Navy UA

[NukeMM]

What is the name of your state? AZ
I searched around on here and couldn't find anything on if your UA from the navy. I heard that if your gone for 180 days before you turn yourself in your pretty much ensured to get discharged it's been three months now and i'm starting to wonder because it just this month my LES started to show that I am UA. I was a Nuke and I'm wondering if I can/will have my Nuke NEC stripped from me before i'm discharged and if I will still be able to get college credits from applicable training with an OTH. Also, where does someone from the navy turn them selfs in any base or is there a specific one to go to.
I had been in for 2 1/2 years when i left on a six year contract. I had been having sleeping problems which i had gone to repeatedly, I also talked to a chaplen about it, I had made an appointment to see the n psychological tech but it was the day we pulled in and they left before my appointment and i left that weekend. I also had informed my chain of command of my sleeping problems and approximately two weeks before I left I informed my first class that I planed on leaving once we pulled in he told my chief and div-o and they waited until the day we pulled in to counsel me on going UA which I got documented on a "counseling chit". I still have my sea bag and i was wondering should I take it with me when I turn myself in and should I be in uniform.

If anyone can help it would be very appreciated and once the ordeal with turning myself in I will post up what happened thanksWhat is the name of your state?

[Shellback]

You could turn yourself in to the local authorities and they can help you get back to your command or just turn yourself in at the ship. Either way, do bring your seabag and it wouldn't hurt to get a haircut and put on a clean pressed uni. I am not sure what they will do with you as far as discharging you or just sending you to captains mast and putting you on restriction, but turning yoursef in is a much better idea than waiting to be caught and returned to your command.

[NukeMM]

would it be better to turn myself in to the local police or there is an army base near by would it be better to turn myself in to the mp's and bypass the civilian authorities

[questionia]

I have to question whether they would actually let a nuker go just like that. The Navy has a significant investment in your education. After just 2.5 years you can't be too far out of school. I would also guess you are probably an E5 so you may be more valuable than you think. Turn yourself in, self report any issues and get the help you need. At this point you should also worry about your clearance being yanked - and if that happens any clearance you would need in the civilian world might be very hard to get - so there goes any need for your nuke credentials. Also, I wonder if you wouldn't have to pay something back for your education. Lots of issues here - best to speak with someone directly.

[Shellback]

Originally Posted by NukeMM

would it be better to turn myself in to the local police or there is an army base near by would it be better to turn myself in to the mp's and bypass the civilian authorities

If there is an army base nearby, that would be a good place to start.(no pun intended) You could call the army base and ask them where you should report to. I have also heard of people who go awol contacting thier ship or command and in some cases they will send you a plane ticket or give you instructions on how to turn yourself in.

[SHORTY LONG]

LOOK at the Sticky at top of Forum Page!

[NukeMM]

I was E-4 when I left and had already been on the ship for a year. It's usually takes 3 years past making E-4 to make E-5 as a nuke MM unless you re-enlist which i didn't do my signing bonus was 12 grand so i will probably have to pay that back but I've talked to conventional MMs that also signed a six year contract and there bonus was also 12 grand so it's not like nukes get some big special sign on bonus it's just because we sign a six year contract. Also if I do lose my security clearance I still will have training to work at a non nuclear power plant with the training included in the nuke training pipeline and as far as i know a clearance is not required to work at those plants.

[SHORTY LONG]

I am one that is very truly happy that you are no longer around our Nukes,
because clearly, you are unstable!

[NukeMM]

Shorty I have to say I was one of the much more stable nukes i was under a lot of stress due to the majority of my department not doing their job and having to pick up their slack because I have integrity and wouldn't just sign that something had been done when it hadn't or hadn't been done correctly, I informed my chain of command of the problems and they essentially said that if I care so much than i should do it and would pill more and more of everyone else's work load on me. If I had been unstable I would have done something stupid to get out like drugs or assault or something that would get me out much faster but would have been wrong to do so I went outside my chain of command and talked to med and to the chap.. Also i had been refusing to cheat on our constant training exams like everyone else did including officers because I believe it to be fundamentally wrong to lie about what I need training on or in other word what I didn't know about my job while I was there I believe that I helped change a few of the nukes from being pos's to actually doing there job but you go ahead and be glad while the nukes that don't know what there doing (as far as their suppose to) go out to the med. and not do what they are paid to do. I left because the work is not being done the way it's suppose to and the upper chain of command doesn't care and when it all comes down in stead of doing their job they are just going to to let it destroy the careers and possibly lives of the people that work for them ie jail time. This is a serious job and if your to tired because you've only been able to sleep 1 hour a day if your lucky it can mean the lives of every person on the ship with out the reactor department on the ship working the ship doesn't move, their's no clean water, planes don't take off, and the ship doesn't move. I guess you would be ok with that being f*ed up but I am not and I did everything in my power to make it right before i left but it's like they say you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink. And if I can't do my job I'm not going to stay and keep getting paid for it.

[ElvisG]

I don't usually sympathize with AWOL people but having friends that were nukes I can see were you are coming from. I don't agree with it but I can see your view point. I thought the flight deck was bad until I befriended some nukes.

You do understand that the rule of law on a ship is all up to the Commanding Office. The actual laws the Navy has are ONLY guide lines.

With that being said, if you are gone more than 180 days you will be considered a deserter. Granted, this was the law back in 2003. I've seen people be UA for over 180 days and come back to the ship. Because he was liked by everybody he only got reduction in rate and 45/45. He didn't want to go on a six-month cruise.

As for you rate, this is still left to the Command Officer. He/She might think you are a security risk and pull your TS.

What are your possibilites?

1) You get a Dishonorable Discharge. Please expect bread and water for a few days upon your return.

2) You get a Other Than Honorable. You will be immediately given orders to a shore facility to process out.

3) The Commanding Officer likes you and just gives you bread and water, reduction in rank, and 45/45.

[Shellback]

If you are lucky be retained in the Naval service, chances are you will be removed from engineering and become an IBM. (Instant Boatswains Mate).

[NukeMM]

I would like to say for the record that I wish to not be retained in the navy after i turn myself in. The navy cannot charge me with desertion because i have written proof of intent to return via a counseling chit from a meeting between myself my 1st class, chief, and div-o before I left and don't meet any of the other requirements ie:
Any member of the armed forces who--

(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;

(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or

(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another on of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States;

is guilty of desertion.

as per ucmj art. 85

I am however guilty of being awol ie:
Any member of the armed forces who, without authority--

(1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed;

(2) goes from that place; or

(3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed;

shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

as per ucmj art. 86

and possibly missing ships movement since I sure the ship has pull in and out of port multiple times since i left and that falls under ucmj art. 87:
Any person subject to this chapter who through neglect or design misses the movement of a ship, aircraft, or unit with which he is required in the course of duty to move shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

However I may not be charged with this due to it not being of my intent but a byproduct since you can't exactly go awol and not miss ship's movement unless your at a land based command.

also
(6) deserters absent for 180 days or more will be
returned to the Navy processing unit closest to the point of
apprehension/surrender. Navy processing activities for the
purpose of this article are
Transient Personnel Unit, Puget Sound, Silverdale, WA;
Transient Personnel Unit, Jacksonville, FL;
Transient Personnel Unit, Great Lakes, IL;
Transient Personnel Unit, Norfolk, VA;
Transient Personnel Unit, San Diego, CA; and
Transient Personnel Unit, Pearl Harbor, HI.

As per MILPERSMAN 1600 - GENERAL
since I will be in deserter status until i turn myself in I will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the CO of my ship since I will not be part of the ship any more but under Navy processing unit.

[cyberspook]

Originally Posted by NukeMM

I would like to say for the record that I wish to not be retained in the navy after i turn myself in. The navy cannot charge me with desertion because i have written proof of intent to return via a counseling chit from a meeting between myself my 1st class, chief, and div-o before I left and don't meet any of the other requirements ie:
Any member of the armed forces who--

(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;

(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or

(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another on of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States;

is guilty of desertion.

as per ucmj art. 85

I am however guilty of being awol ie:
Any member of the armed forces who, without authority--

(1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed;

(2) goes from that place; or

(3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed;

shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

as per ucmj art. 86

and possibly missing ships movement since I sure the ship has pull in and out of port multiple times since i left and that falls under ucmj art. 87:
Any person subject to this chapter who through neglect or design misses the movement of a ship, aircraft, or unit with which he is required in the course of duty to move shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

However I may not be charged with this due to it not being of my intent but a byproduct since you can't exactly go awol and not miss ship's movement unless your at a land based command.

also
(6) deserters absent for 180 days or more will be
returned to the Navy processing unit closest to the point of
apprehension/surrender. Navy processing activities for the
purpose of this article are
Transient Personnel Unit, Puget Sound, Silverdale, WA;
Transient Personnel Unit, Jacksonville, FL;
Transient Personnel Unit, Great Lakes, IL;
Transient Personnel Unit, Norfolk, VA;
Transient Personnel Unit, San Diego, CA; and
Transient Personnel Unit, Pearl Harbor, HI.

As per MILPERSMAN 1600 - GENERAL
since I will be in deserter status until i turn myself in I will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the CO of my ship since I will not be part of the ship any more but under Navy processing unit.

Ok, you have things figured out right? soooooo why do you need to include us?

[NukeMM]

Well just because i can read doesn't mean I have everything figured out I still would like advice from those that have experience and it is good to get different perspectives on what can or will happen. plus there might be a better way to go about what I'm doing the ucmj can only tell me what will happen when it's over it's the getting there part that I need help with. I just anted to know stuff like where I'm suppose to turn myself in. And if I should wait just the 180 days or if I should wait a little longer due to the inefficiency of the navy doing anything. Stuff people that had been through it before might know.

[Shellback]

NukeMM,

The longer you wait to turn yourself in the better the chances you have of being caught and you are much better off turning yourself in if you want any kind of mercy from the military. I never went awol when I was in but a fact is a fact, if you are gone more than 30 days, you are a deserter, end of story. Go turn yourself in, face the music and put this whole nightmare behind you.

Where the confusion often arises in the definition of "desertion" is that, under military law, if a member is absent for longer than 30 days, the court is allowed to assume that there was no intent to return. In other words, the burden of proof for "intent to return" shifts from the prosecution to the defense.

Therefore, when one is absent without authority for longer than 30 days, the military services drop the individual from the unit rolls (which then allows the unit to get a replacement) and administratively categorizes them as deserters.