why could this have happened in my story?

Question

in a story i'm writing, this 18 year old guy ran away from the army, for some reason i don't know yet. what could be a reason that wouldn't get him thrown in jail? and a reason why he couldn't just quit, but had to run away instead? thanx

he's one of 9 people who were on a plane that crashed on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere, and they've all got a secret, and his is that he's an army runaway. i guess someone on the island will know that his 'crime' was actually okay, and tell him he'll be innocent when he goes back. i'm not quite sure where it's going...

let's just make clear... i dunno if i said this, but whatever. so, he deserted, and he's totally ashamed of it. because as everyone knows... that's really not a good thing to do. obviously. and i need a reason for him to go AWOL - if someone could also explain that a little more- i was toying with the idea of his mother being sick or whatever. but also, something he did - no idea what- resulted in the death of his friend. any ideas on any of this are appreciated!

Answer 1

OK, once again, Guitargadly is here to save the day! Guitargadfly has looked at your story, and has determined that it is LOST. Start another story line that is more original.

Answer 2

How about this: He is a young guy who signs up to join the air borne (paratroopers). He left home at 18 and can not return because it is such a bad situation for him there (abuse, drunkenness, drugs). He is in basic training in a state a long way from his home and acquaintances and he has no one to help him any way. At the end of basic training, when he is supposed to get paid, he is told that his records got mixed up and that there is no record of him on the payroll. He now must begin new training for the airborn and he has no money to buy anything, not even bus fare. He stays on the base week after week waiting for his records to be found and for a pay check. Nothing comes. His unit gets shipped out but he can't go because his records are lost and he is not included on the roster of persons being shipped out. He has no money. He gets help from the Red Cross so he can buy some basics like toothpaste and shaving gear. His records are totally screwed up. The commanding officer wants to know why he is still there. He explains his situation to him but still nothing happens. He finally gives up and leaves the base. Ge goes AWOL and hitches a ride and never returns. The police are not looking for him because he has not committed a crime. He is just absent without leave and once in civilian clothes no one knows this but him because the army does not send out investigators to find soldiers who go AWOL.

Any kind of bad situation leading a young man to want to go AWOL will do what you are looking for. You can fill in the blanks with some personal disasters that cauld lead up to his decision to go AWOL. Voila! you have your story.

Answer 3

Well, maybe this 18 year old guy saw something happen that shouldn't have happened, maybe the murder of a superior officer (kind of like that movie "Courage Under Fire" with Meg Ryan) and he knows that he can't formally report it because of some high reaching cover-up. So he goes on the run, chased by the Army for deserting, the guys who committed the murder to silence him, and a lone miltary investigator who wants to save his life so they can expose the cover-up.

Just an idea, and if you use it, at least give me honorable mention for it!

Answer 4

Unfortunately for your story, the mere fact that he ran away, regardless of the reason, will get him in trouble. Perhaps you could make it part of the story that someone he meets gives him the courage to go back to face the consequences of his actions.

Answer 5

Desertion is NOT okay. Unless he did so out of bravery or courage, unless he was making some sort of sacrifice for others, so that his actions resulted in the saving of lives for example, he should not be excused for what he did.

Answer 6

He was mentally deranged when he joined the military and ran away. The military thought he was normal but he had a split personality.

Take it from there, girl. Go for it and good luck!

Answer 7

He is the only son of a great native American chief. he can't go to war because his blood line may be broken. He seeks asylum on the federal reservation.

Answer 8

maybe you should write a story about stuff you know, the writing will come much easier. unless it is an assignment or something, In that case I don't know.

Answer 9

he got word that his mom got stabbed and is in the hospital !!!! he is the only living relative ..... it is just him and his elderly mom he panics and leaves base one day to be by her side!

Answer 10

His Sgt was planning to kill him for sleeping with his wife.