Does anyone have any experience with being AWOL from Fort Lewis, WA?

[DigitalSky]

I was in the Army for a total of about 8 months. I was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington as an 11B attached to a cavalry regiment (it was called the 2nd ACR at the time).

I went AWOL about 5 years ago and have been AWOL ever since. Just today (5 years later) they issued a warrant for my arrest. I've talked to the GI Hotline and numerous other lawyers, counselors, etc. so I have a general idea of what to expect when I go back and turn myself in at Fort Lewis (I'd rather not be arrested by the local Police and have to wait in county jail). The thing is that all of the stories I read online involve Fort Sill and other places, I have yet to hear anything about anyones experience with Fort Lewis.

Again, this was 5 years ago so there's a good chance most of my original unit isn't even there anymore, however I don't know this for sure.

If anyone has any experience with Fort Lewis please let me know, thanks!

 

[ERAUPIKE]

If you talked to the \"GI Rights hotline, and numerous other lawyers, counselors, etc.\" then one of them would have likely informed you that Ft. Sill and Ft. Knox are the two locations that AWOL personnel are processed out of the Army. If you return to Ft. Lewis they will send you to Ft. Sill for out processing.

 

[DigitalSky]

No one at the hotline ever told me that. They just said if you go to the wrong post they will just send you back to your original post where you will be out processed.

Why would I go to Fort Sill when I was never stationed there?

 

[FlyingRon]

No one at the hotline ever told me that. They just said if you go to the wrong post they will just send you back to your original post where you will be out processed.

Why would I go to Fort Sill when I was never stationed there?

Because Ft. Lewis won't discharge from there. The system is not set up for your convenience.

 

[DigitalSky]

That's odd because I've spoken with two separate people on the GI Hotline after I read your post and they both said I need to report to my last place of duty because that is where they will have to process me out.

I'm so confused...

If it matters at all I am NOT PCF eligible as I did complete AIT and what not. I thought that Fort Sill was only to process out people who were PCF eligible?

 

[chico landlord]

You can go to any base and they will route you to the correct base for processing. I was duty petty officer at a base in san diego and a man with a army uniform showed up at the gate and informed the guard he was awol . I came and picked him up , brought him to our facility , made a temp id , got him some coffee and food. We were not mean to him in any way more curious than anything. He was housed in temporary barracks for a couple days till transferred. No handcuffs . He made the best of it and i wished him well.( I know it's not specific but hope it helps)

 

[DigitalSky]

Well it's nice to know at least he didn't get treated like crap by you guys. Much like anyone else I have my reasons for having been AWOL for so long, mostly just because the Army was not something that was for me.

I'm just going to turn myself into Fort Lewis because that is where my old unit was and that is where everyone keeps telling me to turn myself into.

 

[DigitalSky]

I turned myself in at Fort Lewis. They didn't put me in handcuffs or anything and surprisingly the guy was the nicest guy ever. He really seemed rather happy that I turned myself in instead of being apprehended.

Sure enough they gave me a ticket to Fort Sill for Monday the 19th since I am technically PCF eligible as my unit is OCONUS.

Being as though I was gone for over 5 and a half years I'm sure they'll want to discharge me at Fort Sill and give me an OTH discharge on top of that. I'm just hoping they don't want to throw the book at me and put me in jail =/