I just found out that my stepson went AWOL from the army. What will happen to him?

Answer 1

They'll probably arrest him and lock him up for a year or two.

Answer 2

Depends, if he was in training (AIT/basic), a national guard or reservist, he will report to fort knox or fort sill and be processed out of the military. If he is a forscom soldier, he will return to his unit, and they will decide what to do with him. After a warrant is placed in his name, he will get picked up and do maybe 2 days in jail until an awol apprehension team extradites him to where he needs to go. That is about the only jail time he will do unless he has other charges. Either way, the rest of us still in the military will look upon him as a weak a@@, pathetic sack. Do not listen to GI rights, all they will do is ensure a warrant is placed for his arrest.

Oh, i work for an awol team, so i know. I see awols all day.

Answer 3

Once he has been AWOL over thirty days, he will be listed as a deserter. That fact and his identifying information will also be entered into the National Crime Information
System (NCIS) data base maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice. Any police officer who stops him will know in an instant that he is a deserter/ He will then be placed under arrest on a federal detainer and the military will be contacted. They will show up and escort him back to his base or the nearest base to await trial by court-martial. Desertion is usually punishable by conviction at a General Court Martial with award of a Dishonorable Discharge as a violation of Article 85 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.
Should he take ill or get injured in any way while he is AWOL, those medical bills won't be covered by the military unless he constructively returns from AWOL or deserter status. Any disabling condition he might suffer while AWOL or a deserter will bar him from receiving any disability compensation and will force the Secretary of the Army to discharge him as unfit without compensation (10 United States Code, Article 1207).
Tell him to turn himself in. It's serious business.

Answer 4

If he has been in the Army less than 179 days, he can be very easily processed out in a few weeks at for Knox or Ft Leavenworth (there may be other places too) It's called "failure to adapt" He will have to work (physical labor) while they process him out but if the Army is really not for him then he should show up to one of these places and get the ball rolling. He won't be able to get a regular legitimate job while he is AWOL.

If he has been in the Army longer than 179 days then he is really truly AWOL and should go back to where he came from, say sorry, take the punishment (Article 15) and finish out his time in the military. He signed the dotted line...he needs to fulfill his commitment.

If he has a really good reason (the only I can think of are being gay or an objector) then he may be able to get out on that...but really he might just have to serve his time...or face going to jail for the rest of his contract time, and maybe more. If he has children or a wife, he should remember that he will not get paid while serving this time...

Answer 5

After 30 days he will be classified as a deserter and a warrant for his arrest will be entered into NCIC. Army personnel will not normally pursue him, but local law enforcement have been known to serve the warrants for a quick arrest.

After he's returned to military control he will be returned to his unit and be given disciplinary action, normally in the form of an Article 15. More severe cases can be court martialled, but that is not the norm. I read an article not that long ago that said only 5% of the military deserters are prosecuted and those are usually in conjunction other charges. If he hasn't finished basic training or AIT he will be sent to either Fort Knox, KY or Fort Sill, OK and separated from the service.

Answer 6

Unfortunately I had a ex-boyfriend at one point that went AWOL from the navy. The army will search for him. Basically he has a warrant out for his arrest. My ex boyfriend was AWOL for an entire month before his parents convinced him to fly home (he drove across the country) and turn himself in. He got 90 days in a Navy prison and was dishonorably discharged. It was very sad thing for his family to go through.
Get in contact with you son and try not to be angry. Try to be very very supportive and help him through this time. It is best for him to turn himself in and terminate his employment with the military.

Good luck and be strong.

Answer 7

If he doesn't go back to his unit within 30 days, turn himself in and accept his punishment (which is likely to be an Article 15), he will be dropped from the unit's rolls and effectively be a deserter. Once a deserter, he will eventually get a speeding ticket or something. They'll do a warrants check and he'll pop as a deserter. He'll be apprehended and turned over to the military. He'll probably be court martialed and end up with a federal conviction.

And it gets worse. If he's a deserter and his unit on orders to deploy to combat, he'll probably get prison time too.

Answer 8

Sir, the first 24 hours are called Failure to Repair = counselling; During the period from the first day to the 29th day is AWOL = UCMJ action. On the 30th day he is listed as a deserter from the military = Courts Martial.

Answer 9

They'll put a warrant out for his arrest. As long as he doesn't get pulled over by a cop and he avoids background checks he'll be OK. However, odds are he'll get caught eventually. So I think his realistic options are to either turn himself in and serve a few months or leave the country if he doesn't want to risk any jail time at all.

Actually, even if he's been out over 30 days and turns himself in he might be alright. He has shown a willingness to return which is important. Still probably get a dishonorable discharge though.

You might want to speak with a lawyer to better review your options at this point.

Answer 10

Is he actually AWOL? To be AWOL he has to be gone for thirty days. If he has been gone that long he most likely will do some time. If he is just taking an unauthorized vacation and gets back before thirty he will lose rank, pay, free time, and most likely be starting on his way out of the army but it is getting harder and harder to chapter people out these days. If you see him or know how to get in touch with him tell him to get back sooner rather than later. Eventually the army will catch him.

Answer 11

During a time of war when someone goes AWOL, technically, they can execute him. That hasn't happened since WWII. But, depending on whether he returns of his own choice, a short time in the brigg, if they find him years later...or, depending on the circumstance, he could get years in Leavenworth.

Sadly, unless he returns and gets this resolved, he will be looking over his shoulder the rest of his life. Every time he goes to get a driver license, applies for a job, tries to register for college, his life will always be "on the run."

Talk him into going back, face the music, and get is life back on track....