Question for former military types -- why does it stick in my head that going AWOL during wartime IS technically desertion?

However, legally or not, in the context of Dubya, I don't think that the term desertion really applies. AWOL, yes, he was irresponsible for not showing up for duty for over a year. Where were his commanding officers, though? Clearly by allowing this to continue for so long, he was being granted a de facto priviledge that other soldiers were not accorded.