own life) on others.
Last time I checked, the oath of enlistment/reenlistment goes as follows:

"I, INSERT NAME, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

This basic oath can be found on a serivcemember's DD Form 4/1, 2 and 3 (Enlistment/Reenlistment Document). It also states on the reverse of DD Form 4/1, section C, Paragraph 9a1 "Required to obey all lawful orders and perform all assigned duties.", Paragraph 9a4 "Required upon order to serve in combat or other hazardous situations." and Paragraph 9c "In the event of war, my enlistment in the Armed Forces continues until 6 months after the war ends, unless my enlistment is ended sooner by the President of the United States."

Notice that nowhere in those sentences does it say "except for when I don't want to."

These are the facts. Cut and dry. Those who do not follow them are guilty of whatever charges are brought up against them according to UCMJ. Those who have enlistment, reenlistment or been commissioned knew what they were getting into and should be honorable enough to finish out their contract. Those who cry they didn't know should have read in its entirety their enlistment document which states ALL their rights and privelages as well as those of the Government's.

Answer 2

Would you wanna be stuck in a situation like being deployed for 15 months in Iraq? I would go AWOL too. THere are a lot of guidlines and rules that you have to follow in the military and some people dont really understand that when they enlist. Like, you have to wear the right color socks. It sounds stupid, but that is how it is. Some people hear a Toby Keith ballad or Lee Greenwood and that inspires them to 'do something for their country', which is all well and good, but not if they cant hack it for 4 years.

Answer 3

Lots of reasons. Some of them are really scared of going to fight in the war. Some are opposed to the war. Some are suffering from phsychological side effects after deployements. Then there are those who really shouldn't have joined the military in the first place, but they usually go AWOL within the 1st few months I think.

Answer 4

It is hard for some of these soldiers to fight in a war that they don't believe in. Others have been downrange 3 or 4 times now in the same conflict and are tired of it. The reason why some go AWOL, instead of waiting to finish their time is because their units came up with orders to deploy and their time isn't up yet.

Answer 5

Military AWOLs often increase in wartime, particularly when the war is drawn out (we are at 5 years now) and when the aim of the war is not particularly obvious to the common soldier.

Answer 6

Not sure what you're referring to. True AWOL is a crime, and the Marines, Navy, and Air Force will continue to search for you until they catch you. The Army will write you off after a while. Alot of people are getting out when their enlistment is up because they want to do something different.
Most truly AWOL people are cowards, criminals, or lazy.

Answer 7

Most of the soldiers are National Guard that had no idea what they were signing up for. Desertion is an act of a coward.

Answer 8

I don't believe that now is any different than during other wars.

Do you have documentation to back up your statement or is this just more liberal gibberish.

Answer 9

Probably because they are sick and tired of fighting for Buchco, making he and his friends richer. This war is an atrocity and we shouldnt even be there in the first place. Bush claims we are fighting terrorism, but Iraq didnt bomb the WTC, Osama did. Have you noticed that that man is still free and our government doesnt talk about "getting" him the way they used to?

Answer 10

George did it didn't he..so why not anyone else?