The US death toll in Iraq is more than 4,000 militaries. Almost 30,000 American soldiers and officers were wounded.
The first American “contract manipulation” aimed at maintaining the strength of the US contingent in Iraq was revealed as far back as 2004 when the US troops got bogged down deeply in Iraq. Already that time, there were signs of a large outflow of US militaries not only from flashpoints but from the military service in general.
It was the time when recruiters forced militaries to extend their contracts threatening to send them to the action area. However, the Pentagon failed to provide for positive dynamics, and later made a decision not to dismiss militaries after their contracts expired if their units are to be sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In general these constraints related to rare military specialists. Retirement documents of these soldiers and officers as well as those of soldiers and officers who were stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan were drawn up intentionally slowly, and their transfer from combat to support units was restricted. Besides, as it became known later military academies and civil universities intentionally restricted admittance of militaries from field units of the US Central Command.
However, the scandal failed to improve the position of contracted American militaries. Moreover, the Pentagon classified about 1.5 thousand US soldiers and officers who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan or returned home heavily wounded, as “skates”.
In the opinion of the US Government Auditing Office the total debt of US militaries who already left Iraq, totals 1.5 million Dollars. This incident again provoked court proceedings and was caused by the fact that allegedly the information on the death or retirement of a soldier due to wounds was received by financial departments with long delays, and accountants continued to charge premiums for active service.
Evidently, these numerous scandals once again highlighted problems caused by the “Iraqi adventure”. Today, the Pentagon is seriously concerned with deterioration of the morale in the US troops. There is a record of disobedience acts and refusals to fulfill combat orders. Everybody knows a case when prior to combat operation a pioneer Sergeant disassembled his machine gun and claimed that he will not fire at the enemy until he is paid with his three-month salary.
A forecast of military psychologists is also disappointing. They examined more than six thousand US militaries prior to their despatch and after return home from the action area in Iraq. It was revealed that more than 17 per cent of them suffer mental depression. The absolute majority of respondents did not want to return to the war.
Respectfully, the number of military absentees from “the most powerful army of the world” is growing. According to official data of the US Army Planning and Logistic Department, by late 2007 the number of military absentees from the US Armed Services reached its maximum from 1980 and increased by 80 per cent versus 2003 i.e. the time of the Iraqi War start.
An abrupt surge of abandonment was recorded in 2007 - 42 per cent. According to Pentagon statistics, about 9 of 1000 militaries defected during 2007, whereas in 2006 this proportion was 7 : 1000. Last year totally 4700 militaries defected from the US Army that is more than 1.5 thousand more than in 2006.
The US top brass is also concerned with a sharp decrease of US reserve officers in the most popular categories (lieutenant – captain). Currently their number is slightly more than 5.5 thousand versus almost 18.5 thousand in demand. Comparing with the previous year, the number of reservists who are not going to extend their contracts as soon as they expire has increased 3-fold. The percentage of junior officers in the total number of reservists-balkers exceeds 60 per cent.
The situation in recruiting to the US National Guard is not less disastrous. The National Guard recruitment plan is underfulfilled since 2005. As of today, the shortfall is almost 25 per cent of the required strength of the National Guard. Common Americans who traditionally serve in the National Guard refuse to become “the guards” because they just do not want to be sent to Iraq.
In order to attract volunteers the Pentagon took a number of steps of organizational and financial nature. For example, it was decided to ease the requirements to the volunteers recruited in the US Army. In particular, the Pentagon decided to decrease a share of volunteers with high education certificates and increase the number of volunteers who demonstrated the worst results at the IQ tests (within the acceptable limits).
Besides, the Pentagon initiated attraction of Iraqi citizens who will monthly earn 343 Dollars after signing the contract with the Pentagon. They are offered with privileges if they want in future to receive the US citizenship and move to the United States.
However, according to analysts, these measures will hardly radically improve the situation in recruitment to the US Armed Services. The Iraqi War became so unpopular among Americans that only its termination may raise the low soldiery spirit of common Americans who do not want to be involved in the Iraqi massacre.
