AWOL because of abuse/restraint?

Question

My friend was recently in an abusive situation at her BCT unit.
The 1 SGT of the Company had her restrained by 4 female SITs. She tried to go get help, and they sent her to CMHS. The people she talked to there told her to contact the IG, but when she tried she was told that she had to go through her chain of command. Which, she told me will take a long time.

Now she is talking that she wants out of the Army completely. Her left shoulder is messed up from where the girls were pulling at her, but her company will do nothing about it. She told me that if they don't hurry up she is going to go AWOL and fix things herself.

I am trying to find ways to help her from my side, we both know what could happen to her if she goes AWOL. I want to help her so bad because she's losing it 'emotionally' but I'm lost in this stuff. Where do I start? Do I contact a Lawyer? And if she does go AWOL, will the Lawyer still help and perhaps get the AWOL charges cleared?

Answer 1

Tell her to use her COmmabders Open Door Policy, or her batallion Commanders open door policy.

For that you have to use the chain of command to request it. At which time they try to remedy theproblem themselves, but tell her to insist she be allowed to use the B.C.'s open door policy.

Tell her if they refuse to act in timely manner, (respond within a day) then to have her give written request that shows shes started a paper trail -- that basically says to & from - request to use open door policy of my batallion commander.
Add in there personally delievered to .....(whoever)

From there, have her report the wrong doings to the batallion commander. Tell her to get it on record first!

have her ask the Batallion commander that she wants to go to IG, which they cant deny her but which they are denying her. He'll try to fix it, saying, he'll take care of it.
At which time shell have to choose of whether she wants to trust it will be taken care of, or still continue on to I.G.

She can also CALL IG, and inform them of any wrong doings, and even have her set appoitnment or gain approval there to go to the appotinment..

NOW,
She can Go AWOL, and understand there are different types of AWOL!
Before 3 days, its an abscence of duty, pretty minor.
4-30 Days AWOL dont know what it is
30+ days they will throw the book at her (in time of war its called desertion)

I'd try the first stated formal complaint process first,.
Then if she needs to escalate it, because nothign is happnening, she can go AWOL, but only for less than 3 days.
If she returns they will pursue something like an article 15, extra duty, possible loss pay. they'll give her a choice of what typeof proceedings she wants, and if there was really something bad illegal immoral that happened to her, this is where thigns get interesting as it will come to light.
Army hates this type of attention.
It could result in her getting a rehab transfer out of the unit to another unit, OR, perhaps some kind of failure to adapt if shes a new soldier.
I think its up to 6 months at your first duty station where youre stil able to get a failure to adapt.

Sometimes drastic measures are necessary.
But make it formal first.
Show shes done everything properly.
Which will show someones failing to do their part at same time.

Like other people have said, theres always another part to the story, but I know how bad the army can be at times.
Sometimes you have to impose your will on those trying to impose theirs on you.

Hope it works out for her!
Some people were just not meant to be soldiers, and some leaders dont know how to lead their subordinates.

Answer 2

First of all she should not go AWOL. They will throw her in jail for that; and she will have more trouble if she does. Plus it will stick with for a long time and it is hard to get those charges dropped. Second, what she does need to do is talk with a lawyer who deals with the military. There maybe more to the story than what she has told you for them to use such restraining force on her.

Answer 3

First of all I am ex-mil but air force. I only understoond one of the many accronyms that you used. I was air force. My first piece of adivice is to tell your friend to no matter...do not got AWOL!! I was an MP. I got out of my enlistment early and got an honarable discharge. Circumstance were different but the point is that trying to get a job with anything other than honorabile is going to be tough. Not immpossibile but tough. You ever hear rush to wait, or wait and rush? well you left out alot of circumstance but I can tell you this much. Tell your friend to find a mentor that she can go to. Start with her chain of command and go up. Never skip. Annotate everything and write it down. Talk to a base chaplin and mental health if needed. Stay out of trouble and rmember her bearings and stay professional at all times. yes sirs and no mams allways. be on time and make sure that uniform is squared away. The mil is not for everyone. if needed and if money is not an issue talk to a lawyer (civie type) good luck

Answer 4

You don't give enough detail here. Restraint itself is not grounds for abuse, especially in the military. However, if the situation did cause her physical harm/injury and regulations were violated, then you may have a case. The last thing you want to do is go AWOL, unless it was so grievous that it warranted it, such as rape. I would first threaten to go to the media and make it public. The last thing the military needs is another blow to how they treat veterans. If your local news station is willing to hear you they may air it if they think it is legitimate and worth pursuing. Having it broadcast on TV is free advertisement and will probably result in people contacting her (or you) to offer help.

Answer 5

She needs to go to the chaplain or IG. She should utilize the chain of command, but if she is not getting adequate support, or is afraid, then she can go directly to either one. And, no, going thru the chain of command will not take long, she is just afraid of going that route. If she is injured, then she needs to go to sick call. If she is being physically abused (NOT PTed, but beaten), then she needs to report it to the MPs.

NOW, we all know there is a flip side to this story. WHY did she have to be restrained? I know that we all want to think the best of friends and family, but I've never heard of someone just arbitrarily "restraining" someone. What was going on?

Answer 6

First of all if she goes AWOL all shes doing s making **** worst. her companie,Batallion, Brigade and division they all have a open door policie.... when they say they chain of command need to know thas is true but she can say that the companie dont listen or they dont whant to deal with the problem. My advise as a SGT in the Army tell her to go directly to the Brigade SGM since he will get on 1sgt *** but this is if shes the victim as you say. Im in combat arms and we dont restraing some one just beacause she most be doing something wrong really wrong. And is really important that your friend visit the chaplain for her emotion problem. she need to go to sick call to keep track of her sholder problem and maybe used that for a medical discharge. A lawyer will not help you cuz you figthing againts the system and alot of lawyers dont like to deal with the military. and im not saying she does but if she have any drug problems she need to be refered to ASAP

Answer 7

I am always so sad to hear about the poor treatment of our soldiers by our own. you might try a lawyer, but it's a charge against the goverment, always tough to prove. but it might be a good start. you might also try to contact the clergy (your preacher or priest) for advice on how to deal with this situation. Good luck to you and your friend.

Answer 8

That is BS. NO ONE has to go through a chain of command to see an IG. That is there job!

Answer 9

you are NOT hearing the whole story, and my guess is she's exaggerating stuff as a play for sympathy.

and yes, she DOES need to go through her CoC. her 1Sgt has a boss, she can do to them if she is uncomfortable bringing it up her her 1st.

But my guess is, it's overinflated hooie and she is whining about something she has no case for.

Answer 10

Well given that there's only her account of what occurred......there's nothing YOU can do. It's all on her to fight her own battles with whomever. And given that there's no reason given for a restraint, who knows....