mgmmikemiller
Junior Member
Hello. My name is Mike and I have just recently gone AWOL as well. I left Fort Jackson on 6/19/2007 about 8am in the morning. I was in basic training and realized VERY quickly that I mad a bad mistake. I also began to experience a lot of physical and mental problems almost immediately after starting basic training. I had constant back pain, chest pains, shortness of breath and severe depression and even thoughts of suicide while I was in. I went repeatedly to "sick call" at the TMC (troop medical center,) and was told many times that my aches and pains were just due to the extra PT that I was doing. Funny thing is that I was on profile (a dead mans) so much, that I wasn't allowed to train or do any PT. So in my opinion these pains were not because of PT, because I wasn't doing any, and they continued to get worse...again, while doing NO PT or any other kind of training. I also had 2 very intense episodes of chest pains that I went to the UCC (urent care center) for, only to be told that it was not heart related and must be panic or anxiety attacks. Either way, all that any of the health "professionals" did for me was give me more and more medication that was not helping me at all, and my symptoms continued to worsen. I finally made an appointment with CMHS (Community Mental Health Services) AKA= "The Wizard," to discuss my worsening depression and mental state of mind. Eventually they did reccomend me for a chapter 11 (inabilty to adapt) discharge, but I was told by my drill sergeant that they were going to wait until the end of graduation (July 13th) to even begin to START on my discharge and that after graduation the would decide "what to do with me." I could no longer handle or deal with the abuse I was receiving and the thought of being recycled again all the way back to red phase. So...as a last resort I went AWOL. I (along with another guy,) went AWOL that morning with nothing more than the clothes we had on our backs. We called a cab that picked us up from the TMC and took us to the Wal-Mart (right outside the main gate,) where I bought civilian clothes and called a cab to take me to a car rental place where I got a car and came home. While at Wal-Mart, I ditched my uniform and left only with my wallet and ID (both personal drivers license and miltary ID.) I have been home for a little over a week now, and am starting to relax a little bit and have gotten over the fear of the cops coming and knocking my door down. I realize that this may not have been the best choice, but I felt trapped. I guess that right now I am in a waiting game until I am DFR and have a packet so that I can turn myself into the authorities at Ft. Sill. Is that still the best option for me? Will the fact that I had a "pending" chaper 11 stall things or help my case? Since I left all of my old uniforms and other issued equipment back at Fort Jackson in my locker along with my personal items such as pictures, etc..., will they make me go back to Jackson to retrieve that stuff? As I mentioned, the only thing I left with was the ACU's I had on and my wallet. When I turn myself in how do I dress? How should I have my hair? Any advice and answer to these questions would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!
, first of all i need to know if your active army or reserve/ NG, second under any circumstances do not turn yourself in before day 40! otherwise if you turn yourself in too soon you will be sent back to the chain of command and you will end up going awol again. third constantly call USADEP at 502-626-3711 to make sure you are DFR, once it is confirmed head to fort sill and show up on a tueday(knocks an xtra day off) before 9 am and you will be out friday unless you got some undserved atricle 15s. Fourth your chapter 11 packet will be thrown out the window and tossed into a glorious dumpster because you went awol