Re: Old story.

BellaPaprika · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/22/2014 sophiamarie said:
On 1/22/2014 BlueCollarBabe said:
Well, your husband is not a military law expert, is he? AWOL simply means not being where you are supposed to be, at the time you are supposed to be there. A military person can be one minute late for work, and be considered AWOL. A military person who is AWOL for 30 days or more is administratively classified as a deserter. Doesn't have anything to do with keeping your uniform nor your intent.

This is from the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 86, Absence without leave:

Any member of the armed forces who, without authority--

(1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed;

(2) goes from that place; or

(3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed;

While you are technically correct (and he's no military law expert), there is a lot of difference between what is written in the UCMJ and its practical application. As you said, a person who is late for work can be charged with AWOL, but will he be? No, because it's not practical on so many levels, including troop morale. But, in the case cited by the OP, the practical application is what my husband is familiar with, and he's only speaking from his own experience, not from the point of the worst that can happen to someone who violates military law. Thank you for your viewpoint, but this is as far as I'm going to comment on something someone else said.

Is this your version of a retraction? The military is nothing if not a stickler for "details".

pinkskates4 · ‎03-10-2010

I don't want to beat a dead horse either.

But I'd think "troop morale" in this case would have gotten the book - and the highest provable charge - thrown at him.

This was a time of draft dodging in record numbers. Clearly, going to war in Vietnam was not popular with the majority of troops - particularly draftees, but also with enlistees.

If the Army allowed people to abandon their units and return to the US to then be rewarded with desk jobs, they would have invited chaos.

BellaPaprika · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/22/2014 Dagna said:
I don't want to beat a dead horse either.

But I'd think "troop morale" in this case would have gotten the book - and the highest provable charge - thrown at him.

This was a time of draft dodging in record numbers. Clearly, going to war in Vietnam was not popular with the majority of troops - particularly draftees, but also with enlistees.

If the Army allowed people to abandon their units and return to the US to then be rewarded with desk jobs, they would have invited chaos.

Exactly!

MrsLorraine · ‎07-05-2012

On 1/21/2014 upsidedown said: DH is VN vet ( USAF) and he said no way this story is true or hundreds would have done the same thing....

Thousands upon thousands did. A lot went to Canada to avoid being cannon fodder, and/or to avoid an early death or permanent wounds. Remember Agent Orange...

bells4me · ‎03-13-2010

I also find his story hard to believe. I was in high school in the 60's & know of a dozen or so that died in Vietnam. I'm sure there were also deserters too.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

As a Vietnam-era veteran, I'd call him a lily-livered coward and send him packing.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

abbeythe 8th · ‎04-17-2010

On 1/21/2014 Ford1224 said:
He told me that whenever he started dating someone new, he admitted to that right away. If there was any "fabrication," it started there with him, not here with me, although it does not surprise me in the least those here who would insinuate it was me.

I tried to post this on the thread that was just deleted, but the "conversation had already been discontinued."

We dated for a while and it was never discussed again. He was a good guy who seemed to suffer a lot from this experience.

So did you believe him? You never discussed it? You do not think this story said a lot about his character?

esmerelda · ‎03-10-2010

On 1/21/2014 Ford1224 said:
He told me that whenever he started dating someone new, he admitted to that right away. If there was any "fabrication," it started there with him, not here with me, although it does not surprise me in the least those here who would insinuate it was me.

I tried to post this on the thread that was just deleted, but the "conversation had already been discontinued."

We dated for a while and it was never discussed again. He was a good guy who seemed to suffer a lot from this experience.

From what experience did he suffer? The desk job? His cowardice? It isn't clear to me what "experience" he had.

*********************
Keepin' it real.

sylviahomeatlast · ‎03-11-2010

I grew up in an Army officer's family--I'm not sure that quislings are whatever, but I' m pretty patriotic--not my country right or wrong but darn close--how could he?