North Carolina AWOL Defense Attorney
Servicemembers going absent without leave has been a problem the United States Armed Forces has been dealing with since the Revolutionary War. In most cases, GIs overstay their weekends or can't make it back to base in time for morning formation. Sometimes, though, GIs leave for extended periods of time, only to regret their decision. When they wish to return to duty, the penalties they face can be more harsh than the violation warrants, including possible discharge, jail time and a criminal record.
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As a retired Marine JAG officer, Phillip Stackhouse doesn't take AWOL lightly. In his years of experience representing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, he has found that our men and women in uniform take it lightly either. The truth is, service men and women are human, and make mistakes. At other times, there is no intent to go AWOL or UA, but circumstances prevented a timely return to duty.
The Process of Reporting a Service Member AWOL
There are several reasons a service member may leave without permission: personal problems, stress, fear of deploying, fear of harm to themselves, a misunderstanding of reporting requirements or just a complete hatred of the military. Sometimes these reasons could amount to a defense to the charge of Unauthorized Absence or Desertion (sometimes referred to as AWOL), but more often they do not.
Usually, after 30 days of being gone from your unit, the commanders submit what is called a 553 form to the authorities. This form is, for all practical purposes, a federal warrant for your arrest. What this means for the service member is that the next time she is pulled over by the police for a minor traffic infraction, she might be arrested on this warrant.
You Have the Right to Hire a Lawyer to Facilitate Your Return to Duty
If you are absent without leave, or face punishment for unauthorized absence, start by talking to Phillip Stackhouse. His firm offers a consultation and case evaluation at no charge. He also offers the service of negotiating a safe return to your duty station, with the best outcome possible for your punishment. He has experience representing servicemembers in all phases of the disciplinary process stemming from AWOL, UA, failure to report to duty, or desertion, including:
- Command investigations
- Boards of inquiry
- Administrative separations
- Article 32 pretrial investigations
- Courts martial
- Revocation of security clearance
From offices in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Phillip Stackhouse represents members of the U.S. Armed Forces and military contractors involved in military justice cases and investigations at installations throughout the United States and around the world. The right Jacksonville unauthorized absence defense attorney can save your career.
Contact his office for a no-cost initial consultation about his services and how he can help protect your rights.
