if you're signed up to join any military branch, can they put you in jail if you change your mind? a friend of mine's bf joined the marines and said that now he HAS to go because otherwise, they can put him in jail, my friend asked me if it was true and i have no clue. can they really put him in jail if he changes his mind?
2007-08-10 22:01:04 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
If he has raised his hand, sworn the oath and signed his enlistment contract he has assumed an obligation to the United States. Failure to report at the prescribed time and place for transportation to Boot Camp means that he is Absent Without Leave (AWOL). Yes, he can be arrested, jailed and turned over to military authorities for disposition of his case. Joining the military is not a game. His actions now will affect his entire future and follow him throughout life.
2007-08-10 22:17:29 · answer #1 · answered by cwomo 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Legally they can if he has already signed the contract. Usually that doesnt happen until you are at the MEPs station.
I dont think its been done in a while
If he did sign and doesnt show, what will happen more then likely is that nothing will be done directly. However, he will not be able to sign up for Federal Financial Aid, he will not be able to file a tax return. If he is stopped by the police for anything, even a broken tail light, he will be sent to the Army for a decesion on what to do. Again, that could be jail time, or it could be an other then honorable discharge.
2007-08-11 06:05:02 · answer #2 · answered by mnbvcxz52773 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Not that complicated really,if the person signs up and didnot show up and change his mind, of course,he will be notified by the branch of the armed forces he join to report but he said that he change his mind he has that option and his application would be terminated and he will not go to jail,who gave you that idea that if the individual change his mind he will go to jail. That is ridiculous,the armed forces by now would have a bunch of law suit left and right if that wouldbe the case.
2007-08-11 10:15:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If he signed all the forms, then yes. He does not have the option to just not go. That would be considered goin AWOL and yes, they can put him in jail for that. If he has signed up and since changed his mind, he needs to contact his recruiter now to discuss this. And the truth is, he may still have to go. He signed a legal agreement promising to serve..this isn't like signing your hiring paperwork for Dairy Queen...you can't just walk away from it.
2007-08-11 08:37:33 · answer #4 · answered by Annie 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If he has sign a contract with the Marine Corp or any branch for that matter and fails to report for duty at the prescribed time, he will be considered AWOL which stands for Away Without Leave. He than can and probably will be arrested,
2007-08-11 05:11:53 · answer #5 · answered by Ira R 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you are signed up to go then you have already made a commitment to be in the military. If you go awol, (absent without leave) they can and will jail you. Deserters are the same way, they will get jailed and then they will take it from there. Desertion is punishable by death.
2007-08-11 09:18:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They sure can. The question is why did he join the military in a time of war if he didn't want to go? It's not like changing your mind about a shirt that you bought and then trying to return it. This is committing your life to die for whatever cause the military deems necessary. This is FOR REAL.
2007-08-11 05:14:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
He cannot just decide to not show up or report. It is an all volunteer force though. He can quit. They'll give him a whole bunch of crap, but he can quit. I am a Marine and can tell you that they don't want him there if he does not want to be there at the start. However, as I said, he can and will go to jail if he just fails to report as ordered.
2007-08-11 05:09:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on when and how he changes his mind. There are chances in DEP and even in basic to "change your mind". I know DH lost a couple of kids who found better opportunities for themselves while he was recruiting and they didn't go to jail. Just had to fill out more paperwork.
However, it is possible that your friend's BF is tired of the pressure to get out of the contract and just tried to come up with any reason that would shut the detractors up.
2007-08-11 11:15:56 · answer #9 · answered by Critter 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Technically, if he has not sworn in the second time at MEPS, he is not in, and therefore would not be arrested.
Reality is, it costs too much time and money to go after deserters, so they will Flag them but will not actively look for them. but ten years later when they try to get a Federal loan, or get pulled over for running a stop sign, they will pop up, and they will be arrested and languish in jail until the military decides if they want to press charges or not
2007-08-11 08:00:34 · answer #10 · answered by Mrsjvb 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋