AWOL, awaiting packet

[Taken83oveR]

What is the name of your state? Indiana

Trying my best to move on with my life to support my wife and two children. I have been AWOL for a little over 2 months now from AIT at Fort Gordon (was there 5 months). You really don't want to hear that story. (involves wife being pregnant and the army not giving a damn)

I call once a week to see if my packet is in. Nope.

If there is no packet, does that mean there is no warrant? I would like to start working, and going to school in my spare time, but don't want to throw any flag's up.

I will be heading to Fort Sill, as soon as I get word on my packet.

[SHORTY LONG]

You stated you call once a week; are you calling the Deserter
Hotline? If not, here is the number: 502-626-3711, 3722, or 3724.

Food for though, if you return back to where you left from as
soon as possible, and make your position clear that you want
out, then, this would be much better for you than to have a
Federal Warrant issued upon you! And because of the
jurisdiction involved, it is all too likely that you will have to
return back to Ft. Gordon: your last assigned duty station!

[iescaped]

Originally Posted by Taken83oveR

What is the name of your state? Indiana

Trying my best to move on with my life to support my wife and two children. I have been AWOL for a little over 2 months now from AIT at Fort Gordon (was there 5 months). You really don't want to hear that story. (involves wife being pregnant and the army not giving a damn)

I call once a week to see if my packet is in. Nope.

If there is no packet, does that mean there is no warrant? I would like to start working, and going to school in my spare time, but don't want to throw any flag's up.

I will be heading to Fort Sill, as soon as I get word on my packet.

If I WERE to give my .02 cents... I'd say return to Gordon, and tell them you want to stay in. My situation involved my wife being pregnant as well, along wih some other issues, and in hindsight, would reverse the course of action I took, and have stayed in. It's haunted me ever sense. BUT, that would be IF I gave my .02 cents.

I never asked about my packet, just if I was dropped from the rolls, then I headed to Sill.
One week stay, and I was done. Forever labeled with a DD-214 that states OTH in my filing cabinet...

[Taken83oveR]

The number I am calling is
"1-502-626-3711
3712
3713"

I recieved this number from the redcross. When I first called the Red Cross, they asked me if I graduated AIT, I answered no. And they told me to keep calling this number, to see if my packet is in.

The number for the red cross is, 1-800-394-9544.

I have no intentions of going back and staying in. I can see where the military life is going to lead me, and that is away from my familiy. Meaning it is pulling my family apart, not bringing us closer. I would never be happy, as I want to be around to see everything my children do. I probably would have never joined if I knew my wife was pregnant. But my papers were already signed. I was in from aug-feb before I finally could not take anymore.. I felt my wife was not getting the proper health care, and the army was not letting me be there to attend to her high risk pregnancy. When ever I did go to her appointments, or to the hospital with her, on my return to my unit, I got hammered. Which is not right. I remember one night at the hospital, they was having me call every hour, to update the status. Total bs. I was more worried about calling my unit, then attending to my wife and children.

After graduating AIT, i was heading straight to South Korea. I would of missed my newborn daughters, first year of life. I requested to be stationed state side, or have my Korea order's delayed. It was denied.

[SHORTY LONG]

Do you think that you are the only one that has this
type of situation, and who are either Active duty,
National Guard, etc? Take heed of what has been shared
with you, and make no mistake about this: "A less than
Honorable Discharge will not only follow you for the
rest of your life, but, will also haunt you with shame,
and disgrace with baleful negative effects!"

[Taken83oveR]

Why do you post in cap's?
I would feel more ashamed if I stayed in the military, trust me. Knowing I just stood by and let the Army dictate my life and my future. I had made several request why I was in the army, and all declined. Why would they start being helpful now?

Go back to Gordon? Do you realize there are over a 1000 soldier's in my company? I did state that they were way over crowded. It's only the largest signal company in the army, because of this. Yes, I did say company. Perhaps that is why I get no help.

Anyway, I did ask a question, which no one has yet answered. They only provided me advice I didn't ask for. I have been reading this forum for about 3 months now, so I probably have all the advice I need.

[SHORTY LONG]

I did not reply in all caps; Bold, but not all caps! I am over
55 years of age, and my eyesight is not as clear (even with
glasses) as it used to be! Try the GI Hotline: 1-800-394-9544

[Xeremeh]

Originally Posted by Taken83oveR

Knowing I just stood by and let the Army dictate my life and my future.

I just read this.. and burst out laughing. I'm sorry, but the Army is not like any other job you can just quit. You should've known from the beginning that there would be repercussions for your actions.

[Taken83oveR]

Yes, ofcourse I did realize that. You are taking what I said and twisting it a bit.

I never assumed the army would be so family unfriendly. I figure they would work with there soldier's in times of life changing events. I was in for roughly 6 months, so I have a pretty good idea, where my life was heading.

[kwohl]

yea getting out is fun and happy, but living with it can suck at times. sometimes i don't care about being marked as oth, but other times man i regret it, and it sucks. i wish i would've been smart and joined the guard rather than the RA, i would probably still be in , but now with RE4. no go.

family is important and should always be lifes #1 aside from everything else, so do what you have to do.

just remember if you have a chance of getting out of a Ch 10 discharge; like you do now because you're not a deserter yet, you should think about it because you can never undo it, atleast based on the circumstances you've mentioned.

just my advice man. i wish i was in your shoes again.

[cyberspook]

Originally Posted by Taken83oveR

What is the name of your state? Indiana

Trying my best to move on with my life to support my wife and two children. I have been AWOL for a little over 2 months now from AIT at Fort Gordon (was there 5 months). You really don't want to hear that story. (involves wife being pregnant and the army not giving a damn)

I call once a week to see if my packet is in. Nope.

If there is no packet, does that mean there is no warrant? I would like to start working, and going to school in my spare time, but don't want to throw any flag's up.

I will be heading to Fort Sill, as soon as I get word on my packet.

Look this is a very contraversial topic. People are going to respond with there emotions instead of there unbias smarts.

OK the answer to your real question:

A) Yes you can get a job without sending any "flags" up. I would not get to attached to it though.

B) I wouldn't get to involved with school. School is a investment of time (and money), and as long as you're living on the lam you don't know when your time is going to be up.

[kwohl]

Originally Posted by cyberspook

Look this is a very contraversial topic. People are going to respond with there emotions instead of there unbias smarts.

OK the answer to your real question:

A) Yes you can get a job without sending any "flags" up. I would not get to attached to it though.

B) I wouldn't get to involved with school. School is a investment of time (and money), and as long as you're living on the lam you don't know when your time is going to be up.

you could probably finish a quarter of school.. but i would take the city bus or walk. driving=serious hazard to your liberty when you have a federal warrant...you'll get pulled over one day when your least expecting it, you weren't speeding, everything seemed fine, but suddenly you have a state trooper shining his light in your eyes, and then asking you to step out of the car "for a word."

just wait till your dfr and g o to sill. it can take quite a bit longer than 30 days sometimes to get to the dfr status. mine was 45. it just depends on how lazy your unit is. since you were in an AIT unit they should be on the ball on the dfr paperwork because they're used to it so just hold tight.

also on the original post your right in assuming you have no warrant as you have no packet. once there is a packet they can issue a warrant for your arrest. there is actually a window where there is apparently no warrant issue when the packet is processed according to those happy people in kentucky, how long the window is, and what its for is not relevant, once they say packet-- you get on a bus, plane, car, whatever you can and get to sill.

[Taken83oveR]

The last few replies have been very helpful. I sure do appreciate all the advice in this thread. I understand some of feelings a few of you have on this issue, and emotions are to be aspected. Let me apologize if I came of negative.

I realize, going back to Fort Gordon, to try for a better discharge would probably be in my best interest. But the level of help I received why there, is pushing me away. As any of you with prior service know, soldiers in training are treated very poorly.

[sipher]

just wait it out i did and im finally out my DFR took about 2 months and half but it was worth the wait .. dont worry about anyones else comments. yer day will come u'll see.

Originally Posted by Taken83oveR

The last few replies have been very helpful. I sure do appreciate all the advice in this thread. I understand some of feelings a few of you have on this issue, and emotions are to be aspected. Let me apologize if I came of negative.

I realize, going back to Fort Gordon, to try for a better discharge would probably be in my best interest. But the level of help I received why there, is pushing me away. As any of you with prior service know, soldiers in training are treated very poorly.