Awol from Basic but wanna stay in...

[Villangunz815]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
Okay here is my issue, I really could use advice. I enlisted in the US ARMY active duty on 19MARCH2008 as a 21BRAVO combat engineer. I loved basic from the moment I got there, the Drill Sgt's, my battle buddies, cadence, everything....However I wasnt in the best of shape, I was 5'9 and 205lbs(Now I'm 5'9 and 175lbs) when I shipped. PT was easy for me, except for all the running, I just wasnt used to it. So, durring the first week of white phase, I noticed a severe pain in my left knee so I went to sick call and was told I had a sprain and was given crutches and a no run, jump, march profile for 7 days. Within the seven days I started feeling the same pain in my other knee, as well as my shins. So I went back to sick call and was told I had a stress injury and was scheduled for a bone scan 2 weeks later. In the mean time, I was on a "dead mans profile", and was not allowed to do ANYTHING.
Finnally after 2 weeks I went to my appointment and had a few tests done and it was determined that I had stress fractures in both my knees so bad that my physical therapist said it looked like I was shot in both knees, and I was then sent home on a 30 day leave to heal and come back to RESTART basic.
On base, I was fine with the idea of going home and coming back, I just wanted to get basic over with.
I got home only to start freaking out about going back to basic in such pain, the treatment I recieved for being injured was terrible but I have thick skin and it didnt affect me while I was there, but when I got home I started thinking "if basic training is designed to give you a general taste of what ARMY life will be like, then whats going to happen when I get to Iraq and get injured? Are my battle buddies and Superiors going to disregard me there too because Im "BROKE"?
I fought with myself over the idea of not going back because they brainwash you to think that going AWOL will destroy your life, I tried talking myself into going back, I tried talking to family but they didnt want me going back in the first place, so no help there.
I knew what I was about to do was the worst possible decision EVER, however, I was scared enough to go through with it anyway.
So, on 1MAY2008, I was sent on CON LEAVE, and scheduled to return 1JUNE2008. I ultimately did not go back.
Rather than getting on the bus to go back, I went to Wyoming to hide out(STUPID) with some freinds who would hide me.
4 weeks later, I was arrested on old traffic warrants that I didnt know I had and evidently neither did the ARMY because It didnt effect my enlistment.
When I was in county jail, I came out and told the gaurds that I was AWOL, and wanted to get it handled. The gaurds didnt believe me though, and when they finally contact the ARMY, there was nothing out on my name, NOTHING. I was released from jail without incident 3 weeks later.
Since I was arrested after being AWOL for 45 days and nothing happend, I figured the ARMY didnt care about someone who went AWOL in basic.
So a few days ago I spoke with a recruiter about re-enlisting, and he said if I didnt have my DD-214's, I was still in the ARMY. He didnt even care that I am STILL technically AWOL. He told me to go to either Ft Sill, or Ft Knox, tell them WHY I didnt come back, and that I want to fulfill my contract.
I Know what I did was DISHONORABLE, I was scared and made a stupid decision, and now that I know I am still AWOL, I want to handle it. I will take ANY punishment given to stay in. Any MOS. I enlisted with NO sign on bonus as a combat engineer and didnt care, I was going to make it my career. But I F*cked up. I have NO rank, and my Armed services Bank account is in a negative balance.
Does anyone have any insight other than I need to turn myself in ASAP?
As soon as I get the cash for a bus ticket, Im going to turn myself in,
Ive heard that current army policy is allowing awol soldiers who turned themselves in the option to stay in.....I am not a deserter, I never intended on STAYING away, I was scared. Never finished basic, only in for 2 months. And now I have been AWOL almost a year...
What are my chances of staying IN and moving on with my life. I OWE it to my country to turn myself in and I will. I am just worried about my future....
PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[SHORTY LONG]

Copy and paste into your Browser, click enter:
http://forum.freeadvice.com/military-law-92/fyi-important-telephone-numbers-military-awolers-deserters-379094.html

You do not have to wait to save money in order to return. The above listed
information will provide you with Transportation; or you could just go to any
Military Installation close to where you are at, and they will help you.

I do hope you are for real, and have good heart in what you say!!!

Say no more, just act now in realism in doing what is right; and on the other
hand, continue your present status, and eventually you will be apprehended
and taken into custody the hard way. Moreover, you think your knees are
shot, well if you get a bad discharge then the rest of your life is shot too!!!

Lastly, FYI: whither or not you are aware of this, only the strong survive in
this world!

Originally Posted by Villangunz815

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
Okay here is my issue, I really could use advice. I enlisted in the US ARMY active duty on 19MARCH2008 as a 21BRAVO combat engineer. I loved basic from the moment I got there, the Drill Sgt's, my battle buddies, cadence, everything....However I wasnt in the best of shape, I was 5'9 and 205lbs(Now I'm 5'9 and 175lbs) when I shipped. PT was easy for me, except for all the running, I just wasnt used to it. So, durring the first week of white phase, I noticed a severe pain in my left knee so I went to sick call and was told I had a sprain and was given crutches and a no run, jump, march profile for 7 days. Within the seven days I started feeling the same pain in my other knee, as well as my shins. So I went back to sick call and was told I had a stress injury and was scheduled for a bone scan 2 weeks later. In the mean time, I was on a "dead mans profile", and was not allowed to do ANYTHING.
Finnally after 2 weeks I went to my appointment and had a few tests done and it was determined that I had stress fractures in both my knees so bad that my physical therapist said it looked like I was shot in both knees, and I was then sent home on a 30 day leave to heal and come back to RESTART basic.
On base, I was fine with the idea of going home and coming back, I just wanted to get basic over with.
I got home only to start freaking out about going back to basic in such pain, the treatment I recieved for being injured was terrible but I have thick skin and it didnt affect me while I was there, but when I got home I started thinking "if basic training is designed to give you a general taste of what ARMY life will be like, then whats going to happen when I get to Iraq and get injured? Are my battle buddies and Superiors going to disregard me there too because Im "BROKE"?
I fought with myself over the idea of not going back because they brainwash you to think that going AWOL will destroy your life, I tried talking myself into going back, I tried talking to family but they didnt want me going back in the first place, so no help there.
I knew what I was about to do was the worst possible decision EVER, however, I was scared enough to go through with it anyway.
So, on 1MAY2008, I was sent on CON LEAVE, and scheduled to return 1JUNE2008. I ultimately did not go back.
Rather than getting on the bus to go back, I went to Wyoming to hide out(STUPID) with some freinds who would hide me.
4 weeks later, I was arrested on old traffic warrants that I didnt know I had and evidently neither did the ARMY because It didnt effect my enlistment.
When I was in county jail, I came out and told the gaurds that I was AWOL, and wanted to get it handled. The gaurds didnt believe me though, and when they finally contact the ARMY, there was nothing out on my name, NOTHING. I was released from jail without incident 3 weeks later.
Since I was arrested after being AWOL for 45 days and nothing happend, I figured the ARMY didnt care about someone who went AWOL in basic.
So a few days ago I spoke with a recruiter about re-enlisting, and he said if I didnt have my DD-214's, I was still in the ARMY. He didnt even care that I am STILL technically AWOL. He told me to go to either Ft Sill, or Ft Knox, tell them WHY I didnt come back, and that I want to fulfill my contract.
I Know what I did was DISHONORABLE, I was scared and made a stupid decision, and now that I know I am still AWOL, I want to handle it. I will take ANY punishment given to stay in. Any MOS. I enlisted with NO sign on bonus as a combat engineer and didnt care, I was going to make it my career. But I F*cked up. I have NO rank, and my Armed services Bank account is in a negative balance.
Does anyone have any insight other than I need to turn myself in ASAP?
As soon as I get the cash for a bus ticket, Im going to turn myself in,
Ive heard that current army policy is allowing awol soldiers who turned themselves in the option to stay in.....I am not a deserter, I never intended on STAYING away, I was scared. Never finished basic, only in for 2 months. And now I have been AWOL almost a year...
What are my chances of staying IN and moving on with my life. I OWE it to my country to turn myself in and I will. I am just worried about my future....
PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[Villangunz815]

Thanks for the input shorty, and trust me, my heart is definately in the right place, I know I made a very dishonorable choice, but I am seeking my redemption, and want to man up for my mistake, take my charges, and continue to serve.
Ive researched my situation a little more, and since I am an IET soldier, it doesnt look good when it comes to staying in, Ive been away too long, I was only an E-1, and was only in basic for about 3 weeks before being injured, then I just sat there.
My knees arent shot, I run all the time now, I was just in bad shape when I got to basic and my body couldnt take it, no matter how much my mind could.

I have lost over 50lbs since being on base and can tottally do the training.
Im sure if I WAS to be giving the option of staying in, some back pay would be taken, extra duty given, as well as possibly time in the brig.

Either way, I am a proud American who made a bad choice and is willing to pay for it, my whole life if necessary.
Any further advice, input or even criticism would be appreciated...
Sincerely PVT "Humbled"