Nearly 5,000 Soldiers Deserted Army in 2007
Army desertion rates are up 80 percent since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. The actual numbers of deserters are still low — less than 1 percent of the entire force — but they show a steady increase over the past few years.
The Army says nearly 5,000 soldiers deserted in 2007, a 42 percent increase from 2006.
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