What We Know about AWOL and Desertion: A Review of the Professional Literature for Policy Makers and Commanders

Abstract

Enlisted desertion rates in the U. S. Army have been increasing in recent years. A study has been undertaken to examine this issue to shed light on why soldiers desert and what can be done to intervene and lessen its occurrence. As a first step, the literature on desertion was reviewed and summarized. The topics covered in this report include how desertion is defined and handled currently, how deserters differ from other soldiers, the reasons for desertion found in previous research, the consequences of desertion, steps that can be taken to prevent this outcome, and what needs to be learned to assist Army decision makers and commanders as they seek to deal with this problem.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA407801

Entities

People

  • D. B. Bell
  • Peter F. Ramsberger

Organizations

  • U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Personnel
  • Business Administration
  • Department Of Defense
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Human Resources
  • Law
  • Law Enforcement
  • Literature
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Research
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Recruiting
  • Second World War
  • Social Sciences
  • Training
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Criminal Law
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.