http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21836566/

"Army desertion up 80 percent since Iraq war
Nine in 1,000 went AWOL in fiscal 2007; seven in 1,000 a year earlier

updated 45 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

While the totals are still far lower than they were during the Vietnam war, when the draft was in effect, they show a steady increase over the past four years and a 42 percent jump since last year."

The lead on this story strongly implies the desertion rate is primarily an anti-war sentiment unfolding. I'm sure this factors in no doubt but there are bound to be other reasons as well.