Running from the military.

[miatasaint]

Okay...my longest friend has apparently run from the military at 5pmish on this previous thursday. As the story goes he and a buddy got charged with breaking and entering, possession, and underage drinking. They are in the navy by the way...well, they got a slap on the wrist, but they freaked the f*ck out and ran. He called me on Thursday night around midnight asking for a place to stay, saying he and his buddy were on a road trip. I personally thought they were on leave.. I didnt answer, as i was asleep. An agent of some sort called me yesterday afternoon telliing me everything, as i had no idea previously. Well i called my friend and he answered on his disposable phone telling me everything in all honesty. I kept telling him to turn around, knowing he WILL get caught. They are just really scared, and made some REALLY REALLY stupid *** choices and are being quite retarded. Now the phone is off, I couldnt sleep worth a damn last night, im stressing hardcore as is his family, who i am pretty close with. Ive know him and his family for 12-13 years now, since i was like 9. Please pray for their return and to make the right decisions...his family is in real bad shape because of this, as am I. This isnt like him at all.......

Is there anyway i convince him to come back and turn around? Ideas?

Also, what do you think his punshment will be? They are not considered AWOL yet, just UA/AU. But probly by monday will be considered AWOL...

[jester911]

UA is the Navy equivalent of AWOL. AWOL is an army term. Unauthorized absence is the offense. During war time which we are in now it is not a good thing. The sooner he turns himself in the better things will go. If he waits for them to come get him things will not go as well. If he stays gone longer than six months it can be considered desertion. That is when the charges and sentences can get very serious.
Was the breaking and entering on or off base? If off base he will have to face the charges in civilian court and if convicted could then get a bad discharge and have to face the sentences of the court.

He needs to get himself back to base asap and then contact a JAG to advise him.

[NA6R]

is it possible by turning himself in he could avoid a dishonorable discharge, and the subsequent felony?

[miatasaint]

It was considered on-base....sorry about the terms, Im not military-term savvy....

[miatasaint]

is it possible by turning himself in he could avoid a dishonorable discharge, and the subsequent felony?

Im wondering the same..dishonorable discharge will screw you in the butt for life..

[tbone heller]

Im wondering the same..dishonorable discharge will screw you in the butt for life..

So will time in the brig.

[miatasaint]

So will time in the brig.


yeah but if he spends time it will be better, as he can have a 'second act' of his life when he gets out...

All i want is for him to come home and be a man and accept the consequences. This is extremely difficult for us. Not trying to sound like a b!tch but me and this kid are so damn close. I actually ALMOST want to tear up over this, his mom is being destroyed over it. Not only is he hurting his future severely but his loved ones as well.

I mean, imagine if i let him stay at my apartment unknowingly of the situation....I would be in sh!t too...

[jester911]

I am certainly no expert but if you or he need to talk to someone just pm me and I will send you my cell number.

[miatasaint]

I doubt hed call...hes iffy about even answering to me, but refuses to talk to family or anyone. Apparently im the only one he trusts.

[thedperrys]

What's done is done and he will have to deal with the past mistakes regardless. The only thing in his control now is how long he chooses to run. The longer that goes on, the worse it all becomes. He needs to get back quickly.

[miatasaint]

Which is what ive been trying to tell him. Now his phone is still cut off..Just talked to the agent though, she told me he has until midnight tomorrow night to go back with no consequences, any later he will be a 'deserter'.

[Beastinthebushes]

No offense, but your friend is really retarded. I don't understand how people think running away is a solution. When he gets caught, he is gonna regret his poor decision, cause he is gonna get fvcked sideways.

[miatasaint]

No i agree. He really isnt retarded...his actions on the other hand...are. He really is a good guy, smart, just being f*cking dumb in this situation.

[jester911]

That is really too bad. His whole future is hanging in the balance.

[miatasaint]

The webs we weave..

[dmonroe2008]

Wow man sorry to hear that. But your friend is insane. I hope he knows that running will only get him awol. He is litterally ****ed. Not to be mean. He needs to man up and turn him self in before it gets worse. He will not win this game of cat and mouse.

[oldgrayfrog]

PM me and I can give you my cell #. I am a retired Navy Chief. My last duty station was at Great Lakes, and so I know precisely how the command will handle this. He will do a few days, no more than 30 in the Brig. He may avoid even that. He will be given a general discharge unless the value of the item stolen exceeds $1000. He will be released from the Navy, as "no longer meeting the needs of the service." Guys like this are pretty common place. There was one kid who tried to run about 15 years ago, got caught on a fence in sub zero temps, and died of exposure. Since then, we make sure that they know, all the have to do is walk out the gate. He really will be much better off if he returns before six months has been expired. Until then he is not a deserter, merely UA. He'll turn himself in, and be home in a month, two at most.

[miatasaint]

Just got a VM last night...he called me, after me calling...lets see.....78 times on sunday, he turned back. Idk when but thank God he did. Thanks for everything guys...

[jester911]

Glad to hear it.

[subspeed6]

OGF has it right. I was an instructor for my last duty station and we had kids go UA and do some really dumb stuff. I'm sure OGF and I can share some stories to your friend about kids we had that would make his jaw drop. At my command, underage drinking was rampant and we had at least 5 kids per week getting caught.

My guess is they will send him before the Capt and he will be on base restriction for 60 days or so and possible reduction in rank. It's not career ending, but he will have to take his lumps. He is just lucky it's early in his career so he can hopefully learn from these mistakes and move forward.

[miatasaint]

i pretty much relayed all of your replies to the family, and all of you really helped their confusion. That is greatly appreciated.

[doombastic]

Good luck to him (them). I had a friend go through something similar in the army.

[oldgrayfrog]

Subspeed has it right. They make it sound like it all goes on your permanent record, but that's BS. Pretty much nothing you do in your first five years has any affect on your long term career. I actually think selection boards like the kid who overcomes a rocky start, better than the straight arrows.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

While I was in, all my fellow peons used to get all butt hurt if some NCO went off on them. I didn't. I'll take getting cussed out, *** chewed, and verbally torn to shreds any day over paperwork.

Verbal "feedback" stays in the room, paperwork followed you everywhere.

Hopefully this isn't a career ender for him. Like everyone says, a lot of it does depend on what all he took. He's going to have his work cut out for him, but if he really wants to I imagine it's not over for him.

Good luck to him, and you're a good friend.

[subspeed6]

From reading the first post it sounded like the stuff he got in trouble for was probably a suspended bust. Which means it is like probation. If he got in trouble again, the stuff would happen to him. Now there may be more added on, but I seriously doubt this is a career ender.

[miatasaint]

Well guys, you deserve an update, haha from what ive understood, he will not be let go, but he has to attwend mandatory counseling for a certain amount of time, and probly some b!tch work. Its a pretty common thing doing what he did apparently. Thanks everyone, it REALLY means alot. First rounds on me.

[epilonious]

Hooray!

Hope it all works out and this turns into a happily ever after story to warn off other folks from doing something similar.

[subspeed6]

Moral of the story: If you do dumb stuff, take your lumps and be a man about it.

[miatasaint]

Psh true dat.

lol no seriously.