So this morning an IM pops up from a friend who I thought had gone into the military. As it turns out, he apparently went AWOL a week into bootcamp. Does my knowing this mean I need to contact uncle sam? Is it criminal for me not to?
– IG
Tecjnically, I suppose you should report it, but you’ll likely be met w/ apathy if you do. Unless, of course, you live near a military installation, where the have a military police presence.
I’d encourage him to go back, or turn himself in at the nearest military installation. If he went AWOL out of basic training, they probably lock him up for a few weeks and then give him some, less than honorable, discharge. Providing he hasn’t commited any other crimes. I wouldn’t hang out w/ the guy.
I think there might be an “oh shit” clause for an early out in boot camp. I will look around…
Depending on circumstances, they may give him the opportunity to go back and start basic over. They usually just give a “convenience to the gov’t.” dicsharge for people who fail to complete basic training. They will probably lock him up until the discharge is processed, unlikely more than a month, probably less. It beats looking over your shoulder all the time, but it usually takes people awhile to realize that. The military doesn’t usually take action on AWOL 's until after thirty days. At that time they are declared deserters and their info. is turned over to the FBI and NCIS. They are usually low profile and nobody is likely to actively pursue them until they get stopped by police for some other reason.
From a former company commander re desertion Under Construction
I don’t want to get into a argument over semantics. I didn’t mean to imply that that person would be charged w/, or would be guilty of, the formal charge of desertion. You are correct, in that it’s an administrative action. Although an enlisted man, I served as personnel officer at a mid sized naval facility near the end of my career.
I was simply trying to convey the general procedures, in hopes that the OP might be able to convince the individual to surrender to military authorities and resolve the affair, before it escalates into something more serious, w/ more severe consequences.
I believe that IG is not absolutely required to turn his friend in, but it would be illegal to do anything to assist him to evade, and if asked he would be expected to report what he knows.
Agreed. Again, the best choice is to face the music. It won’t be as bad as, I suspect, the person imagines.
For what it’s worth, some 20ish years ago a former army buddy of Cub Hubby’s simply never returned from leave. He got a general discharge in the mail at his permanent address some 6 months later. The US was not involved in any war (or similar conflict) at the time, if that makes a difference.
I think dropping a few bucks on a lawyer is the best advice we can give Improv Geek.
I didn’t serve in wartime, but in my experience it seemed that people who did a runner out of boot camp could have been processed for desertion but usually were administratively discharged for failing to complete IET. The Army didn’t want anybody who couldn’t even cut boot camp, and it was not cost effective to treat it as an offense. I bet it’s not that simple nowadays, though.
Not a biggie. (Well, at least not to me, I’m in Saudi Arabia after all …)
First I doubt your buddy’s explanation of events. In Basic Training, you are bald, you have no civilian clothes and you have no idea where the main gate is. So darn few people go AWOL from basic. I cannot think of a single instance in my time as BT company commander or battalion operations officer.
Next, you are under no obligation to tell anyone. The FBI is too busy to care much.
Finally, your friend ought to get on a bus to the nearest military police station and turn himself in. He will be detained, given a medical exam and processed. It happens all the time. Then what? Someone somewhere will make a decision if ought to be given a second chance or just discharged under the Trainee Discharge Program.
Jail time? Making pebbles out of rocks at Leavenworth? Too expensive. Too much trouble.
If he chooses to live life on the run, it gets awkward. His name is (or will be) in various data bases, he might have an outstanding federal warrant against him. Traffic tickets become an exciting event under these circumstances.
Let me know how it works out.
It’s a whole new world, Paul. Weekend Passes, Internet Chatting, Email, and even Cell Phones (in some places). Going AWOL at BASIC TRAINING is not an uncommon thing nowadays.
In my opinion, the pussy should not come back. The military has already wasted too much money on this quitter. If he came back, he’d likely spend a very easy (though boring) couple months being seperated. The whole time he’d be collecting a paycheck and even further wasting resources and tax dollars.
In which army? In USAF BMT, the limit of your contact with the outside world is any letters you post or get, and the 1 phone call you get a week. Theoretically you can have a cell phone, but you don’t get to have the battery, making it fairly moot. The sole exception to this, in my experience, is the weekend after you graduate, while you’re waiting to go to the next base.
As an NCO chiming in, tell your friend to turn himself in. A manhunt will not happen, he will not be shot for being a deserter, but he will, at a minimum have a chapter separation on his military record. This could make it hard for him to find a civilian job or education. The Army understands taht people make bad decisions and will probibly let him out. It may be a little bit stressful for him, but not too painful.
At Ft Benning, where I did Basic Combat Training, we were shown on day one where the exit points were and how to get there. Not to encourage anyone to go AWOL, but to provide the quitters wit a way to get out.
Also, Bear, pussy is kind of harsh, considering he did voulenteer, but was not able to be a soldier.
Sgt Schwartz
Schwartz, what then, do you reccomend Bear refer to him as?
Sgt., you reflect the wisdom and maturity expected of a leader, perhaps others will recognize that and learn from it. I salute you.
I’d kind of like to see a cite for this. My son just went through basic (for the Navy) 2 years ago and his experience there wasn’t drastically different than my own 25 years ago. I had one overnight pass (on the weekend we graduated), and Nick didn’t even have that, since he had to head right out to catch his A school. And he definately had no access to IM, or email, or cell phones. My nephew has also done basic recently (the Marine Corps, in his case, which he entered 18 months ago), and his experience doesn’t jibe with Bear’s statements either.
Anyway, back to the OP. I agree that Improv Geek’s buddy needs to turn himself in. If he truly went AWOL during Boot Camp, the ramifications should be slight. I think they used to have (no cites, this is from memory) some sort of ‘basic training separation’ that was essentially penalty-free. The fact that he actually ran off would probably make him ineligible for this, if it actually does exist. But worst case scenario would still be a few weeks in the brig and then an admin discharge of some kind.
I’m with those who think it unlikely he actually managed to desert from Boot Camp, though. That would be hard, unless he slipped away during a mini-liberty. We (again, 25 years ago) went on a bus to DisneyWorld for a day towards the end of basic training. It would have been possible to run off from there. And we also had that overnight liberty upon graduation. But actual Boot Camp? Would have been tough.
Besides being too busy to care about someone who is AWOL for only a short time, the Army takes a lackadaisical attitude about anyone missing. I believe the penalty for being AWOL increases as the time away increases, so there’s no hurry to bring him back in the fold.
I agree, he should turn himself in ASAP - of his own volition - rather than be picked up for a traffic offense, or try to get a government loan or benefit in a few years, and be facing a warrant and possible criminal charges.
Although I agree we shouldn’t insult him, I would note that, if Robert Heinlein had his way (as described in Starship Troopers), the guy would never be able to vote or hold public office.