mentally ill hubby went awol

[musicangel2124]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? My husband is usmc. He has been deemed undeployable for 1 1/2 years due to being mentally unstable. He was up 3 times for deployment but his command overturned it for this reason. He has been seeing a therapist on base for a yr, and for the past 5 months he has been seeing a psichiatrist on base who has diagnosed him with our original reason sexual addiction, ocd, psychosis and manic depressive. The marine corp talked about processing him out on medical but didnt as he only has till this july to get out. Well the psychiatrist has him on heavy medication. His command needed 3 extra soldiers to go on an assignment out in mojave viper for 3 weeks and my husband only got 2 days notice. It wasnt sufficient time to get the meds he would need while being out there and he tried to talk to his command on the issue and all the stuff he was going through but they ignored him. so he went out there, took the meds he had left for 2 weeks and ran out. after being cold turkey off the meds for 2 days on his 3rd and last week he had a psychotic break and went awol. he hitch hiked 3000 miles back to me. He turned himself in after 35 days of being awol to his home base. They threw him in the brigg and are talking about sticking him with the worst punishment possible. Isn't there anything I can do and isnt there anything to protect a mentaly ill soldier from this crap. We have all the documentation we need to prove it!!! help us, he just wants to come home out of a stress free environment and start on the road of mental wellness.

 

[musicangel2124]

does anyone have any advice???? anything t this point would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Peligroso]

You aren't going to like the answer. Your husband is guilty/

 

[Shadowbunny]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? My husband is usmc. He has been deemed undeployable for 1 1/2 years due to being mentally unstable. He was up 3 times for deployment but his command overturned it for this reason. He has been seeing a therapist on base for a yr, and for the past 5 months he has been seeing a psichiatrist on base who has diagnosed him with our original reason sexual addiction, ocd, psychosis and manic depressive. The marine corp talked about processing him out on medical but didnt as he only has till this july to get out. Well the psychiatrist has him on heavy medication. His command needed 3 extra soldiers to go on an assignment out in mojave viper for 3 weeks and my husband only got 2 days notice. It wasnt sufficient time to get the meds he would need while being out there and he tried to talk to his command on the issue and all the stuff he was going through but they ignored him. so he went out there, took the meds he had left for 2 weeks and ran out. after being cold turkey off the meds for 2 days on his 3rd and last week he had a psychotic break and went awol. he hitch hiked 3000 miles back to me. He turned himself in after 35 days of being awol to his home base. They threw him in the brigg and are talking about sticking him with the worst punishment possible. Isn't there anything I can do and isnt there anything to protect a mentaly ill soldier from this crap. We have all the documentation we need to prove it!!! help us, he just wants to come home out of a stress free environment and start on the road of mental wellness.

2 days should have been sufficient time to get his meds from an on-post pharmacy -- this excuse is not going to get him any leniency. The military has been taking care of him for over 18 months; would you rather they medboarded him out a year ago?

He screwed up -- now he's going to have to face the punishment.

 

[Dave1952]

This is a real sad story. As the others have said it sounds like the Marines treated your husband fairly well during his illness. It's likely that your husband will get a general discharge.
Your story about his meds sounds like BS and it's a warning. If he couldn't walk over to the base corpsman at the clinic and get his prescription renewed he will not be able to get a job.
My advice is that you need to start thinking of the future. Someone in your family is going to need to get a job to support the family. You need to talk to your folks and his folks and come up with a plan. The next several years are going to be real tough.

Good luck

 

[xylene]

Would you rather they medboarded him out a year ago?

I think she answered that question. In the affirmative if you were confused.

 

[Shadowbunny]

I think she answered that question. In the affirmative if you were confused.

Actually, I don't see that in her post at all. She wants him out of the brig, she wants him home, but I didn't read that she wishes they had medboarded him out 18 months ago. I could be wrong -- wouldn't be the first time. Most certainly won't be the last time.

 

[Badam Dice]

FIGHT THE MAN with bad spelling

The USMC prosocuters (you marine's commanding officer) will try an intimidate you and your marine, beaware of this and fight back if they say go right you need a lawyer to say no left is better for us. If they say next week we deceide something, claim it's not a good time for you. If you are going to fight it yourself use tact. Never waive any of your rights!!!!!

If your husband has a mental illness documentation will be the only evidence anybody will accept now or later (eating your own poop won't work for them even if they see it with there own eyes). So generate as much professional documentation as possiable IE go to the free clinic and get them to write it down in his medical record again and again and again. Go to the military dr and get him to write it down again and again. Go to a private dr you paid out of your own pocket and get him to write it down in the medical record. If his mental illness is affecting his millitary life then it should mean it's affecting personal life. IE you need to be bugging the family readyness people for services and get them to make a record of how it is affecting you and family. Be aware that you could get your marine in trouble if you reveile to much "he hit's me", "uses drugs". Get a copy of all these records because when you leave they get the records and deceide what gets kept.

Medical reasons for discharge are trumped by misconduct. Meaning they would rather say he is a **** bird than tarnish the corps reputation by admitting they mess people up in the head too.

Complain to higher authority be a thorn in their side, itch itch itch if they are chargeing your husband they are not you freinds. Don't go easy.

 

[ERAUPIKE]

The USMC prosocuters (you marine's commanding officer) will try an intimidate you and your marine, beaware of this and fight back if they say go right you need a lawyer to say no left is better for us. If they say next week we deceide something, claim it's not a good time for you. If you are going to fight it yourself use tact. Never waive any of your rights!!!!!

If your husband has a mental illness documentation will be the only evidence anybody will accept now or later (eating your own poop won't work for them even if they see it with there own eyes). So generate as much professional documentation as possiable IE go to the free clinic and get them to write it down in his medical record again and again and again. Go to the military dr and get him to write it down again and again. Go to a private dr you paid out of your own pocket and get him to write it down in the medical record. If his mental illness is affecting his millitary life then it should mean it's affecting personal life. IE you need to be bugging the family readyness people for services and get them to make a record of how it is affecting you and family. Be aware that you could get your marine in trouble if you reveile to much "he hit's me", "uses drugs". Get a copy of all these records because when you leave they get the records and deceide what gets kept.

Medical reasons for discharge are trumped by misconduct. Meaning they would rather say he is a **** bird than tarnish the corps reputation by admitting they mess people up in the head too.

Complain to higher authority be a thorn in their side, itch itch itch if they are chargeing your husband they are not you freinds. Don't go easy.

Poor advice all around. Borderlines on illegal. Hopefully the OP or anyone else in a similar situation will be wise enough to disregard your comment as malarkey.

 

[Badam Dice]

How is that bad?

Poor advice all around. Borderlines on illegal. Hopefully the OP or anyone else in a similar situation will be wise enough to disregard your comment as malarkey.

Borderlines on illegal how?

 

[wrongsometimes]

have no idea that his mental condition ... clearly they had him performing duties

the sob story is not getting to me, he went awol for 35 days because he wanted out, not because of any mental issues (otherwise it would not have been just 35 days).

He'll live in the brig .... argue the case in a court martial trial if you like

 

[Badam Dice]

Labeled with Personality disorder. Most will assume he is faking because they cannot

have no idea that his mental condition ... clearly they had him performing duties

the sob story is not getting to me, he went awol for 35 days because he wanted out, not because of any mental issues (otherwise it would not have been just 35 days).

He'll live in the brig .... argue the case in a court martial trial if you like

If you assume he is faking his illness. If he goes to all of those different competent doctors and they detect mental defect they will have no problem generating documentation to that affect. This is not illegal or ill moral. Most commanding officer have one goal and that is mission accomplishment not to diagnose service members with mental illness or without. They just want to go, which means cutting all the bull quick suites them best not the service member needs or rights.
So don’t let them just stick him with a bad discharge duck and dodge their allegations don't waive any rights and provide proof of your own theory of why his misconduct occurred with documentation and mitigating factors. If you don’t have a story to tell then their story will be the only one told.

 

[ERAUPIKE]

If you assume he is faking his illness. If he goes to all of those different competent doctors and they detect mental defect they will have no problem generating documentation to that affect. This is not illegal or ill moral. Most commanding officer have one goal and that is mission accomplishment not to diagnose service members with mental illness or without. They just want to go, which means cutting all the bull quick suites them best not the service member needs or rights.
So don’t let them just stick him with a bad discharge duck and dodge their allegations don't waive any rights and provide proof of your own theory of why his misconduct occurred with documentation and mitigating factors. If you don’t have a story to tell then their story will be the only one told.

What authority do you have to speak for "most commanding officers?"

 

[Badam Dice]

My green monster reads #1 goal is mission accomplishment #2 goal troop welfare.

It is a well known fact mission accomplishment is always the number one goal of everybody otherwise whats the point.

 

[ERAUPIKE]

My green monster reads #1 goal is mission accomplishment #2 goal troop welfare.

It is a well known fact mission accomplishment is always the number one goal of everybody otherwise whats the point.

So in other words, you have no authority to speak for most commanding officers.