i have a friend who might be AWOL but doesnt have a way to return to his station a couple states away. if he turns himself in to the police will they take him back to his station?
2007-11-08 13:31:47 · 9 answers · asked by Destin W 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I'd go the recruiter route. Going the police route will required them to hold them in their D-cell awaiting the military to come and get him or give him a bus/plane ticket and releasing him on his own recognizance to turn himself in. He may sit in a cell for a few days to a few weeks depending on how on the ball the Army is.
The recruiters may be able to just get the bus/plane ticket a whole lot easier wihtout involving the jail cell.
If he is gone longer than 30 days the Army has probably "dropped him from rolls" which allows them to turn off his pay and initiate a deserter warrant for his arrest.
30 days does not make him a deserter. It only triggers the deserter warrant process. Desertion as a crime requires the government to prove that he had the specific intent to remain away from the military permanently. A difficult thing for the government to prove.
Be advised that the penalties do get more harsh if it goes over 30 days (under 30 = no court martial discharge, over 30 = Bad Conduct Discharge can be adjudged if convicted)
If he is picked up on the deserter warrant (most are picked up after being pulled over by a cop and having their licenses run through the warrants system) than it is "terminated by apprehension" and can add a year of confinement time to the max punishment just for being picked up. It also indicates that you weren't going to turn yourself in when you got caught...supporting the desertion argument.
Bubba above is inaccurate as the Army changed the regulation in 2001. The regulation now requires you be returned to the unit from which you went AWOL/deserted. The intent is to let that command decide if they want to keep you or separate you. It's that command that will know if you had other misconduct or issues prior to your AWOL so they can make the best assessment of your retainability. The policy is supposed to favor your return to service to complete your obligation, but most commands do not adhere to that policy.
Don't listen to the "AWOL apprehension" guy. I can tell you he is flat out wrong. You CAN go to a recruiter. not because they have "authority," but you are entitled to turn yourself into ANY military authority and your AWOL terminates THAT date. And you do not get back on your own dime...the Army cuts the ticket (bus or plane). I will list my clients who have done this who wre returned at GOV expense, it's public record, so not disclosing privelged information: SPC Bostick, SPC Bean, SPC M. Rodriguez, PV2 Nash, SPC Muniz, PFC Taylor, SPC Plummer, SPC K. Rodriguez, PFC Two Babies, PVT Holland. That's just this year. We get upwards of 10 awol returnees per day on my post. By the way: 5 of those soldiers were not kicked out but were retained. Only one served greater than 6 months in confinement. The rest MUCH less or none.
2007-11-08 14:53:07 · answer #1 · answered by ironjag 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If he is less than 24 hours no, he is listed as Failure to Repair, and found his way were he is and should have found a way back. After 24 hours he becomes AWOL, sometimes this can be avoided by contacting the Unit and providing details of why. He may still be in trouble but very minor considering what would happen should they apprehend him first. Last is the 30th day he is listed as a "deserter" and they will not only provide him transportation but plenty of free boarding. His best advise is contact the unit, now...they may be able to organize transportation back to the unit and with minor violations if any at all.
2007-11-08 13:40:58 · answer #2 · answered by rance42 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not go to a recruiter, they have no authority once you enlist. They are done with you at that moment. I work for an awol apprehension unit. If there is a warrant out for "your friend", the police will arrest him and keep him in a holding cell until an extradition team picks him up. If he is in training, he will go to fort knox or fort sill, but if he is already in his unit, they will take him and do with him what they see fit.
Hey attorney guy, don't forget that the price of the ticket will come out of their check. And most recruiters have no clue how to do a provisional pass. Just get to an active duty post, thats your best bet, or wait until there is a warrant....thats smart.
And i will add this, he got home on his own dime, he can get back on his own dime too.
2007-11-08 21:45:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The police will turn them over to the nearest military authorities. The military authorities will get them bus transportation back to their unit. When I was a recruiter, we had guys show up stating they were AWOL. We would take them up to Battalion headquarters where they received a bus ticket to Fort Jackson, which was the nearest military base. I'm not sure how it works today but I'd assume it is pretty much the same.
2007-11-08 13:42:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
His best bet is to go to the nearest recruitment office and tell them what he has done. In most communities the recruiters are the only military contact available. They will arrange travel for him.
Make sure your friend is ready to accept the consequences of his actions, and what ever he does make sure he reports back to his unit before he's been AWOL for 30 days. After 30 days it can be consider desertion which is a crime that holds some pretty nasty punishments.
2007-11-08 13:38:28 · answer #5 · answered by voelker_n 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you do something that will cause you to be apprehended by the police, they will find out that you are AWOL, you will be returned to the closest outprocessing facility. Fort Knox if you are East of the Mississippi River and I believe Fort Sill if you are west of the Mississippi River.
For example, you go to one of the gates at Fort Knox, check in with one of the guards and say you are AWOL and they will search you and take you to the MP Station, then to the Outprocessing Facility, where you will remain until they either out process you, or allow you to stay in if you are under special circumstances.
Hope that helps.
2007-11-08 13:39:35 · answer #6 · answered by Bubba 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He can turn himself in to any military activity, including a recruiting station. If there is a federal warrant out for his arrest the police will take him into custody and hold him for the military. There will not be a federal warrant out until he has been officially declared a deserter.
Tell him to make sure he has his ID card with him and any uniforms in his possession when he turns himself in.
2007-11-08 13:36:46 · answer #7 · answered by Yak Rider 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No the police will get in contact with his unit and someone from the unit will come for him.
2007-11-08 13:36:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most likely they would.
2007-11-08 13:36:24 · answer #9 · answered by ziggy_brat 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋