It has trimmed 5% of its 143, 000-person express work force by attrition.

FORBES: Start the Ground War

Particularly as they increase productivity and gradually shrink the labor force through normal retirement and attrition.

NPR: GM to Shed 30,000 Jobs, Offers Union Buyouts

The Afghan National Army, which has to replace and train nearly a third of its force every year because of desertion and attrition, is facing an insurgency that has not given up the fight.

BBC: Afghanistan: Challenges of security handover

The deputy commander of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), Lt Gen Nick Carter, said he was worried about "the rate of attrition that the Afghan forces are having to cope with presently".

BBC: Afghanistan: Challenges of security handover