Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/awol honorable discharge

Advertisement

Expert: - 4/9/2009


Question
my fiance went awol in oct 2008 for personal reasons. he returned to his unit four months after and recieved an honorable discharge. he wants to return to the military and we are wonodering if he would be able to join the army again. we have it understood that he has to wait 6 months after his discharge to reinlist. but my question is will he be able to join the army again?

Answer
If he did, indeed, get an honorable discharge then he may be able to do so.  AWOL stops at the 30 day mark, though, and then he technically becomes a deserter.  Desertion is a federal crime and rarely results in an honorable discharge.  He should consult a recruiter and ask about this, because even with an honorable discharge they should have barred him from reenlisting in the Army.  The recruiter would be the one to tell him for sure.

Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Aaron Shifferly

Expertise

I am currently an active duty Army Captain in the Military Police Field. I have been enlisted (Military Intelligence) and attended The United States Military Academy at West Point. I can answer questions related to the Army, posting, jobs, lifestyle, workings... pretty much anything you can throw at me with the exception of very specific recruting or medical questions. I have no expertise in what it takes to get in the military other than the fact that I, myself, joined at one point in time.

Experience

I have experience in both deployed and garrision environments as a Military Police Officer.

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Science in Arabic and French from United States Military Academy at West Point.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.