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Sunday, January 16, 2005
Oregonians won't sign up to go back to Iraq
A month ago, The Oregonian's Mike Francis reported that Oregon's National Guardsmen were dying in Iraq at a rate nearly triple that of the national average. It thus comes as no surprise that Oregonians are not reenlisting to go back to Iraq upon their return to the states. Harry Esteve, also of The Oregonian, reports on this development.
Oregon Army National Guard soldiers who served in Iraq are opting to leave the military at a rate significantly higher than normal, according to preliminary numbers released to The Oregonian.The situation in Iraq is rapidly deteriorating and our troops have frequently indicated their reluctance to sign up for additional tours of duty. Perhaps it's time to fix the policies regarding Iraq or otherwise begin devising an exit strategy.
Fewer than half -- between 180 and 190 -- of the Iraq veterans in the Oregon Guard's 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry, which came home in April, decided to re-enlist. Typically, Guard retention rates hover around 80 percent.
"That's a huge hit," said Col. Mike Caldwell, public affairs director for the Oregon Guard, who got a first look at the numbers last week. Since September of 2004, 49 percent of eligible 1st Battalion soldiers have said they would sign up again.
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