my nephew went awol for 1 month got a less than honorable discharge is that normal for just awol?

Question

my nephew said he was sent home from the military because he had been made to change jobs more than three times. He said they dropped him off at the airport and that was that. 1 month later the sherrif knocks on their door to arrest him for being awol. He never told us anything. Now I'm having trouble believing what he tells us. He was sent back got other than honorable discharge and was sent home in a week. Is it possible he did more than just runway to get that discharge? What is the normal punishment for awol?

I don't mean to say just awol. I know it's a serios thing. I meant awol alone or possible some other crime.

Answer 1

Yes it is but there much more to this story, your nephew unfortunately is not telling you the whole story. Now am not going to get up on a BIG soap box and berate him but he did let not only his unit and what ever branch of service he is down but he shamed his family and now he just like some one who is the big house he lies. So until he can grow up and confront this and let all of his supporters of his family and friends know what really happened he will be scared. As far as calling him a loser or some other name look this happens all the time in the service some people just do not know how to handle what ever situation that they get them self's into, I hope that he did not get into any civil trouble but he may just popped on a drug test and just did not want to face what ever was embarrassment that would come of this. The Navy Sailor Gal was kinda to personnel in what she said to you about him look these things happen and it will not be the last time this happens in the service. Now do not get me wrong I do not condone this type of behavior nor do I feel sorry for those who run away from there problems but I will give him the benefit of the doubt because I really don't know what happened or what would drive him to do this.

Answer 2

If he was gone for more than 30 days and was arrested by either military or civilian authorities after the 30 days has expired, I believe that he's a deserter and that's far more serious than AWOL. AWOL usually isn't treated as serious because he's just absent, not more than 30 days has expired so they leave some hope that he will return. After 30 days, if he has destroyed his uniforms, ID cards, and all things that identify him as being in the military, I’m sure that he’s considered a deserter.

If he had turned himself in before the 30 days was up, still had his uniforms, and ID card on him, he’d have gotten an Article 15 or 92, I can’t remember which, and some extra duty, a fine, and unit or battalion restriction for 1 – 3 months for the first offense.

The fact that he was gone for more than 30 days, made no attempt to contact any form of military or civilian authorities to turn himself in, and was later arrested doesn’t look good.

Like somebody has already pointed out, take a look at his DD214, it will tell you everything that you need to know about his discharge.

I could be mistaken about what I’m talking about, but I’m pretty sure that it works that way. I saw dozens of men go UA, that’s the USMC’s version of AWOL, and they all came back before the 30 days was up and all they got was a month of extra duty, fine, and unit restriction. One man was gone for 45 – 60 days, but because he turned himself in, he was returned to his unit, continued on in the USMC for another two years, he was reduced in rank, fined, and had unit restriction for sixty days.

One last note, I believe that you mean “Other Than Honorable” not “Less Than Honorable.”

If he did indeed get an OTH, that’s not bad, it won’t follow him through his life, and apparently he hated the military, they knew it, and they left him off the hook. It’s a win - win situation. Military doesn’t want to take care of a man that doesn’t want to be there and a man that doesn’t want to be there no longer has to put up with the military.

Answer 3

Yes, he is lying to you. They don't drive you to the airport and drop you off and say hey go AWOL ok dude.

Yes if he went AWOL Under Than Honorable is exactly what he should have gotten AND if he was gone 31 days he was a deserter.

Your no big deal attutude sucks. There is no suck thing as JUST AWOL. Your little boy needs to grow up and become a man someday and stop being babied by people like you and his mommy. Those of us that do our job honorable everyday and don't run away from our country and the job we chose to sign up for have no patients for jerks like your nephew. So what if they changed his job three times, that is the life in the military. You do what you need to do. Ever heard the saying, there is no "I" in team? Tell your nephew he isn't an "I" when he enlists in the military he is part of a bigger picture.

Maybe someday the kid will tell you the truth about what really happened, but until then don't tell us stories like this one because we don't like being lied to just for attention getters, he got your attention, but the rest of us know the system and his story is full of holes that are filled with BS.

Sorry to be so blunt, but it is stuff like this that makes the rest of us look stupid.

Answer 4

I would say he's not telling you the whole story. Even if the "change jobs more than three times" story is true, the military wouldn't just drop him off at the airport. He probably would have received an admistrative discharge. He's lucky they caught him when they did, because awol changes to desertion after a certain period of time (can't remember how long it is though). Sounds like he got off pretty easy considering we're at war.

Answer 5

He could have been thrown in Federal prison for a nice long stretch. Somebody gave him a break.... And, he was Dishonorably Discharged from the military....not "other than honorable".

The military doesn't treat deserters kindly. He must be aware that that dishonorable discharge will follow him the rest of his life...and his chances at obtaining any kind of decent job is zip to none. Employers would wonder how good an employee he might be if he can't even honor his duty as a soldier.....

The American people don't like deserters either.

Answer 6

AWOL for 24 hours due to a problem at the airport got my husband a general under honorable conditions discharge... AWOL for 1 month would definately get you a dishonorable discharge and most would be put in a military jail for awhile.

Answer 7

I just read an article in the Marine Corp times about this, I tried looking for it online because I can't find the paper, but it was recent. The article said that many soldiers have been going awol and getting very little punishment, the most severe for most of them is "less than honorable discharge"...so I have heard of it...

Answer 8

I HOPE THE FOLLOWING CAN HELP YUO ,SIR.
Soldiers may be discharged from the Army
before their normal expiration of term of service
(ETS). Reasons for such discharge include—
•Misconduct.
•Conviction by a civilian court.
•Unsatisfactory performance.
•Hardship and dependency.
•Void and voidable enlistments or inductions.
•Alcohol or drug abuse.
•Conscientious objection.
•The good of the service.
•The convenience of the government.
•Fraudulent entry.
•Homosexuality.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO SOLDIERS
Once recommended for separation, a soldier
can exerice specific rights and options as addressed
in the following paragraphs.
Separation board. Unless in civil confinement,
a soldier has the right to a hearing before
a separation board if the commander initiates
the separation under the—
•Administrative board procedures. (See
AR 635-200, paragraph 2-4.)
• Notification procedures, and the soldier has
six or more years of total active and reserve
military service at the time of separation. (See
AR 635-200, paragraph 2-2.)
Soldiers have the right to appear before the
separation board unless unable because of civil
confinement or absence without authority. In
such cases, soldiers may choose to be represented
by counsel before the board. Soldiers
may submit any statements they want to have
attached to the separation recommendation.
Give soldiers at least three duty days to consult
with counsel; a judge advocate officer will advise
soldiers concerning their rights.
Soldiers may waive all of these rights; failure
to respond within seven duty days will constitute
a waiver. The JAG officer will use the format
6-1 shown in AR 635-200, Figure 2-5, to record
counseling and the rights selection or waiver.
Counsel. Any soldier recommended for discharge
for misconduct, who has requested appearance
before aboard of officers, is entitled to
representation by a—
•Civilian attorney at no expense to the government.
•Appointed JAG officer or other military counsel
qualified under UCMJ, Article 27(b)(l).
(See AR 635-200, paragraph 2-4e.)
Withdrawal of waivers. A soldier who
waives his right to appear before a board of
officers, to submit statements, or to have counsel
may withdraw that waiver and request these
rights any time before the separation authority
orders, directs, or approves his discharge.
Separation authority. For misconduct cases
where a discharge under other than honorable
conditions is warranted, the separation authority
is either the GCMCA or a general officer in
command with a judge advocate or legal advisor
available. A general officer cannot, however,
approve a discharge based upon a foreign conviction.
The commander who is an SPCMCA
acts as the separation authority when a discharge
under other than honorable conditions is
not warranted and the notification procedure is
used. An honorable discharge may be ordered
only when the GCMCA has authorized the
exercise of separation authority in the case.
The appropriate separation authority appoints
a board of officers. When the board has
recommended separation for misconduct, the
separation authority may do one of the following:
• Direct retention.
• Direct separation for misconduct.
• Direct separation for unsatisfactory performance
or for whatever reason the soldier
received notification.
• Approve the separation, but suspend its execution
for up to six months. (See AR 635-200,
paragraph 1-20.)

Deficiencies often include
••••
Tardiness for formations, details, or duties.
Being AWOL for 1 to 24 hours.
Losses of clothing and equipment.
Substandard personal appearance and
hygiene.
Persistent indebtedness.
Frequent traffic violations.

Thses are all good grounds for dismissal,discharge
Again I hope this can hel .
If you need more information,consul Field Manuel 27-1 or 27-14.

Answer 9

He probably lied. The military does not just send people home for having to change jobs. If they fail to adapt then they are discharged, and I don't believe it is a pretty one either. It may just be a general discharge. At any rate, your nephew was Absent WithOut Leave and should have bet put in jail for his cowardly act. Just my personal opinion. Although, a dishonorable discharge is pretty bad too. That will not look favorable when he tries for an actual career.

Answer 10

Yea, that's what you would get. Just a few years ago and he'd be in prison at Ft. Leavenworth. And he's not telling you the whole story, the military doesn't just drop someone off at the airport without a discharge. There is a process you go through.