The US Army announced Tuesday that thirty percent of former US soldiers who have recently been involuntarily called back to duty - many in connection with missions in Iraq and Afghanistan - have failed to report on time, and eight have actualy been declared AWOL. The Army is using the Individual Ready Reserve, which is made up of people who have already completed their voluntary Army service commitments but remain eligible to be mobilized in case of a national emergency, to maintain troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The eight soldiers listed as AWOL could face military criminal charges as deserters and their names will be entered into a national criminal investigation database, which means they could be arrested if they are stopped on a routine traffic stop. All eight had been notified of their status but still refused to report. Read an Army report on AWOL and desertion here [PDF]. Reuters has more.