U.S. military deserters are costing taxpayers a lot of money, according to military officials.
The Army Public Affairs office reported that it costs an average of $50,000 to $64,000 to train a soldier from the recruiting station to first unit station. Between 2002 and 2007, there were at least 2,400 soldiers each year who deserted duty sometime after training.
About 60 percent of deserters have served less than 12 months, while more than 80 percent served less than three years, according to data.
Army Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb said most of the deserters have historically been first-term, junior enlisted soldiers who leave the Army for personal, family or financial problems.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice defines a deserter as one who remains "absent without leave" (AWOL) for at least 30 days.
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