Conference quark::mennotes-v1

    
    
    Sandie,
    
     It might be helpful to access Defense_issues, not sure of the exact
    pointer. I believe your son would be prosecuted under the appropriate
    law, as applies in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. I hope everything
    turns out for the best. Hang in there..
    
    
    David

    Thanx for the pointer.  I'm off to the DEFENSE conference.
    
    Sandie

    
    
    Sandie,
    
      I looked up the node (it's my own :-) ) Comet::defense_issues.
    
    David

       There are a couple of considerations for you:

       1.  The Navy will try and scare the hell out of the parents in case
       the AWOL serviceman shows up or calls.  They will want the parents
       to coerce him into returning.  What he has done is serious but
       they're not going to execute him.

       2.  Under the UCMJ he will be prosecuted in a Military court of some
       kind depending on how long he stays gone and several other factors
       including a biggee called:

       2a. Missing ship's (or any unit) movement.  This means that if he is
       stationed aboard a ship and that ships leaves it's bearth while he
       is AWOL, they will add those charges to AWOL.

       The reason I know all this is because I was in the Navy.  When the
       Navy wouldn't let me have leave before I went to Vietnam I went AWOL
       for about 45 days.  I went through the entire gambit.  My advice to
       you is:

       1.  Remain calm, the Navy will not execute your son although he will
       be punished depending on how long he stays gone.

       2.  Do what you can to locate him and strongly encourage him to
       return.  Tell him to contact the Chaplain if he is having problems
       coping.

       3.  Remind yourself that he is responsible for this action not you.

       Patrick

    The US armed services are among the few that are *serious* about
    tracking down the AWOL.  The Oz services figure that if they want out
    that much they're better off without them, and after about six months
    forget about it.

    Actually, the US Military spends very little effort actually tracking
    down AWOL personnel.  Mostly, they just wait for them to either turn
    themselves in or come into the purview of some other law enforcement
    agency, or otherwise come into contact with the US goverment.  
    
    Mike

    OK, that's more sensible.  Sounds like they've changed their minds
    fairly recently.  It wasn't that long ago they were trying to extradite
    a deserter from Nam who was in Oz.

It's not surprising that the attitude towards deserters in peacetime is
more laid back than in war.

    re .8
    
    That was my point.  This guy deserted from the US forces in Nam and
    twenty years later when he pops up in Oz the US tried to extradite him. 
    Bit of a waste of effort that long after the fact.

I thought there was a general amnesty for Vietnam draft dodgers and deserters
during Jimmy Carter's administration.

    Wasn't the amnesty just for draft-dodgers?
    
    /Greg

Pardon my ignorance, but what is AWOL?  Thanks.

    Absent WithOut Leave
    
    Unauthorized absence.

    Or
    Absence Without Official Leave

    The Amnesty was offered but persons had to apply for it.  Anyone
    not applying was still a deserter.  The case of draft dodgers
    may be different.
    
    AWOL: Away Without Official Leave, is, mentioned in .0, a charge
    for being away less than 30 days.  After 30 days it becomes
    desertion.  The difference between AWOL and desertion is like
    the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony.  In some
    cases desertion can be plea bargained down to AWOL.  If he
    shows up and the Navy wants to keep him it won't be too
    bad, if they are reducing forces it will be easy to give him
    1 to 6 months in a Navy prison and toss him out afterward.
    
    They won't look too hard for him, they don't have to.
    
    ed

    Thanx for all your advice.  I finally (through the original recruiter)
    was able to contact the Transient Personnel Unit in Bremerton to see
    what I could find out.  I was informed not to worry, my son was back on
    base.  Of course, he had already been through a court proceeding and
    will be discharged (Bad Conduct) the end of this month.
    
    Sandie

    I'm glad he came back and that you don't have the uncertainty of not
    knowing what's going on to deal with.  
    
    He may be able to make an application to have his discharge upgraded to
    one less onerous than a Bad Conduct discharge sometime in the near
    future.  This is not simply a matter of saving pride, but might help in
    restoring some veteran's benefits for which he might not otherwise be
    eligible.  
    
    Mike

    Having his discharge upgraded from Bad Conduct to General wil almost
    certainly make a huge difference in his possibilities for getting a job
    in the civilian marketplace!  A Bad Conduct discharge is an absolute
    red flag to employment personnel.
    
    -dick