SAN DIEGO -- Thousands of US troops are being barred from overseas duty because they are so deep in debt they are considered security risks, according to an Associated Press review of military records.
The number of troops held back has climbed sharply in the past few years. And while they appear to represent a very small percentage of all US military personnel, the increase is occurring at a time when the armed forces are stretched thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We are seeing an alarming trend in degrading financial health," said Navy Captain Mark D. Patton, commanding officer at San Diego's Naval Base Point Loma.
The Pentagon contends financial problems can distract personnel from their duties or make them vulnerable to bribery and treason. As a result, those who fall heavily into debt can be stripped of the security clearances they need to go overseas.
While the number of revoked clearances has surged since the beginning of the Iraq war, military officials say there is no evidence that service members are deliberately running up debts to stay out of harm's way.
Officials also say the increase has not undermined the military's fighting ability, though some say it has complicated the job of assembling some of the units needed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The problem is attributed to a lack of financial smarts among recruits; reckless spending among those exhilarated to make it home alive from a tour of duty; and the profusion of "payday lenders" -- businesses that allow military personnel to borrow against their next paycheck at extremely high interest rates.
The debt problems persist despite crackdowns on payday lenders and the financial counseling the Pentagon routinely offers to the troops.
Data supplied to the Associated Press by the Navy, Marines, and Air Force show that the number of clearances revoked for financial reasons rose every year between 2002 and 2005, climbing nine fold from 284 at the start of the period to 2,654 last year. Partial numbers from this year suggest the trend continues.
More than 6,300 personnel in the three branches lost their clearances during that four-year period. Roughly 900,000 people are serving in the three branches, though not all need clearances.
The figures represent just a piece of problem, because the Army -- which employs an additional 500,000 people and accounts for the vast majority of the 160,000 US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan -- rejected repeated requests over the past month to supply its data, saying such information is confidential.
At Point Loma, Patton said clearance revocations in key areas such as military police forces have gotten so common that he often looks for two sailors to fill a single posting.
Still, Patton said he had never heard of anyone racking up bills to get out of combat.
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