Awol Problem

[Tanon]

What is the name of your state? Texas


Ok here's my deal, I've been awol for 18 months. I turned myself in about a year ago to Ft. Sill and was shipped back to my unit at Ft. Hood. I have no problem taking care of this problem but I just cannot handle going back to that same unit.

So I heard about being DFR'd and calling the deserter hotline, so I did and found out that this time I do have a warrant out for me. However he said that I can't go to Fort Sill because I'm a FORCECOM soldier and they will send me back to my unit again no matter what.

So my questions are, is there anyway I can get around this and get discharged at another base?

And, I'm hearing that my unit is deployed at Fort Hood, if I return to fort hood directly then where exactly would I go and for how long? Is there anyone out there that has been through this with Fort Hood?

Thanks.

respectfully, what does forcecom mean?

[Tanon]

To be honest and this is coming from an apparent Forcecom Soldier ..I have no freckin clue.

I had never even heard the term before.

FOG-M Fiber-Optic Guided Missile
FOM Federated Object Model
FOM Federation Object Model
FOM Fiber Optic Modems
FOOB fire out of battery
FOPEN FOliage PENetrating
FOPEN foliage penetration
FOR field of regard
FOR Field-of-Regard
FORCECOM U.S. Forces Command
FORCES Force and Organization Cost Estimating System
FORSCOM U.S. Army Forces Command
FORSCOM United States Army Forces Command
FOS family of systems
FOSI Formatting Output Specification Instance
FOT follow-on operational test
FOT follow-on test
FOT force on target
FOT&E follow-on operational test and evaluation
FOUO For Official Use Only
FOV family of vehicles

here are the list of acronyms (gotta love em) perhaps the OP can enlighten us. I love a good story

[SHORTY LONG]

13 APRIL 2006

Tanon, most likely you will have to return to Ft. Hood because they have original "jurisdiction" over you; and if your unit is away you will be detained in either a holding barracks or the brig. And "thepizzaguy" acronyms are right on point! FORSCOM U.S. Army Forces Command; FORSCOM United States Army Forces Command!
Shorty out

Originally Posted by Tanon

What is the name of your state? Texas


Ok here's my deal, I've been awol for 18 months. I turned myself in about a year ago to Ft. Sill and was shipped back to my unit at Ft. Hood. I have no problem taking care of this problem but I just cannot handle going back to that same unit.

So I heard about being DFR'd and calling the deserter hotline, so I did and found out that this time I do have a warrant out for me. However he said that I can't go to Fort Sill because I'm a FORCECOM soldier and they will send me back to my unit again no matter what.

So my questions are, is there anyway I can get around this and get discharged at another base?

And, I'm hearing that my unit is deployed at Fort Hood, if I return to fort hood directly then where exactly would I go and for how long? Is there anyone out there that has been through this with Fort Hood?

Thanks.

[Tanon]

So should I lawyer up before I go down there?

Since I guess I have to go back to fort hood, then what exactly should I do when I get there to get the ball rolling on my discharge?

[SHORTY LONG]

13 APR 06

Tanon, if you can afford Private Legal Counsel that specializes in Military Law, then by all means obtain his or her services before you go; if you can not then the Military will provide you with Counsel. Once you arrive and go where ever they put you, then respectfully request the services of a "JAG" Oficer fromBase Legal. The sooner you go the sooner the ball will roll; just go and have your Military ID etc., and report to the front gate and let them know you are "AWOL" and are turning yourself in. From there, they will do the rest! If you smoke, take plenty, and lots of Candy bars. I am not exactly sure what they will allow you to have while you go through the process! But, be advised that, the type of discharge that you probably will get will be an "oth" or "bcd" which will not only haunt you for the rest of your days, but will always follow you and cause you a lifelong problem[s]! Hope all the best for you. Shorty out!

Originally Posted by Tanon

So should I lawyer up before I go down there?

Since I guess I have to go back to fort hood, then what exactly should I do when I get there to get the ball rolling on my discharge?

[Tanon]

So I went ahead and hired a Civilian Lawyer....I hear they are pretty good :P

They said they are going to coordinate my return to Ft. Hood.....anyone got any idea of how the whole civilian lawyer process works?

Originally Posted by Tanon

So I went ahead and hired a Civilian Lawyer....I hear they are pretty good :P

They said they are going to coordinate my return to Ft. Hood.....anyone got any idea of how the whole civilian lawyer process works?

I don't know how this is going to work with a civilian lawyer. I hope someone responds for you. I hope you keep us informed on this as I am curious how this will work out for you.

Good luck

[Tanon]

So I thought I would give an update.

Can't believe what happened.

I turned myself in around 17:55 Monday night to the provost marshal's office. Even though I was a deserter......and had a federal warrant......they turned me AWAY! They told me to come back the next day because the awol people were gone. I was absolutely floored.....I had to get a hotel room lol.

So by then I was already wondering what the crap was going on. So I turned myself in yesterday, the awol officer (who was an incredibly good guy) spent 4 hours calling every headquarters and a handful of brigades on base. None of them had me in their records, none of them had anything on me at all. Basically my old unit got moved to Ft. Bliss, and when they left they did absolutely zero paperwork on me or anything. So I'm just kinda stuck in limbo.

He released me to my own custody (again wtf?) and took the federal warrant off. He gave me a waiver to drive to Ft. Bliss and "try" going there. He even said that he doesn't even know if that will work.

So what the hell am I supposed to do now? I really don't wanna drive another freaking 13 hours to Ft. Bliss for them only to turn me around and come back (cost of gas anyone?). Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on what to do?

My civilian lawyer is going to contact usadep to see if I can go to Ft. Sill for discharge or to at least see if she can start clarifying ANYTHING. So if anyone has any tidbits to throw in here I'd appreciate it.

[SHORTY LONG]

Tanon, you have a Lawyer; listen to him or her and ask questions and if you do not understand what they are saying, have them say it again in layman terms. Other than that, hand in there. Shorty out!

Originally Posted by Tanon

So I thought I would give an update.

Can't believe what happened.

I turned myself in around 17:55 Monday night to the provost marshal's office. Even though I was a deserter......and had a federal warrant......they turned me AWAY! They told me to come back the next day because the awol people were gone. I was absolutely floored.....I had to get a hotel room lol.

So by then I was already wondering what the crap was going on. So I turned myself in yesterday, the awol officer (who was an incredibly good guy) spent 4 hours calling every headquarters and a handful of brigades on base. None of them had me in their records, none of them had anything on me at all. Basically my old unit got moved to Ft. Bliss, and when they left they did absolutely zero paperwork on me or anything. So I'm just kinda stuck in limbo.

He released me to my own custody (again wtf?) and took the federal warrant off. He gave me a waiver to drive to Ft. Bliss and "try" going there. He even said that he doesn't even know if that will work.

So what the hell am I supposed to do now? I really don't wanna drive another freaking 13 hours to Ft. Bliss for them only to turn me around and come back (cost of gas anyone?). Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on what to do?

My civilian lawyer is going to contact usadep to see if I can go to Ft. Sill for discharge or to at least see if she can start clarifying ANYTHING. So if anyone has any tidbits to throw in here I'd appreciate it.

[SHORTY LONG]

Originally Posted by SHORTY LONG

Tanon, you have a Lawyer; listen to him or her and ask questions and if you do not understand what they are saying, have them say it again in layman terms. Other than that, hand in there. Shorty out!

Originally Posted by Tanon
So I thought I would give an update.

Can't believe what happened.

I turned myself in around 17:55 Monday night to the provost marshal's office. Even though I was a deserter......and had a federal warrant......they turned me AWAY! They told me to come back the next day because the awol people were gone. I was absolutely floored.....I had to get a hotel room lol.

So by then I was already wondering what the crap was going on. So I turned myself in yesterday, the awol officer (who was an incredibly good guy) spent 4 hours calling every headquarters and a handful of brigades on base. None of them had me in their records, none of them had anything on me at all. Basically my old unit got moved to Ft. Bliss, and when they left they did absolutely zero paperwork on me or anything. So I'm just kinda stuck in limbo.

He released me to my own custody (again wtf?) and took the federal warrant off. He gave me a waiver to drive to Ft. Bliss and "try" going there. He even said that he doesn't even know if that will work.

So what the hell am I supposed to do now? I really don't wanna drive another freaking 13 hours to Ft. Bliss for them only to turn me around and come back (cost of gas anyone?). Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on what to do?

My civilian lawyer is going to contact usadep to see if I can go to Ft. Sill for discharge or to at least see if she can start clarifying ANYTHING. So if anyone has any tidbits to throw in here I'd appreciate it.

[Tanon]

Well thought I would give an update, as a few of you wanted to know how it goes.

So far I have listened to my lawyer but to be honest even she doesn't know whats going on. In fact.....no one does. Infact the exactly quote that was used from usadep was "Well, in the army its just black and white, no inbetween.....and unfortunately you are the inbetween."

Basically if I turn myself in fort hood they won't take me, if I go to ft. bliss then they will probably send me back to fort hood and if I go to Ft. Sill they will probably send me to either base as they are saying I was permanent party. Though I have doubts to whether my paperwork was even ever done. I never went to S1 or anything when I got to my permanent duty station, and no paperwork was done on me outside of the replacement division.

So basically I'm stuck in limbo. No one knows what to do. Anyone have ANY suggestions at all, anything I can say to maybe get a discharge up at Ft. Sill? Any suggestions other than listen to your lawyer?

[badapple40]

Since you've turned yourself in, and been cut orders to go to Fort Bliss (they did cut you orders, right?), I'd go to Bliss.

While they figure out what to do with you, time is ticking on the statute of limitations. And time is ticking away on your original enlistment. Best case scenario is that you've got letters from everyone saying you are not their problem, and to go home while they figure it out. Wait five years, and then you are out honorably, having "served" all your time.

You did get documentation that you turned yourself in to the AWOL officer right?

If it were me advising you, I'd have given the AWOL officer a statement that said:

My name is ____, and I surrendered myself to military control on _____ (date) at ____ (time).

You sign and date

And then he can write out orders, telling you to go wherever...

and that would have started the clock running.

Your civilian attorney, is she prior military (e.g. does she know what the heck she's doing)?

[Tanon]

I wouldn't say they cut me orders, more like he just gave me a slip of paper (travel pass or something to that effect) for me to go to the Provost Marshal's office at Ft. Bliss.

I didn't realize that AWOL had a statute of limitations though :P

Yes there is paperwork with both Fort Hood and USADEP that I tried to turn myself in. They took my warrant off and put me as Returned to Military Control.....even though well...ya know I'm sitting at home :P


Yea my lawyer is prior navy, she works for mccormick and associates (which i believe you recommend), she's been good but its just the fact that no one knows what to do with me.

She talked to USADEP a few times and finally got this answer out of them**************because I got issued the pass to Ft. Bliss I HAVE to report there.....however they still don't know if they will even do anything with me. They pretty much said that there is a good chance they are just gonna send me somewhere else or not even take me there either.

Which kinda makes me wonder why the hell I'm going to drive 12 hours. They are also saying they issued me a bus/plane voucher....which of course they didn't. Its really kinda annoying :P