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Another AWOL(?) question..

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carpetbomb

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? California

Ok, another AWOL question for you. I'm still waiting for a reply from GI Rights on an e-mail I sent them a couple days ago. While I wait for that response, I'm hoping you fine folks might be able to provide me with some information.

I've read over the other AWOL threads which have given be a lot of information, but I'm not terribly sure they apply to me.

I enlisted in the CA Army National Guard in 1993. I shipped out to Alabama completed my training, returned home and continued on with my training. Here's where my youthful stupidity shines brightest!

I showed up for all my drills except for the very last one. Due to various circumstances that seemed awfully important at the time (but just plain silly now) I didn't report for my final weekend drill. This is the drill where I return my gear and start the ETS process (I assume?)

I kept telling myself that I would go back the next month. Ok, the next drill. Ok, really, seriously.. the NEXT drill. I never made it back. That was back in 1996 and here it is now 2005.

I received some paper work from a division of the US Army (don't have the mail infront of me) stating that I didn't turn in my gear and that I was being billed. I paid what they told me I had to pay, and after that I pretty much figured that was the end of my military career.

Obviously, that wasn't the end of my career, right? I never officially left the Army. I never went through any paper work process.

This is some thing that I think about time to time... and here I am thinking about it now.

Any ideas/suggestions on what I should do? it's been so long now -- I really have no idea where to begin.

Thanks.

--
mike
 


carpetbomb

Junior Member
rmet4nzkx said:
Have you asked about your discharge papers or contacted your unit?
No, I haven't. As I mentioned before, it's some thing I keep putting off and forget about. I know... I'm really -stupid-

The last official contact I had with the Army was the paperwork I received informing me that money was due for the gear I failed to return to Army. Basically, all the stuff I received at boot. i.e. BDUs, Basic Clothing, Boots, etc.

The total cost was just shy of $1,000 dollars. After I paid the bill, that was the last I heard from that particular division of the Army. (or any other for that matter)

As I mentioned earlier, I have not contacted the unit, or asked about my discharge papers. Would I ask the unit about the discharge papers, or is there another entity within the Army/Government to make such requests.

I won't deny I'm bit scared about contacting my unit. Ok, I'm really scared. I'm not the young kid I was back then. I've established a life for myself now.. wife, house, job, future, etc. Things I fear losing over a weekend. That kind of fear makes it difficult (at least for me... to build up enough courage to make such contact)

But in order to resolve this matter, I'm perfectly aware that I must contact some one. Your suggestion is to contact the unit then? Any advice on who to ask for? I guess the company CO?

Ideally, I would like to skip contacting the unit, and make a discharge request elsewhere. If that's possible, any idea where that would be?

Thanks for the advice, I very much appreciate it.

--
mike
 

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