I wanted to know what made someone AWOL from the army and I also wanted to know what would happen to that person if they are AWOL. What would happen if they turned themself in or was arrested?

Going AWOL is not a good thing. Depending on service regulations, personnel who are listed as AWOL become deserters after a period of time. Both are punishable under the UCMJ. It is a federal crime to go AWOL or desert, with some pretty serious penalties, particularly during periods of armed conflict.

I was watching the news and there was a Marine that went AWOL. They found him but then he got away. i think they are going to rip him a new one.

__________________
Few follow fewer lead

you would have to check the appropriate army regulations but iirc someone cannot be considered AWOL until they have been gone for 48 hours then after 30 days it is turned into desertion...keep in mind we are at war and the last time i checked during a time of war you can be shot/hung for desertion.

maybe in the past.. we dont shoot/hang our prisoners, we put them in 1st class resort prisons

going AWOL and returning, youll probably be court martialed on return, get a dishonorable discharge and serve 20 years in prison or something.. i dont know for sure...

even something like skipping drill for the guard or not showing up to a training meeting can put you up for AWOL if its without notice.

Tell them to turn themselves in NOW. It is the right and responsible thing to do.

Your country is at war and this is an extremely serious matter.

Recently someone went AWOL and came to Canada hoping to claim assylum as a conciencious objector.

Canada did the right thing and allowed him to be extradited back to the U.S. to face up to his RESPONSIBILITIES.

Freedom must be balanced by responsibility. Anyone who makes their own rules is WRONG.

Once you are in the military, you have to go through proper military channels to deal with that. Not run away like a coward.

It is what it is...

I'm also curious about this because I have a relative who went AWOL from the army well over two years ago after hearing his unit was going to deploy to Iraq and claims that he was discharged. He claims that he received discharge papers but refuses to show them to anyone. I don't see the army discharging someone who went AWOL during a time of war. To be honest with you I wouldn't have a problem turning him in since he turned his back on his country......coward. To the best of my knowledge they aren't looking for him and haven't looked for him. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Well there's different types of discharges and they're not all good. More than likely he received a dishonorable discharge which is probably why he doesn't want to show them to any employers. Because if he does then they'll know that he doesn't honor his commitments and back down from his responsibilities. Because he went AWOL it wouldn't be wise for him to mention his Army experience to any future employers because they'll more than likely ask for his DD214 which will show that he is a deserter.

Okay I am a human resource specialist. I work in an S-1 shop and I deal with AWOL ( Absent without leave) and DFR ( dropped from rolls) soldiers. Here's what happens when you come back from being AWOL or DFR. You are definetly going to get yelled at for a while. Then you are going to get a court martial. In today's army with the war going on they will max you out. Maxing out is loss of all rank if you are E-4 and below. Then you lose one half pay for two months, and you go to jail for 30 days , 22 or 23 for good behavior. Then unless you want to stay in, which you probably won't because obviously you left, you will get chaptered out with a general under honorable conditions. Six months after getting out it can be changed into an honorable as long as you behave yourself while your out. That's what happens. Ohh and you are AWOL from the first formation you miss but it isn't reported till 24 hours afterwards.

When a DFR package is put together the Deserter Information Point issue a Federal Felony Arrest Warrant for the individual. Obviously this goes out to all law enforcement and related agencies.