Help me get OUT! (army/OTH)

[AwolGuy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia

I've been awol for 3 months now. I called my squad leader asking about the consequences ahead of me once I turned my self in and I was told I'd goto jail for 6 months+ and get chaptered out. He also said I was officially out processed from the army (dropped from the rolls) and I no longer receive army pay. I am pretty confident my unit has me reported as AWOL but I know there's no way to be 100% sure.

My unit is in ft. stewart, ga (3rd ID).. i'm an 11b infantryman. I just got back from a 15 month deployment from Iraq in late 2008. Because of extenuating circumstances I decided to leave ft. stewart for good, the reason isn't important. I wouldn't even consider turning my self in right now but I'm going to be a father soon and don't want to end up in jail and miss the most important part of my life. I need to get the hell out of the army.

I read almost every post about people going Awol on here and also heard alot about turning themselve in at ft. sill or ft. knox. I just want to know if I have a chance to get a chapter 10 if i turn my self in at ft. knox. Should I wait a little longer to increase my chances of getting out at knox or what? I think the army wont want to even pay to send me back to Georgia from knox but who knows.

Any information would be extremely helpful as I'm going through an incredibly difficult time in my life right now. I don't need criticism and hate posts, i served my country and want out.. i just need help.

Thank you!
AwolGuy

[Choosymother]

It sounds like you need some real direct help. I googled around and found some of these organizations:

Veterans for Peace, War Resisters League, GI Rights Network.

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_anti-war_organizations]List of anti-war organizations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]

If you can't afford a lawyer, at least these people might be able to help you face-to-face.

Good Luck!

Thank you for your service to this country, I hope everything works out for you!

[UAneedadvice]

Turn yourself in! It's not as bad as you think it will be
You'll be back home in no time at all. Just don't let them scare you.
Call this number The Army Deserter Information Point: (502)626-3711
and ask for help! They should be able to help you with anything you need. Don't let people tell you that you'll be going to prison or to the brig or w/e else because most people don't even know or it's all hear-say. I know what it's like, I've been through it. I can't make any promises but I can make a safe bet that if you turned yourself in you would be home in a matter of weeks. Make it easier on yourself and your partner and get this behind you so you can move on and take care of your kid.

I was discharged from the Navy for desertion with an OTH and I called the number in the stickies and they kept me from getting arrested. They faxed me orders to return to military control and I COULD not be arrested by civilian police officers (They tried) If you call them they can get you a ticket to where ever you need to go if you're having problems with money. Not everyone in the military is out to get you.

Good Luck

[AwolGuy]

Thanks for the advice.

However, I called the army desertion point number and they said they just wanted to help apprehend soldiers and turn them in... that doesn't help me get out of the army, that just points me back where I started.

I still havn't been able to reach anyone from the GI RIghts hotline number but i left a message.

Hopefully someone that was in the same situation as me and in the army can help me get through this.

[Haydes]

I don't think you understand completely what you're doing. You're about to be a father, how will you support your family with minimal paying jobs? Who's going to pay for the roof? Food? Car insurance? Health care? Seriously man, take some time, like 60 minutes of your time, sit down and think about it. It's hard being away when you're becoming a father, I've met many in your position, but after they've been discharged they tell me they want back in. Right now we're in a recession, my best decision is to stay in, request to be retained or something. I understand in your position all you want to do is get out, it's the opposite of everything we do. The more they want to retain us, the more we want out, it's human behavior. Like the more you give candy to a baby, the more they don't want it. You take away candy, the more they want it. Being a father is going to take huge responsibility in your life, and if you can't handle the responsibilities of your remainder contract, how can you commit to being a father for your entire life? Being a good father you have to take responsibility of generating economy for your family to live on, what better way than being in the military with benefits that provides it for you? They'll provide housing, marriage pay, dependents pay, health care, college tuition for you, promotes you accordingly, and pays you.

If you don't like what you do, just request a job change.

[Karnifex]

Originally Posted by AwolGuy

Thanks for the advice.

However, I called the army desertion point number and they said they just wanted to help apprehend soldiers and turn them in... that doesn't help me get out of the army, that just points me back where I started.

I still havn't been able to reach anyone from the GI RIghts hotline number but i left a message.

Hopefully someone that was in the same situation as me and in the army can help me get through this.

Well then you talked to an idiot. I worked at USADIP for over 3 years and while that is their job, by God they can give you advice.

Someone above gave a really good answer. Most Deserters are simply out-processed and given Other Than Honorables. It takes alot more to try to give you jail time. What you do is call USADIP back and ask if this person is AWOL....and give them your SSN. No, it is not a spy network that will instantly know where you are and I'm not setting you up for failure. That is simply how they can look you up in DVIS (Deserter Verification Information System) to see your status. DVIS has nothing to do with NCIC, which is where your No-Bond Felony Warrant comes from. DVIS will simply show the status of the SSN you give.

[objetora]

1. The GI Rights Hotline old number isn't working, use the new number (search "girightshotline.org", NOT "girights.org" on the web; you'll know you're on the new website if you see lots of blue; or see the LAST post on the first "sticky" thread on this list)

2. The USADIP stopping giving out DFR info quite a while ago. There are other ways to try to get DFR info. There's a good list of such ways starting on page 3 of the 22-page article "AWOL from the Army":

[url]http://nlgmltf.org/onWatch/Onwatch_xx-3_Jan_Feb_2009.pdf[/url]

[AwolGuy]

Originally Posted by Haydes

I don't think you understand completely what you're doing. You're about to be a father, how will you support your family with minimal paying jobs? Who's going to pay for the roof? Food? Car insurance? Health care? Seriously man, take some time, like 60 minutes of your time, sit down and think about it. It's hard being away when you're becoming a father, I've met many in your position, but after they've been discharged they tell me they want back in. Right now we're in a recession, my best decision is to stay in, request to be retained or something. I understand in your position all you want to do is get out, it's the opposite of everything we do. The more they want to retain us, the more we want out, it's human behavior. Like the more you give candy to a baby, the more they don't want it. You take away candy, the more they want it. Being a father is going to take huge responsibility in your life, and if you can't handle the responsibilities of your remainder contract, how can you commit to being a father for your entire life? Being a good father you have to take responsibility of generating economy for your family to live on, what better way than being in the military with benefits that provides it for you? They'll provide housing, marriage pay, dependents pay, health care, college tuition for you, promotes you accordingly, and pays you.

If you don't like what you do, just request a job change.

I'm just gonna assume you wanna help and your criticism reflects it. You don't kno my situation or why I went awol... I'm not some ait soldier or in training.. I'm an iraq war veteran and a specialist.. I joined to serve my country and I did with 100% loyalty and dedication... I didn't do it for stable pay or college or anything else that came with the job... You want me to sit down and think about what I'm doing for my babys sake? For mine? You think I just woke up one day and said screw that six mile run for pt and training for the next deployment to afg.? This was the hardest decision I ever made in my life.. I did it for my family.. Not for me.. Its hard to understand how that could make sense but u don't kno my situation. U haunt seen or gone thru what I have.. U don't kno my financial status... Believe me I made more before I joined the army nd I make more without the army now... It was neva about the money though.. You have no right to judge my situation or criticise me but I kno ur intentions are good.

I came here for discharge help not parenting help, financial help or anything else non pertaining to my situation.

Thanks karnifex but that method apparently died .. Anything else?

-awolguy

[Haydes]

Originally Posted by AwolGuy

I'm just gonna assume you wanna help and your criticism reflects it. You don't kno my situation or why I went awol... I'm not some ait soldier or in training.. I'm an iraq war veteran and a specialist.. I joined to serve my country and I did with 100% loyalty and dedication... I didn't do it for stable pay or college or anything else that came with the job... You want me to sit down and think about what I'm doing for my babys sake? For mine? You think I just woke up one day and said screw that six mile run for pt and training for the next deployment to afg.? This was the hardest decision I ever made in my life.. I did it for my family.. Not for me.. Its hard to understand how that could make sense but u don't kno my situation. U haunt seen or gone thru what I have.. U don't kno my financial status... Believe me I made more before I joined the army nd I make more without the army now... It was neva about the money though.. You have no right to judge my situation or criticise me but I kno ur intentions are good.

I came here for discharge help not parenting help, financial help or anything else non pertaining to my situation.

Thanks karnifex but that method apparently died .. Anything else?

-awolguy

Judging from what you just said, you seriously don't understand your situation clearly. In the Army how long does it take to become a specialist? Why would you go out with an OTH? That OTH will scar you for your entire life, your benefits would be wiped out, and any high pay job out in the civilian world will turn you down because of that. You'll have to hide it for ever. Military benefits are also provided to your family. I have no rights to judge your situation, because I never was a father. However I have been through the processes of a discharge with OTH. I know how you feel, and I know how those who's been in your position felt. I've spent my time with these guys who got out with me, were in your situation of becoming a father, and or caring for their alone elders. Took some time out, and thought about what they did. Realized they were just using their family issues as an excuse to substitute their real intentions of wanting out of the military. They later find out that they want back in, life was horrible in the military, but it was more exciting than living in a sheep world. I reflect upon each of them now, and now I know that people will use any plausible excuse, to make themselves appear less disgusting in front of anybody who questions their intentions of wanting out. Truth be told, they just wanted out, and were using excuses like family problems in order to get out, and appear more honorable than less than honorable. This is the time to stop thinking about other peoples problems, and worry about yours specialist. Your future is at stake here, I understand you're use to putting life, and limb on the line in order to get a point across. That's how we were all trained. Any problems can be solved, it's up to you to ask for solutions. Right now I see someone with the intentions of wanting out, but uses the excuse of family issues in order to make a justified ill decision. Again, there are no problems that can't be solved. I'm not going to aide you in getting an OTH discharge.