21 year old friend of the family gets DD from the army

[r3126]

On the order of things, isn't an honest DD rather difficult to get? Essentially needing felonious behavior when you're IN the military in order to even be eligible?

Perhaps this kid just got a BCD? (Mmmm...chicken....)

Note - I'm not .mil nor have I ever been.

Agree with the above. If, in fact, he got a DD, I really believe there was/is more to it than just being "over the hill" for 6 months. As noted above, a DD results from a General Court Martial - not an administrative action or a Special (lesser) Court. Being a deserter is difficult to prove in court and unless there is more to the charges, in 99% of cases of absence of that short a duration it would be adjudicated in a Special Court and could result in a Bad Conduct Discharge (big chicken dinner) or lesser punishment. I could be mistaken as I am not a lawyer, just a retired (22 years) Marine.

As to the original post, a DD has basically the same sanctions as a felony conviction. He has screwed up his life, big time.

 

[oldpink]

Agree with the above. If, in fact, he got a DD, I really believe there was/is more to it than just being "over the hill" for 6 months. As noted above, a DD results from a General Court Martial - not an administrative action or a Special (lesser) Court. Being a deserter is difficult to prove in court and unless there is more to the charges, in 99% of cases of absence of that short a duration it would be adjudicated in a Special Court and could result in a Bad Conduct Discharge (big chicken dinner) or lesser punishment. I could be mistaken as I am not a lawyer, just a retired (22 years) Marine.

As to the original post, a DD has basically the same sanctions as a felony conviction. He has screwed up his life, big time.

I was a bit skeptical myself, but assumed that a DD was true.
Is it possible that the OP meant to say it was a Big Chicken Dinner instead of a Duck Dinner, and the OP confused the two?
I only saw two discharges that were worse than the very common Other Than Honorable (probably 90% in the OTH category being composed of drugs or alcohol reasons), and they were both Big Chicken Dinners.
The first was for a moron who was on restriction who decided to jump over the side and try to swim for freedom while we were tied up to the pier in Norfolk.
The second was for an even bigger moron who had one of his fellow Mess Specialists walk by his rack locker (we called it a "coffin") when it was open and see the baggie full of white powder.
Ordinary AWOL/UA doesn't seem to fit in the category of a Duck Dinner unless in war time.

 

[PistolBob]

In my Army days many years ago we were told that if we were AWOL over 30 days it was considered desertion. If this guy gets his act together, he should look into having the action reversed or expunged if possible. Ironic how a recent POTUS was a draft dodger.

Really? Which POTUS was that?

 

[PistolBob]

I have heard of guys getting a DD and it turning to a general discharge (less than honorable) after so many years. I have no idea what the circumstances were though.

 

[Birds Away]

Probably an OTH. I don't think I've even seen a Big Chicken Dinner for just being UA. The RE-4 is just the reenlistment code. You can get a general under honorable and have an RE-4 code.

 

[oldpink]

Probably an OTH. I don't think I've even seen a Big Chicken Dinner for just being UA. The RE-4 is just the reenlistment code. You can get a general under honorable and have an RE-4 code.

You're right, and your much longer time in service, seniority, and experience support that.
Not that an OTH is exactly something to put on a resume, but it's still a far cry from the two dinners in question.

 

[D-Ric902]

I have heard of guys getting a DD and it turning to a general discharge (less than honorable) after so many years. I have no idea what the circumstances were though.

Not automatically. You can apply for it after (I think) two years.
no guarantee that it will be upgraded or how long the process takes.

lots of drug and alcohol problems get BCD or LTH and get it amended to a Honorable if they show treatment and clean period of time.
I don't know about AWOL/desertion. When I was in it was AWOL for thiry days them Desertion. But they didn't go looking for them, they would get stopped for speeding or something and be held.

 

[r3126]

I am probably preaching to the choir here, but...... Under the UCMJ, in order to be found guilty of ANY offense, there are a series of, what are called, "elements of the offense" each of which must be proven - sort of a check list, so to speak. To be found guilty of desertion, one of the elements is that the accused intended to remain away permanently. This is really hard to prove, obviously, as all the accused had to say was that he intended to come back some day. For this reason, desertion is hard to establish. Nearly all cases of desertion are reduced to a charge of unauthorized absence which is simple to prove and are usually disposed of at at a Special Court Martial or Summary Court Martial unless there are circumstances that necessitate a GCM.

 

[eldirector]

He is not family, just a son of an old friend.

Ah, so not the family vampire hunter?

 

[spec4]

Really? Which POTUS was that?

You're kidding right?

 

[MAJB Retired]

He could go into politics.

Good point!

 

[KellyinAvon]

r3126 pretty much posted everything I was going to post. I have nothing to add but I hate not posting on military-related stuff. 8 years ago today was my last day in uniform, and if it is a DD he's screwed 7 ways from Sunday.

 

[Crbn79]

I've seen many DD's in my time as an Army MP. They generally resulted in jail time as well as the DD. I personally knew a dirt bag how did a graduated Basic and never reported for duty. His unit got deployed and he was hit with Missing Movement, AWOL, and finally desertion under time of war. I let some people know where he could be found as he got on my bad side. He ran a couple more days and they caught him. He did 2 years of time and DD for it all.
You can be hit with a DD for AWOL pretty easy if you just keep running.

 

[PistolBob]

Not automatically. You can apply for it after (I think) two years.
no guarantee that it will be upgraded or how long the process takes.

lots of drug and alcohol problems get BCD or LTH and get it amended to a Honorable if they show treatment and clean period of time.
I don't know about AWOL/desertion. When I was in it was AWOL for thiry days them Desertion. But they didn't go looking for them, they would get stopped for speeding or something and be held.

Two guys I know were booted for drinking issues...and you are right, now that I think about it, they had to apply for the discharge to be amended to say General...I also believe they had to show the military they had a successful session a rehab and had no alcohol related charges since being discharged.

 

[melensdad]

21 years old and gets Dishonorably Discharged from the Army for being AWOL for 6 months. How screwed is he now?

Probably not as screwed as he deserves to be for going AWOL. JMO

 

[BE Mike]

He's in a real mess. He got himself into it, let him clean up his act and see if he can pull himself out.