USA: Former GIs don't want to go to war

According to an article published in The New York Times on 16 November 2004, more than 1800 of 4000 former GIs who are now members of the Individual Ready Reserves requested exemption or delay after receiving a call-up for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. Out of 2500 who were due to report to military bases for refresher training by 7 November 2004, only 733 showed up.

The Individual Ready Reserve consists of approximately 110000 members - former GIs who are not part of the National Guard or reservists, and therefore do not train regulary, and are rarely called back for active duty.

According to the New York Times article, this resistance to call-ups puts further strain on a military that has summoned reserve troops in numbers not seen since World War II and forced thousands of soldiers in Iraq to postpone their departures when their enlistment obligations ended.