AWOL returnee story -

Just a quick message for all those concerned AWOL citizens out there -

I went awol 22 May 2005, stayed away until 18 July 2005. I graduated basic training from Ft. Leonardwood, and was a hold over. The army tried to reclass me into a job that I DID NOT want, and I was going through a plethera of family problems. I talked to my drill seargent(s), and was recommended for a ELS. It was denied by my command. I talked to the chaplin, who in my company was really great, but could do nothing about it. So, I left. I called the Deserters Hotline, about 4-5 times until I got the same answers (that i was dropped from the rolls), then took a bus to Ft. Sill.
I arrived at Ft. Sill around 10 A.M. but did not turn myself in immediately. Instead, I went to the mall and saw a movie. (Just in case i was going to jail, i figured "Why not?" Besides that, I had been hiding inside for 60 days)
I did turn myself in around 4 P.M. The M.P.'s were cordial and polite. I did get searched and handcuffed. (First time for everything) I was then dropped off at the "PCF" or Personel Control Facility. I went inside and had to do a little paperwork.

On a new note - The PCF has gone over to civilian control. The civilians are not too bad. They just expect you to work. Don't give them any sh*t, and they won't give you any. You get plenty of breaks, and a nice thing (in my eyes) is that you are allowed to bring tobacco. They do not take it from you.
So if you smoke or chew...load up before you go. You might get a few chances to go to the store. But it's doubtful. (Beware - A LOT of bum's at "AWOL Camp"...."Can i get a smoke?" is going to be your most hated sentence if you are a smoker)

So you do work throughout the week...go to ACAP, which is a career counseling seminar, do some more paperwork, meet with jag...and that's it. There were 21 of us there the week I was there, and I think 18 of us left. (The 3 others cam on wednesday or thursday, so there just wasn't any time.)

Hope this helps, and maybe lays some of the fears to rest. Good luck.

***Important thing - TURN YOURSELF IN. Wait the 30-60 days til your dropped...and turn yourself in.***

I know Badapple has the "by the book, correct information that I cannot rival, however i saw none of the negative things talked about happen while I was there. Matter of fact, I was there with "runnin4freedom"...

And what type of discharge did you receive? And where are you employed now?

Made it a little easier,

Your first hand experience has made this Marine Mom's pill a little eaiser to swallow, on the other hand, your experience was through Army, not Marines. I am hoping that they are similar in their way of handling AWOL cases.
I think that the 30-60 day turn in is universal. At least I hope it is, anyhow thanks for the candid recollection of your experience. I would like to know how this situation has affected your ability to find employment? Thanx again, Marine Mom 916

i am awol right now and trying to find out all the info i can as i will be turning myself in next week. I have been awol a litle longer than you but most every thing else looks about the same from your post. When you were at ft. sill was there or did you here about anyone the was being rehabed of alowed to stay in the army? Because that is what i was hopeing to do. thanks

Ok...first off...bad apple: I feel as though you have asked this question of me, to prove a point, which I know has been proven time and again. First off, NO, going awol isnt' the best option in the book. But for me, I. Escaped, it was better than driving a truck or doing infantry work...well, or cooking too for that matter. Ok, now that I've let loose my disclaimer, I have no idea what discharge I was given, yet. The woman at ACAP told me I may recieve a general dischage, due to the fact that I was not in the militrary too long. I'm expecting an OTH. (Haven't recieved paperwork yet) As far as my employment is concerned, I am a little different than most of your average enlistee's. I have my own home, and two duplex's equaling 4 units that my wife and I rent. I soon will by a couple of more. One thing for sure is cash don't care what your background is. On top of that, I was a P.I. before I left, and will now continue to do that now as well. I was pretty successful at it. Now, that being said, I realize, and fully understand that my case isn't normal.

Marine mom: I am not sure, but I believe the Marine's are a little different. I was under the impression that the Marine's always attempt to rehabilitate their soldiers...? I'm sorry, but I'm not too sure about your situation.

Awol1: Nobody that I know of was rehabbed. I'm not sure how often they do it, or what the precentage is they like to try it with. All I can say is, pretty much all of us left out of there on Friday.

Wow...I was with this guy at the PCF, lol. I can confirm his story, but will add a few details of my own.

The 1SG told me that everyone coming through his office would receive a general discharge unless otherwise told, depending on the circumstances. One civilian woman involved told me that it would be an OTH, and another cilvilian told me it would be a general. The JAG lawyer told us it would most likely be an OTH initially, but we could apply to have it upgraded to a general, or theoretically a full Honorable, depending on your situation. More importantly, you need to wait at LEAST 6 months and use lots of letters of recommendation and basically admit you screwed up, but you're trying to start fresh and you're a productive, law abiding citizen now. Bottom line, I until the discharge papers come in, and further down the road I apply for the upgrade...I can't tell you what discharge you will get.

If you want out of the Army, you need to wait until you are DFR'd (Dropped From Rolls) or you will most likely be sent back to your unit. Call the Deserter Hotline to check your status, but you won't be dropped before 30 days of AWOL, nor will you have a warrant out before that time. Once you are dropped, the warrant is issued, so its time to go to Ft. Sill. It took me 45-50 days before they dropped me from the rolls.

If you want to stay in the Army...you're in for a fight, one you most likely will not win unless you have some extreme circumstances that basically make it not your fault. If you turn yourself in before being DFR'd, you might be able to stay in, but once DFR'd, it will be very hard. Worse, the people at the PCF only want to process you out and likely won't help you try to stay in, or even give you truthful information to that end.

I was surprised how well we were treated, and for anyone AWOL from the Army, turning yourself in is the solution. WHEN you turn yourself in is a matter of whether or not you want to stay in, but don't wait too long. You will find more judgemental and preachy people on this website than you will when you get there.

Last bit of advice...when you go, make it on a Tuesday, and no later than Wednesday morning, before noon. If you do this, you stand a good chance of getting out Friday. One guy even went in Thursday morning and was out Friday afternoon, but he was lucky. Friday is basically the only day you can be released, so if you show up on a Friday, you will have to wait out the entire next week.

If you're AWOL...just be sure you learn something from it

sup battle

i noticed my name on this so i figured i'd say somethin lol good ta see people spreadin tha good word like ive been doin

listen guys, thanks I enjoy hearing your stories...I haven't turned myself in yet is there anyway I can reach you guys? e-mail or aim names? if you don't mind can you post a reply I wanna get in touch with some of you guys who just did this recently so I hope you can respond to this

here ya go

[email protected], [email protected]

Awol

California

Marine Mom: Tell your Marine to man up and get ready for whatever he's got coming!! And stay out of it. He should have never joined the military if he was going to QUIT. Oh and iescaped your cool!!! If you would have went to the desert you would have seen the that the cooking was contracted out. AWOL, stop being a bitch!!! All you babies should be shipped out of the country as traitors and banned from returning and properties siezed and given to a vet for a JOB WELL DONE!!!!! Reguardless of what his job was!!! Bitches

EOD

charlie34 said:

California

Marine Mom: Tell your Marine to man up and get ready for whatever he's got coming!! And stay out of it. He should have never joined the military if he was going to QUIT. Oh and iescaped your cool!!! If you would have went to the desert you would have seen the that the cooking was contracted out. AWOL, stop being a bitch!!! All you babies should be shipped out of the country as traitors and banned from returning and properties siezed and given to a vet for a JOB WELL DONE!!!!! Reguardless of what his job was!!! Bitches

EOD

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Thumbs up to that.

All these AWOL people don't realize they they are just being buddy f*ckers.

The more that people go awol and take the easy way out the more they take soldiers, marines, airmen, seamen, ect. who were discharged serving their country honorably and send them back overseas for another tour to replace all you *ssholes.

can you other guys with the stories please give me some way of contacting you?

The real deal!!!

California

Do you want the stories of the guys who were actually there and still more than ready to go back, or those little b***h ass, still stuck on moms titty, tree huggin TRAITORS?

You Don't Know Me!!

Marine Mom 916 California

This is to Charlie34 & Crazed98 and anyone else who don't know me!
First of all, I don't appreciate you runnin off at your mouth to me, like you know me ,or my Marine. Trust me, that's what you don't wanna do-Ok!
Secondly, did I ask you for advice, did you even read my first post, I doubt it. If you would have read it, you would know he's NOT my son he's my son's best friend! He made this decision on his own against my advice so wht the F*#K do you expect me to do? Ask real stand up guys like yourself for advice? Are you a lawyer? Because, that's who I wanted to hear from not your punk-a$$eS! I got enough bull$h!t to [U]"DEAL" [/U] with, I don't need to hear your crap. I have a 16 year old son who has wanted to be a Marine since he was 7.This whole situation has made my son more determined, more than ever,to become a Marine and make a career of it. But, if there's even the slightest chance that he'd turn out to be an a$$hole, like you guys, by the way, what are you Army, Phff!! Then I think I'll let him read your lil messages, so he can see what a "REAL" american hero sounds like!
Oh yeah, last thing, next time you wanna come at me like that, go ahead and send me an email. That's the way I get down, I will tell you what I got to say! So don't be a lil B!t@H about it, trying to show off for people who don't give a F*#K what you think! People like you are just what this country needs huh, a real contribution to society, model citizen.To me your just more crap that will get [U]"DELT"[/U] with!!

MarineMom916 said:

Marine Mom 916 California

This is to Charlie34 & Crazed98 and anyone else who don't know me!
First of all, I don't appreciate you runnin off at your mouth to me, like you know me ,or my Marine. Trust me, that's what you don't wanna do-Ok!
Secondly, did I ask you for advice, did you even read my first post, I doubt it. If you would have read it, you would know he's NOT my son he's my son's best friend! He made this decision on his own against my advice so wht the F*#K do you expect me to do? Ask real stand up guys like yourself for advice? Are you a lawyer? Because, that's who I wanted to hear from not your punk-a$$eS! I got enough bull$h!t to [U]"DEAL" [/U] with, I don't need to hear your crap. I have a 16 year old son who has wanted to be a Marine since he was 7.This whole situation has made my son more determined, more than ever,to become a Marine and make a career of it. But, if there's even the slightest chance that he'd turn out to be an a$$hole, like you guys, by the way, what are you Army, Phff!! Then I think I'll let him read your lil messages, so he can see what a "REAL" american hero sounds like!
Oh yeah, last thing, next time you wanna come at me like that, go ahead and send me an email. That's the way I get down, I will tell you what I got to say! So don't be a lil B!t@H about it, trying to show off for people who don't give a F*#K what you think! People like you are just what this country needs huh, a real contribution to society, model citizen.To me your just more crap that will get [U]"DELT"[/U] with!!

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Where in my post did it have anything to do with you?

If you don't give a f*ck then why are you do you seem so upset?

I don't have your email address but here is mine so I can see you "get down" because I'm a little bored sitting here in Iraq.

[email protected]