Little effort made to find deserters (spread the word)

[babylonsister]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070628/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_deserters;_ylt=Ag9BD1V1QwYrAFTBJbHY7I7MWM0F

Little effort made to find deserters

By ESTES THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer 7 minutes ago

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - There is no crack team of bounty hunters, no elite military unit whose job is to track them down and bring them in.

Despite a rise in desertions from the Army as the Iraq war drags on into a fifth year, the U.S. military does almost nothing to find those who flee and rarely prosecutes those it gets its hands on.

An Associated Press examination of Pentagon figures shows that 174 troops were court-martialed by the Army last year for desertion — a figure that amounts to just 5 percent of the 3,301 soldiers who deserted in fiscal year 2006. The figures are about 1 percent or less for the Navy and the Marines, according to data obtained by the AP under the Freedom of Information Act.

Some deserters are simply allowed to return to their units, while the majority are discharged in non-criminal proceedings on less-than-honorable terms.

Pentagon officials say that while the all-volunteer military is stretched thin by the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of deserters represents an extremely small percentage of the armed forces, and it would be a poor use of time to go after them, particularly when there is a war on.

As a result, the Pentagon does little more than enter deserters' names into an FBI national criminal database.

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[BOSSHOG]

1. I recall

during my time in covering the 70's through the 90's we did nothing more then turn names and SSN's over to the FBI and that was rather successful. Because your name would pop up on applications or criminal records, traffic stops, whatever. I suspect it would be tough being on the run that way.

[elocs]

3. I would suspect the way so much information is linked together today

that not too much of an active effort would have to be made to catch deserters. With the use of SSNs all over the place a deserter would probably walk into their arms sooner or later via a job application, enrolling in a college, tax return or countless other ways. It would not be a pleasant way to live a life always wondering if you would be caught. Imagine trying to have a family life with that hanging over your head.

[youngdem]

2. Yeah, they don't want anyone asking any uncomfortable questions about the Chimp going AWOL

to serve his cocaine conviction sentence at a Houston shelter.

So, go AWOL boys, save your self, save the world!

[BOSSHOG]

4. I would urge any servicemember charged with desertion

regardless of the circumstances to call george bush as a character witness.

[lpbk2713]

5. They wouldn't want to take a chance ....

on a deserter growing up to later be their boss.

[dkofos]

6. Why desert when all you have to do is tell them you are GAY.