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Not always. Generally you are DFR's, 'Dropped From the Rolls', your stuff packed up and sent somewhere, removed from morning reports, your mail card destroyed, various agencies and police departments notified of your absence, basically that person is erased to a degree.
To be prosecuted as a deserter, your intent to not return has to be established...
I can only image how the SHTF when he deserted. At the height of the Cold War, near East Germany and Czechoslovakia, a former crypto-linguist with "issues" disappears. Did he go to the Soviets? Did he tell them what we knew? How we got it? Our methods and sources? I can only imagine how many careers his 'adventure' suddenly ended. There are too many parallels between this guy and PFC Manning.
Even if he did no damage, he still deserves jail time. Once you have a TS clearance, it's an obligation for life. Violating that trust needs to be dealt with.
UPDATE:
After reading this, I headed over to the AFOSI website. He's still on the "Most Wanted" list, now with updated info. Matter Investigated: Security issue http://www.osi.andrews.af.mil/shared...120904-029.pdf
Last edited by Smoke_Jaguar4; 09-06-2012 at 07:33 PM..
The military life can be difficult for people. I met a guy in San Diego that deserted in 1966 after a 2nd deployment to Yankee Station. He was a machinist mate and just could not go back down into the hold again. He turned himself in in 2001. He had started a new life, business, etc..in NV and just wanted to put it to rest. He got a BCD and never felt any regrets.
you can't judge him, who are we to say what we would do?
You have to put yourself in the context of the times.
In the 1980's the U.S. and the Soviet union came extremely close to nuclear war several times. Here's an example where just one person saved the world from nuclear holocaust: Able Archer 83 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . At the center of all this, a young Airman is entrusted with the nation's secrets. In his head is enough information to severely jepordize the world's population (I am not exaggerating). He disappears. Now imagine what happens. Was he kidnapped? Did he walk over to the other side? Was he dead? We can only speculate on the manhunt that ensued to find him.
We can judge him because his action affected more than just himself; It put the world at risk. Even now, we only have his version of the story. It's all nice that he found love and a family, but what if he's lying?
I don't get too worked about these things. I'm a 1960s vet. I was opposed to the war in Vietnam, but saw the draft coming and joined the Navy Reserve Officer Candidate program, attended OCS for two summers and got a commission shortly after I graduated from college. On one of my deployments, I traveled to Denmark and met up with a bunch of American deserters. They were mainly isolated and unhappy, not much fun to be around. I'm glad I didn't make that choice, but I protested vigorously before and after my active duty period. One irony was that I got gassed in the People's Park demonstration in Berkeley, CA while I was being out-processed at TI after a tour in Vietnam. I guess that is justice. I was glad to see that Carter pardoned the deserters. None of them are left, here, in Denmark where I live now. I wouldn't wish this life on anyone.
Today is his second day. He was missing yesterday and today. He shut off his phone and deactivated the Find my Iphone, and is not in communication with anyone. He just graduated from basic training in September, which was very difficult for him- he was failing some stuff, had an injury and had to have minor surgery, but he passed (I came to find out today that he had actually thought of quitting during basic and talked to a chaplain, but stayed). He arrived at another base and has hated it there- said it was just like basic training all over again.
If he turns himself in this weekend, so it will be 3-5 days gone...what will happen? I've been reading so much stuff all over the place. He has never been in trouble and has a good record. Very high scores. He just choose the wrong area for the Army (infantry), when he's never been that strong of a person.
Almost certainly an Article 15, which is nonjudicial punishment. Basically, it's the Commander saying 'I know I can court-martial you, but if you accept this lesser punishment, that will be the end of the matter.' Usually it involves some combination of extra duty, loss of some rank if he has any, restriction in privileges, and some loss of pay. It is NO FUN, but the time does pass and you can recover from it.
If your son does not take the article 15, the Commander can move to a court-martial. If he was AWOL, I advise him to take the Article 15. No matter what reasons he may think he had, he was absent-he'd lose the court martial proceeding.
The CO MAY elect to retain him since it's a first-time offense, and is supposed to try to rehabilitate him with counseling and assistance-but frankly may not try all that hard. He may also eventually initiate a 'chapter', which is shorthand for 'you're not meeting standards, so I'm putting you out of the Army based on a chapter in this administrative regulation'. For someone who's been in a very short period of time (less than 6 months), it is usually under Chapter 11-Entry Level Performance and Conduct. This chapter gains an 'uncharacterized' discharge (it's not dishonorable, but it's not honorable. It's just...not characterized).
If he goes more than 6 months and clearly isn't salvageable, it will likely be under Chapter 13 or 14 (Unsatisfactory Performance, or Misconduct, respectively). This kind of discharge varies from honorable, to general under honorable conditions, to general under other than honorable conditions.
Finally, if he comes back, here's what he needs to get RIGHT out of his head: leaving now and coming back later under different conditions. There is almost no way that will ever happen, but some young men and women think they can go take a breather and enlist later, or even become an officer later. He's removing that from his future if he doesn't come back and take his licks now.
Article 15s are actually quite common the first enlistment, and can easily be recovered from as long as they are early in one's career.
Thank you for your reply. I think he wants out though
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Son is AWOL. Please help with advice.
