By Ebony Horton
U.S. military deserters are costing taxpayers a lot of money, according to military officials.
The Army Public Affairs office reported that it costs an average of $50,000 to $64,000 to train a soldier from the recruiting station to first unit station. Between 2002 and 2007, there were at least 2,400 soldiers each year who deserted from duty sometime after training.
(none were in combat)
About 60 percent of deserters have served less than 12 months, while more than 80 percent served less than three years, according to data.
Army Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb said most of the deserters have historically been first-term, junior enlisted soldiers who leave the Army for personal, family or financial problems.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice defines a deserter as one who remains “absent without leave” (AWOL) for at least 30 days.
“We don’t enlist soldiers, we enlist individuals to make them soldiers and that’s not free. … Taxpayers pay a lot for a person to pick up and leave,” Edgecomb said. “We wanna keep (soldiers) in. Frankly it’s the smart thing to do financially.”
Edgecomb said deserters generally make up less than one percent of the Army. Few leave for political or “conscientious objector” purposes like the honorably discharged Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, who announced last week he would refuse orders to deploy to Iraq after having already served at least four years active duty.
Edgecomb said everyone who enlists in the Army has an obligation of eight years – at least three of which are active duty and five of which are reserve, where the soldier can be called back to duty if necessary.
She said soldiers can be discharged before eight years of service for medical reasons or civil legal convictions.
Other military branches also deal with desertion. The majority of U.S. Marine Corps deserters are discovered and apprehended during routine traffic stops and other interaction with civilian police agencies, according to U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. Joshua Diddams.