Someone I know is thinking about going awol?

TRUE PATRIOT

Just remember, if you go AWOL it will be on your permanent record for life. Good luck getting a job at McDonald's.

Matt C

Sounds like he will be a great father, running away when thing get tuff

optimake5

If its in the US, have him claim he is gay, its the coward way out, but he gets a other than honorable discharge and no time in military jail.

Me personally I would kick his *** and make sure he sticks to it. I spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, 1 Year in Iraq/Kuwait and 2 Months in the hospital for a peice of metal in the side of my stomach when a RPG hit my truck and If I could I would do it all over again!!!!

tallerfella

If he's in basic, he has orders to go nowhere right now. He still has AIT to complete.

This is something that should have been considered before he /you joined.

You can not just "resign" from the military. Going AWOL will not solve the problem either.

k9mpgsd

Like it was said before you do not have orders overseas while in basic. He still has technical school (AIT) and has not even been assigned to a unit.

Why on earth would he have joined if going to Iraq was a problem... the war has been going on for years and you expect to join and not go?

You committed Serve your committment and be proud of your service to your country...

Reasonable Guy

Going AWOL is bad. Very Bad. You always get caught and then the problems occur. Criminal record, can't hold public office, can't travel etc.

The best bet he has is to apply for Hardship status but he better be married.

I know a big component of the issue is why join when you know what the chances of going to war are.

tx girl

Tell him to have some integrity! Jeez, he made a commitment, he needs to keep it. But then again maybe he is not honorable enough to be a proud US soldier!

The Tin Man

What I think is funny... the fact that the military will pay the roughly $10K for childbirth, all the care required for the kid, and he's going to bail out on that.

Kimmy

I used to be in the military so maybe I can help. While in basic you can get out, they tell you can't. I learned this after it was to late and I was already at my permanent duty station. I was told my a Soupier Officer that I could have gotten out within the first 3 months of joining.

All your friend has to do is, tell his instructor that this isn't for him and that he is suffering emotional anguish, they make it rough on him, but I do know that he will be able to get out if he really wants to. I am not sure if this will work now that the country is at war, but if he really wants to get out he will find away, just tell him not to give up.

*Unless your friend is going to Korea, if he is married his family will beable to join him after he goes through basic he will go to AIT and there they will do paper work for him and his family, but only if and I do repeat only if he is married, if he isn't married yet on his leave he can get married and then when he goes over seas they will then do the paper work to get his family there.*

Hope this helps.

john_stolworthy

The term people are searching for, if he is still in basic training, is Entry Level Seperation.

Military service is not something for the weak,physically or psychologically.

He will not get his "orders" until after he completes basic AND (in most cases) infantry training. Someone is lying to you...

mr_peepers810

sure if he wants to dodge all the responsibilities in his life, but they'll eventually catch up to him. If he feels like spending some time in jail and living his life like a coward, then great. If he feels like owning up to his choices and commitments, then he needs to be a man and do the right thing.

In short, there's nothing you or him can do about it at this point. The quickest way out of military service is to serve your time. You both should have thought of that beforehand.

btw...going awol from your unit now can be considered desertion, which can carry the death penalty. It's unlikely, but it is possible. It's very likely that he'll be in jail for longer than what he signed up for anyway. And then his life will be crap once he gets out.

Can you imagine if all our men and women in uniform were like him and ran at all of their problems in their personal and professional life? We'd all be screwed.

kanga38_

let him do it then he can spend a couple of years in jail and still not see the child. get a dis-honorable discharge and not be able to get a job to support said child. Your/ he is in the military deal with it. You can talk to the chaplin but dont hold you breath on getting out.

kapute2

he could try to get a hardship discharge, but it's unlikely to be approved, after all, he volunteered for service and even Marine Corp Basic isn't so long that he wouldn't have known of the pregnancy...

Army Veteran

Give your friend this information to think about regarding AWOL: Absent Without Official Leave : It is a violation of the 86th article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. "The maximum U.S. penalty for desertion in wartime remains death". Last night watching President Bush talk about Iraq, I belive we are still at war. Also, if he is still thinking about it, Then maybe he would like to spend some time in Jail.....
(1) Failing to go to, or going from, the appointed place of duty. Confinement for 1 month and forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 1 month.

(2) Absence from unit, organization, or other place of duty.

(a) For not more than 3 days. Confinement for 1 month and forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 1 month.

(b) For more than 3 days but not more than 30 days. Confinement for 6 months and forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 6months.

(c) For more than 30 days. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year.

(d) For more than 30 days and terminated by apprehension. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 18 months.

(3) From guard or watch. Confinement for 3 months and forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 3 months.

(4) From guard or watch with intent to abandon. Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months.

(5) With intent to avoid maneuvers or field exercises. Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months.

Have him go talk with his Drill Instructor and have him explain why he wants to leave, ask for a Hard Ship Discharge, but he needs to have more than his girl friend is having his baby. He can also get out on Failure to Adabt. Which is what he wants, however make sure he keeps is Military professionalism, they will try to get him to do things he does not want to do, and to test his nerves. If he violates the UCMJ, he will get in more trouble and spend a longer time in than what he wants. If he feels that is not working ask to see the Battalion Chaplain, if that doesn't work ask to see the Company Commander. Most important, make sure he uses his chain of command. If not he can get in trouble for not doing that. I am not sure what type of Father if he would be if he goes AWOL, but it will just tell his child it is OK to run when the going gets tough. Here are some other reasons to leave besides AWOL: (This one is a long shot, but "Parenthood" is one way to ask for leave.). "Parenthood" explained: A member may be separated by reason of parenthood if as a result thereof it is determined that the member is unable satisfactorily to perform his or her duties or is unavailable for worldwide assignment or deployment. Separation processing may not be initiated until the member has been counseled formally concerning deficiencies and has been afforded an opportunity to overcome those deficiencies as reflected in appropriate counseling or personnel records. And if he wants to be just a plain screw up, then "Unsatisfactory Performance." is one way. This one is self explainitory. Good Luck, and tell your friend not to go AWOL

Gemini Girl

He should stay in so he will be able to provide for his child. I don't believe he will go 5 years without seeing his child. He will get 30 days of leave a year.

Stone K

The guy who said to claim he is gay is not very wise, the guy wants to get out because he is about to have a kid!! lol

but seriously, there is little that can be done, Short of crippling injury (and I highly recommend not taking that course of action) he may be stuck.

My best recommendation is talk to a councilor or even his family see what arraignments can be made for the care and comfort of his wife/gf and child.

Only other thing I can suggest is consider the fact that AWOL means prison, then he really wont see his family at all for a very long time.

yetti

he signed the dotted line....if he goes awol and then gets caught...he is going to be gone a lot longer than five years...only this will be spent in a military prison.....What, did he not think that a soldier would have to go to war overseas when he signed....and if he is only in basics she was prego before he left....did he not think that far ahead.....I am sorry to say, but he needs to just step up.....I find it funny when people join and then get mad when they have to leave overseas.....like they had no idea that it would happen.....

shrty0525

He won't be gone for 5 years at a time...he needs to not do it.

kleighs mommy

like others have said theres no way to have overseas orders with out completing ait. while in basic you are just finding out your mos. they dont send anyone overseas without proper training once out of basic he needs to marry the mother and move her closer to him/ or at least move her once at his first command. the military is big on family. they dont like the guys having kids with many women and some for the women who are in. they are told to stay on birth control, he will see his child yes he may later on after all his training is done get sent for a year in iraq. its part of the job he signed up for. awol is not the answer it will keep him from his child even longer as he will be in jail

AFwife

they are just trying to scare him, he will see his kid, he needs to not be such of a woose, there are plenty of other fathers in the military and somehow they survive

Lisa J

Talk with superiors about this. There may be a way to get out now while still in basic training. After all, some don't make it through basic and they go home. No one wants to be running from the law for the rest of their life. They will have so many problems later on after the baby is born. It's so hard to see into the future, but this child's Dad may actually be in military prison. In the end, it's always better for us to do the right thing. Good luck!

Lotus Phoenix

I'm no expert on the military BUT I think all the reasons you listed are NOT good enough. There are plenty of men and woman missing home, dodging bullets, and simply dying.

You should not have signed up in the first place.

That said, you can get discharged honorably or dishonorably. DO NOT go AWOL, you will just sit in jail for YEARS!!!!

Get a disease, shoot yourself in the foot, go crazy, overdose on heroin, kill someone and go to state prison....You get the idea.

Bryan K

Take matters in to your own hands and shoot the traitor like the dog that he is...going AWOL in war time

striderknight2000

Have him speek with his DI or TI and let them know that hey Im not cut out for this. You have up to 180 day to get out on failure to adapt or cant rember the words. Pretty much Im not right for the military and its not right for me. He will get a other than honorable discharge or a adminstrative discharge. He will probably be there for a few weeks longer cause he will have to do all of his discharge paperwork.

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