U.S. Army Desertion Rate Increases 80%

November 16, 2007
U.S. Army Desertion Rate Increases 80%

WASHINGTON (CBS News) -- Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

While the totals are still far lower than they were during the Vietnam War, when the draft was in effect, they show a steady increase over the past four years - and a 42 percent jump since last year.