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Question
i went awol about 3 months ago from basic training i was allready being discharged for EPTS and the kept playing games with when i was going home i didnt even complete 1 day of training when i got hurt and i just sat there the whole time so my question is what can i do now i heard i might get my discharge papers in the mail is that true? and can i get a job or anything and if im caught or if i turn myself in are they really gonna bother since i was allready going home
Hi John,
At this time, you're not "AWOL." You're classified as a "Deserter." For the elements of proof for AWOL, see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm86.htm For the elements of proof for Desertion, see: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/mcm/bl85.htm
The primary difference between the two offenses is "intent to return" to military control.
Once you have been absent for 30 days, you're adminitratively classified as a "deserter." A warrant has now been issued for your arrest. If you are ever stopped by a cop (for anything, including a traffic violation), they will run your name through the system, and come up with the warrant. You will then be arrested, put in local jail, until it can be arranged to ship you to the military base you absented yourself from. If you are arrested, there is no way you can prove that you "intended" to return to military control, therefore, the charges put against you would most likely be for "Desertion."
You won't get your discharge papers in the mail (I don't know where you heard this, but it's not true). Your best bet is to turn yourself in. If you turn yourself in, that proves "intent to return to military control," and the maximum you can be charged with is AWOL. Chances are, you'll be confined to a military confinement facility for three or four weeks, while your administrative discharge (which would likely be characterized under "Other Than Honorable) is processed.
This, however, beats getting arrested, and charged with Desertion, and being sentanced to 10 or 12 years of military prison.
Hope this helps!
Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com
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Rod Powers
Expertise
Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience
Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
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