Army Officers Abandoning Military

"Army lieutenants and captains left the service last year at an annual rate of 8.7 percent — higher than any year since 2001," and yet "grunts" find their contracts extended for decades through what has been called a backdoor draft. I've seen no explanation of how stop-loss orders keep reservists beyond their contract terms but junior officers are allowed to leave.

News reports over the weekend highlighted junior Army officers (including West Point graduates) who are leaving service for the private sector at the end of their four- or five-year commitments post-college. Departures of seasoned officers only exacerbates recruiting woes:

Two-thirds through the fiscal 2005 recruiting year, which ends Sept. 30, Pentagon figures show the regular Army was 17 percent behind its goal, the Army Reserve was down 20 percent and the Army National Guard was 24 percent down.

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