Since 2004, the number of young men deciding they don’t want to be shootists for Uncle Slam anymore has gone up 234%. In any other line of work, even governmental, people can quit without facing years in a cage or a firing squad. But the Pentagon claims the right to impose either penalty on men who decide they want a different livelihood. Since soldiers are, therefore, slaves for a term, it takes a lot of courage to ride the underground railroad. The 234% figure is impressive.

UPDATE from Eric Field:

In response to the voluntary decline in military participation, don’t underestimate the role that you and your associates have played in leading Soldiers to reconsider their career choice.  I recently separated after nine years of “service”.  The Austo-libertarian framework did much to crystallize my discotent with the ongoing situation that I saw in the Army.

UPDATE from Brian:

Count me in. i was just a reservist, but I’m in my 4th year as a non-participant; being paid by theft to commit murder is not my bag, and I will not, under any threat, fulfill my “contract.” Less than 2 years to go before my stint is over.

UPDATE from Dave:

I very much appreciated your blog post today about the 234% increase in soldiers going AWOL. I myself made the ill-advised decision to enlist as an Army Ranger just over two years ago out of a misguided sense of serving “God and Country.” As time wore on, I started questioning what I was doing. I began to explore my long-held libertarian leanings more seriously as well as investigate the history behind the wars and the ulterior motives the propaganda never mentions. Eventually, I realized that being an Army Ranger ran counter to both my libertarian and Christian beliefs. It’s been a difficult year and half as this process has been on going, and your website has been instrumental in helping to hone and reaffirm the beliefs I’ve come to hold. I read it everyday. I myself have not gone AWOL, but I am in the process of seeking discharge as a Conscientious Objector. I hope and pray that it doesn’t come down to my having to go AWOL, but after 10 months of the Army stonewalling a process that, according to regulations, should only take 3-to-4 months, the thought that I might one day has to has certainly crossed my mind.I greatly appreciate what you and all the other LRC contributors do here. Keep up the good work. Thank you, and God bless.

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.