Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 10/17/2010

Question
ok here goes my brother has been in the coast guard since 2001very clean record i think his rank is an e-5. about a month ago he left his post and had a car accident someone hit him and he hit two cars trying to avoid the man hitting him. he was enroute to me someone was trying to get in my house i had called the police while waiting for the cops he said he would be on his way i guess it was the panic and tears in my voice that got him shook up. i am sorry that i called him he left his post with calling someone and he had the coast guard truck he is a police officer. i have proof  there is proof i called 911 if they get a copy of the 911 call. no one has spoke to him about the accident yet. It is almost a month he is hearing diffrent story from people that don't work there no more and some that do work there that they are trying to give him a dishonorable discharge because of this. the investigator wants to talk to me i am his sister. don't know what to do so sorry i casue this issue. What can he do not to lose his job or speak to?

Answer
Petirna,
You say "so far no one has spoken to him about it."  Being a police officer he should know that you can't act on what others say, that's hearsay.  If he were being considered for any kind of a discharge he would be the first to know...it's required by military regulations.

Don't get me wrong, he's in a lot of trouble but not enough to normally get him discharged.  He did a series of dumb things but nothing extremely serious like causing bodily harm.

It's normal to have an USCG officer appointed as an investigator who was not involved in the incident, to discover and report the facts.
Be open and honest with him.  After his report is filed action will begin to punish your brother for making poor choices.  He may be fined or reduced in rank.

Because military police officers are entrusted with enforcing the law they're usually held to a higher standard than the average military person, meaning their punishment is more severe.  A lot depends upon his commanding officer.

Some commanders will take into consideration the circumstances and be lenient.  Others will try to be hard-nosed and recommend maximum punishment.  Either way he's entitled to free legal defense and by all means should use it.

I hope all goes well for him.
Colonel H