Thoughts on Dishonorable Discharge?

You don't sound like an asshat, Fair question. I don't know if I got the whole story either. This is what he told people. But who knows, I have always suspected more to the story. The fact that he only had a few months left to go to be out, and then to go AWOL is crazy to me as it is. Its not like he had years. So I'm sure I am missing something. Something went wrong that I don't know about I am sure. He is crazy enough to nearly kill someone on the street, so I assume he could be lying too.

 

Thanks. I just didn't want you to think I was questioning your understanding of what happened.

None of the Services will put someone out with a DD just for going AWOL for a short period. If anything, the AWOL time is added on to their original term of enlistment and they are extended until they "repay" the time lost.

Sometimes, you'll see a story in the news about someone who was gone for years who somehow turns up. They are typically processed for a General Discharge since they would notbe able to easily assimilate back into their Service.

So, if he truly got a DD, there was something much worse involved than an AWOL charge. DDs are not typically given through administrative proceedings - they result from legal proceedings. If I remember my military law, it takes a General Officer level Court Martial efore a DD can be imposed.

Or, he got a General Discharge and he's blowing smoke.

 

A female in my squadron went AWOL cause she found out he had to deploy "for 3 months" and they called her and offered her to come back w no consequences and she Sao no so they got her and she had to go on trial for desertion

 

AWOL + refusal to deploy = Desertion.

Once she refused to deploy it went from just an AWOL to a much greater offense. That "could" carry a DD.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I reallly don't know that much about the military. I would hope he wouldn't say he got a DD if he didn't, that's not something to be proud of getting. But like I said, I feel like I didn't get the whole story, so who knows. I know he didn't come home right away after he finally he went back.

 

Yeah i agree more to the awol for a DD i had a friend go awol 3months before getn out he got a rap deal and he needed to leave but they got hom to come back and i took longer for him to get out after that, another went awol and stole alot of military gear and sold drugs but i agree more to the awol it sucks it happens but maybe u should just approach him dont BS and be like dude u dissapointed me by being DD just talk and hear him out if hes your friend he will tell you.

 

There probably is more to the story if he DID get a DD. But either way it may be that he had a base Commander that was trying to make an example of him. You never really know unless you can read the paperwork or get the true story from him. It may of also been the last straw as in had other articles for various other infractions. Most of the time people get gen. un honorable or Admin under failure to adapt to standards. We had a guy get kicked out for OSI finding him passed out naked on the front lawn of a known crack house downtown and he still had under honorable. The marines are different but I doubt they would lie to him and tell him all is ok, just to turn around and give him a DD. That he could of fought and any jury of his peers would throw that shit out. You could also check the base paper from where he was stationed, they usually have a section of the paper that tells everyone how many people got article 15's and what not. It wont give ALL the details but it would tell you if it was a DD or not. But anywho, a few bad choices don't make a man. It's the whole picture. I have friends that I still hang out with that have been to jail, now mind oyu I was cautious at first but shortly realized they were just at the wrong place at the wrong time and just simply made the wrong decision. He may end up telling you everything that is weighing on his heart or he may shut you out. But I for one am not one who wants to live my life asking WHAT IF.

 

Ya I don't hold jail time against anyone, I understand how easy it is to make mistakes. I have made my own, just never got in trouble over it. Thank God!

Anyway, I get the impression that alot of you guys really don't seem to mind the DD as much as I thought you guys would. So here is another question, should somoene still represent there branch of military if they have had a DD? What I mean buy that is, say my old friend still haveing a USMC sticker on his car or something along those lines. Now I know some people make mistakes and maybe unfaily get a DD, but if it is justified, does that person still have the right to display something like that?

 

Now thats a good question. I suppose if it were me and I were undeservingly DD, then I would feel wronged and not want to represent the branch I was serving but I would still be proud of my service and country.

If I earned my DD I wouldn't be able to, but that is my character.

Does someone that was DD able to enjoy the perks of having served?

 

If it was a justified DD I wouldn't want them to represent the military. But once marine ALWAYS a marine. You could of served 4 years or retired, it doesn't matter. They are the most proud and tight knit branch of all of our military. My cousin is a marine and he is by far more proud of his time served than I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to have served 9 years and counting.

 

Another good question.

Agree once a Marine always a Marine, but think it might me different in that case.

 

A former Marine friend of mine got out on a General Discharge for trying steroids in Iraq. Don't get me wrong, he did his time as an Infantryman and was combat wounded but drug use is a big no no for a Marine. Because he got a General Discharge, he does not qualify for the GI bill and he's fucked out of getting a government job for the rest of his life. Do the right thing, ride out through the bullshit and serve honorably. That's just the way to go.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess its only fair that you don't get those benefits if you don't fullfill your time and duty.

 

I would say look past the DD. It is his past and maybe he made a mistake and now is sorry about it. It should not make a difference. The best thing you can do is to be a good friend to him. Maybe a lot of his other friends are acting strange to him because of what happened (DD and brick-deal), and he might be in need of a good friend. If you spend time with him and he is still acting weird and you just don't seem to be able to connect like you used to, then just move on and don't spend time together anymore, but when you see him in the street be nice and act normal. Most people with issues have a hard time getting over it because of how people react to them. The fact that you asked the question shows that you care, and that is good.

 

If he truly received a DD, there's more to the story. We just don't hand those out like spankings, you really have to earn one of those.

 

His contract was 4 years and he did finish it but because he tried doing drugs while in the service, Uncle Sam gave him a General Discharge at the end of his enlistment. Do I agree with it? Yes, but at the same time I feel bad because he was shot in the leg. But he does get a $1,000 a month compensation for the rest of his life.

 

^^ +1

 

Your probably right. Like I said though, who knows if I got the whole story or not.

That is a shame. And that almost does not seem fair because of the drug that was taken. I understand no drugs, but when I hear drugs, I think heroin, crack, etc.. Did he do the Steroids because of the leg? Trying to work past pain and heal faster?

 

Ditto a BCD; there has to be "A pattern of misconduct" shown, and the only DD I've ever seen was handed down by a Courts-Martial (One of my sailors...long story on THAT bozo) along with a 10-15 year sentence in Leavenworth.