AWOL Returnee 1cd

[arcvile311]

Fort Hood, TX


I made a post a few months back about my awol story.
To make it short:
I joined the Army in August 2005. At the time i was 17 years old, parental consent, etc. Went to 19D OSUT and graduated 19Jan 2006. Reported to 1st CAV DIV, Feb 8 2006. Got pissed off and tired of the harassment, left Mar 20 2006. I was still 17 at the time. I was awol from Mar 20 2006 until Mar 29 2007. Turned myself in at Fort Knox. Welll well well. Permanent party turning themselves in at Ft. Knox equals a sweet free bus ride down to Fort Hood. That's a 26 hour bus ride. All the PP soldiers were returned to their parent unit.

I have now been at Ft. Hood for over 3 weeks. I am not on post, barracks, or any other restrictions. My unit is in Iraq. I don't do extra duty and I hardly do anything at all besides 0900 formation and 1300 formation. They are not retaining or deploying me, but cannot make up their mind on whether or not to court martial or chapter me out. Having the fact that I was a 17 year old PVT with 6 mo's time in service is supposedly going to work to my advantage. Hopefully i'll find out something here soon.

Just wanted to share my story , i'll answer any questions i can for anyone.

[SHORTY LONG]

I hope for your long-term sake that, you are discharged favorably.
If nothing else, try and remember this: What you do today,
including the free choices you make will become history
thereafter, which in return, will always be a part of your life!

[cyberspook]

Seventeen... Short of murder or other violent crime I just don't think they (the military or any other governing authority) should have the ability to screw your whole life up.

At seventeen your life has not begun. Where do they get off marring it all up?

I know that is not legal advice but I had to say something.

[arcvile311]

well, been here since march 29 at fort hood. last thursday, my packet from division came down from 1st cav legal. i am being taken to a court martial. haven't met my lawyer yet to discuss anything. just wanted to give an update.

[cyberspook]

Originally Posted by arcvile311

well, been here since march 29 at fort hood. last thursday, my packet from division came down from 1st cav legal. i am being taken to a court martial. haven't met my lawyer yet to discuss anything. just wanted to give an update.

Well this post shows that the military is taking a more agressive aproach to the UA/AWOL matter.

Good luck and perhaps when you speak to your lawyer things will get better.

[arcvile311]

I had completely forgotten about this post, so I figured I would give a valid update.

As I said earlier.
I went awol ~20 march 2006 from my unit at Fort Hood. I turned myself into Fort Knox PCF on 27 March 2007. They dropped me off at the Greyhound station in Louisville with a free bus ticket to Fort Hood. No escort, nothing. Could've went AWOL again but I figured it was the right time to end the AWOL problems. I got to my unit, who are deployed. My rear detachment 1SG assigned me a barracks room. I went in every morning, left, and came back the next morning. Eventually, 6 to 7 weeks later I got read Court Martial Charges for awol, desertion, a period longer than one year. I was not charged with missing movement because my unit had not recieved deployment orders when I went awol.

Talked to Trial Defense (JAG). Told them my story of only being at the unit for 2-3 weeks before I went AWOL. Told them I was 17 at the time of going AWOL. Told them my sons mother had cancer so I went on e-leave and never returned. Didn't seem to matter, TDS at Fort Hood is dealing with 200 awol/desertion charges at any given time right now. About a week later, I got a plea for a Summary Court Martial as long as I pleaded guilty. SCM is no longer than 30 days in confinement. So, i took the deal. I went to SCM on June 1, 2007. Keep in mind I turned myself in on 29 march to my unit. So over 2 months time before I got my court martial, which actually isn't bad compared to other people at ft. hood. My punishment was 20 days confinement, 2/3 pay loss for one month, reduction from E-2 to E-1, and my unit was to begin chapter paperwork for 14-12C which is Miscondunct, commission of a serious offense. I went to Bell county Jail, about 30 minutes form Fort hood. I was placed into general population with 3 other awol miltary guys and 20 regular off the street criminals for drugs, theft, etc. I got out of jail 17 June 2007 ( 3 days good behavior.) Returned to the unit, started the process of clearing. It took a damn month to completely clear because of the waiting time for chapter-out physicals and what not. I recieved my DD-214 on July 20 and I am out of the ARMY. I got an Other than Honorable discharge and a REcode4.
Keep in mind fellas, I was 17 when i joined, and went awol. turned 18 while awol, turned 19 in jail for being awol. I am 19 years old and what happens in 5-10 years if I grow up some more and realise I want to serve my country. I can't, because I made a silly decision when I was a kid. So if you have already went AWOL, the only thing to do is to go back. You may get a chapter with no jailtime, or depending on your attitude and the circumstances, you might get a year. But, as I realised in march, you do not want to be on the run forever. They will find you, whether a day after you go awol, or 15 years. It's not good to look over your shoulder. It took 4 months for me to get out, but now, I'm out. I work everyday, I pass background checks, and if I get pulled over, it's "here's your ticket, carry on, have a nice day, sir!" So this is my story and my advice for everyone. If anyone has any more specific questions I will check in and be more than happy to assist you.

[angelydiablo6]

Ok So I Posted Awol Questions Hoping You Would Help Me And Someone Deleted Them Right After I Posted Them. I Have A Situation With My Husband Being Awol And Have A Few Questions As He Is Ready To Turn Himself In Soon. I'm Not Going To Repost Those Questions As They All Got Deleted But If You Can Help Please Let Me Know. Thankyou

[SHORTY LONG]

Originally Posted by angelydiablo6

Ok So I Posted Awol Questions Hoping You Would Help Me And Someone Deleted Them Right After I Posted Them. I Have A Situation With My Husband Being Awol And Have A Few Questions As He Is Ready To Turn Himself In Soon. I'm Not Going To Repost Those Questions As They All Got Deleted But If You Can Help Please Let Me Know. Thankyou

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