American army attends to reservists

The American army is taking steps to expel dozens of reservists who failed to report for active duty and in doing so, are warning others they could also be penalized if they don't heed orders to return to active service.

The steps mark a change in the Army's struggle to deploy thousands of soldiers from the Individual Ready Reserve, a rarely mobilized group of reservists, to war areas in which some have resisted serving.

The Reserves are soldiers who had previously served on active duty but had not completed their eight year service obligation. Many have either requested a delay in returning to service, have asked to be exempted or have ignored their orders.

The Army begin mobilizing the Reserve soldiers in the summer of 2004. There are 463 soldiers who have been sent orders but have not reported, including 80 that now face discharge and 383 who have not been located, AHN reports.

Photo: the AP

V.Y.