When citizens voluntarily join our military, they take an oath to defend this country against all enemies foreign and domestic and for some to disregard that oath when their country calls is utterly disgraceful.

Since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, a small percentage of military personnel has gone absent without leave or deserted to Canada. This is a slap in the face to their brothers and sisters, many of whom are put in harm’s way on a daily basis.

Let’s remember people now in the military weren’t drafted. These soldiers volunteered for duty and in so doing, knew there would be a risk of having to serve in a combat zone.

The draft ended in 1973 after the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam. Those were different times; you were forced to serve in the military if your number was drawn.

Last year, 2,500 troops didn’t show up for duty. This number is down from almost 5,000 in 2001. About 20 have applied for refugee status in Canada.

It is good to see that deserter numbers have decreased, but it is sad that there is still a small number of military personnel who have turned their backs on their country and comrades.

Some are flat out desperate to avoid going into a combat zone.

For example, Army Spc. Marquise Roberts persuaded a cousin to shoot him in the leg to avoid being sent to Iraq.

Another example is Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, who went into hiding for five months before turning himself in to authorities. Mejia avoided his family and didn’t use his cell phone or computers because of fear of being sent back to Iraq.

These are the kind of cowardly acts that should be frowned upon.

We have no sympathy for those who take the oath to defend this country and turn tail the minute a conflict breaks out. They deserve to be prosecuted to the fullest extent when they are apprehended.

There are no doubt many soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who probably would probably prefer to be elsewhere, but the point is, they went when their country called.

These cowards who flee our country and those who refuse to uphold the oath they took are a disgrace to the uniform and to our country.