Basic Training... My son joined the Army reserves, how can he get out?

[Miss Mia]

never cry wolf  (1000+ posts)
Fri May-02-08 10:08 PM
Original message
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3238101
Basic Training... My son joined the Army reserves, how can he get out? Advice needed...
   
My son just finished basic training at Ft. Jackson, S.C.... I tried to talk hom out of it before he went bur he went anyway... he was offered a $20k bonus but took half that in exchange for a 2 year deferment from being sent overseas.......

he has now finished basic and wants out asap..... his AIT (next training) was to be a paralegal.....

he is contemplating filing papers to ty to get out which if he does will take 4 months and result in a dishonorable discharge or he can go awol and result in the same determination???? and will result in a dishonorable discharge.....

my own council is for him stick it out.... but he is determined to leave the service...

anyone know a way out of the reserves? He is thinking of basically going awol... what are the downsides?

I tried to warn him but he is 22 years old...

thx for any and all help

My advice:  Tell you son to suck it up.  He's a full grown adult who made a commitment and should follow through with it.  Of course posters at DU don't see it like that:

nadinbrzezinski  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Fri May-02-08 10:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. AWOL.... if he does that
   
he MIGHT face court martial, prison and a Dishonorable, which will make his life hell

In fact, a dishonorable will make his life hell

Stick it out... though he MIGHT try conscientous objector and good luck

AnnieBW  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Fri May-02-08 10:54 PM
Response to Original message
35. Say that he's gay.
   
That'll get him kicked out for sure. I'll leave my rant against "Don't ask, don't tell, just discharge" for another day.

and-justice-for-all  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Fri May-02-08 11:25 PM
Response to Original message
39. Tell'em he is a Gay Atheist....
   
he will be removed in less than 24hrs.

phillysuse  Donating Member  (452 posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Fri May-02-08 11:44 PM
Response to Original message
42. Time to explore his sexuality
   
Edited on Fri May-02-08 11:45 PM by phillysuse
It's still Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

He should shout it from the rooftops, write letters to the newspapers.

I'm GAY and I'm in the ARMY.

[Airwolf]

WTF?

[tuolumnejim]

I just saw that one and was in the process of bringing it over, this needs to get forwarded to a recruiter. 

[JohnnyReb]

Boot camp at Ft. Jackson and he's ready to quit. ....and he was going to be a paralegal. ....that right there should be reason enough to give him an Undesireable and send him on his way in my book........after he pays back the $10,000 enlistment bonus.

I think some of them are thinking about the good old days with the "tell them you're gay" thing. 40+ years ago that would get one an Undesireable Discharge and out of the service so fast you'd think Scotty had beamed them up. I don't think it works that well now.

[djones520]

Boot camp at Ft. Jackson and he's ready to quit. ....and he was going to be a paralegal. ....that right there should be reason enough to give him an Undesireable and send him on his way in my book........after he pays back the $10,000 enlistment bonus.

I think some of them are thinking about the good old days with the "tell them you're gay" thing. 40+ years ago that would get one an Undesireable Discharge and out of the service so fast you'd think Scotty had beamed them up. I don't think it works that well now.

I don't think they give them the bonus until completion of AIT.  Thats how it works in the AF at least.  Would make sense that they do the same.

And the "I'm gay" thing doesn't really work anymore.  Especially in a case of just coming outta Basic.  The whole thing that gets me is that it's not that hard to get out of Basic.  My wife got discharged twice while in Boot Camp (both times after 9/11), for pidly medical shit (not by her choice, by theirs).  She told me they where bootin people left and right.

If he really wanted out that badly, he coulda found a way.  I'm just guessin he's doing the standard "God boot sucked ass" bitchin to mom, and she's doing the typical DUmmie thing and stretching the story a good 3 miles.

Edit:  And I get a kick out of her screen name...

[DumbAss Tanker]

We court-martial deserters these days.  It's an embarassment that he's training to be a paralegal, and it's a misperception that it's a ***** job, almost all the ones I met in theater were superior Soldiers and a couple were decorated for valor as well.  Like any MOS, there are some loser 27Ds of course, but they tend to get weeded out because the promotions are incredibly competitive.

The little shitbird's best bet would be to schlub his way out, i.e. bust body fat limits or repeatedly fail PT tests.  Of course he's going to owe the US a big chunk of money and they are very patient and persistent about collecting it.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

He's going to have a desk job 1 weekend every month and he can't hack it?

Get that ***** out of my beloved army.

[dutch508]

Send him to CAJMTC.
It's not a good day until I make someone cry.

[TheSarge]

The bonus isn't paid until the completion of basic training and AIT.

And in most cases only half is paid at the front end of the contract.

The rest is either doled out monthly over the length of the enlistment or at the end of the contract.



And on an added note WTF is wrong with the kids parent?

HE'S A ****ing PARALEGAL


Thats the freaking definition of "soft MOS" in the Army.

[delilahmused]

My guess is, considering his mother and the kind of environment he likely grew up in this is the first time he's actually had to commit to something and work hard beyond "wear a condom son, and you're not going out that door until you put on your 'Bush Sucks' t-shirt...what will our friends think?" Time to trim the lace off his panties and be a man.

Cindie

[Chris_]

The bonus isn't paid until the completion of basic training and AIT.

And in most cases only half is paid at the front end of the contract.

The rest is either doled out monthly over the length of the enlistment or at the end of the contract.



And on an added note WTF is wrong with the kids parent?

HE'S A ****ing PARALEGAL

Maybe his parents think he can't use his legs and arms now...

[Rebel]

Boot camp at Ft. Jackson and he's ready to quit. ....and he was going to be a paralegal. ....that right there should be reason enough to give him an Undesireable and send him on his way in my book........after he pays back the $10,000 enlistment bonus.

I think some of them are thinking about the good old days with the "tell them you're gay" thing. 40+ years ago that would get one an Undesireable Discharge and out of the service so fast you'd think Scotty had beamed them up. I don't think it works that well now.

I don't think they give them the bonus until completion of AIT.  Thats how it works in the AF at least.  Would make sense that they do the same.

And the "I'm gay" thing doesn't really work anymore.  Especially in a case of just coming outta Basic.  The whole thing that gets me is that it's not that hard to get out of Basic.  My wife got discharged twice while in Boot Camp (both times after 9/11), for pidly medical shit (not by her choice, by theirs).  She told me they where bootin people left and right.

If he really wanted out that badly, he coulda found a way.  I'm just guessin he's doing the standard "God boot sucked ass" bitchin to mom, and she's doing the typical DUmmie thing and stretching the story a good 3 miles.

Edit:  And I get a kick out of her screen name...

Bonuses are paid out incrementally over the enlistment on an annual basis.

[Rebel]

BTW, this ***** should have to spend the remainder of his enlistment at Ft. Leavenworth. Paralegal? Get the **** outta here. What's he scared of, a paper cut? 

[TheSarge]

Maybe his parents think he can't use his legs and arms now...

Excuse me while I go clean the sweet tea off of my screen

[Airwolf]

My guess is, considering his mother and the kind of environment he likely grew up in this is the first time he's actually had to commit to something and work hard beyond "wear a condom son, and you're not going out that door until you put on your 'Bush Sucks' t-shirt...what will our friends think?" Time to trim the lace off his panties and be a man.

Cindie

Its to late for that. He has already failed at being a man so I guess his future is better off in being  a transgendered paralegal for the ACLU or UGPs next date.

[Chris_]

'Dishonorable' is right. DUmmies disgust me, but this wimp should stay in for the whole time. It might make a man out of him.

[BlueStateSaint]

My guess is, considering his mother and the kind of environment he likely grew up in this is the first time he's actually had to commit to something and work hard beyond "wear a condom son, and you're not going out that door until you put on your 'Bush Sucks' t-shirt...what will our friends think?" Time to trim the lace off his panties and be a man.

Cindie

Its to late for that. He has already failed at being a man so I guess his future is better off in being  a transgendered paralegal for the ACLU or UGPs next date.

Pardon me while I clean the Saranac Summer Ale off my flatscreen . . .

[DumbAss Tanker]

The bonus isn't paid until the completion of basic training and AIT.

And in most cases only half is paid at the front end of the contract.

The rest is either doled out monthly over the length of the enlistment or at the end of the contract.



And on an added note WTF is wrong with the kids parent?

HE'S A ****ing PARALEGAL


Thats the freaking definition of "soft MOS" in the Army.

Ehhh, it's about the same as any other clerical MOS on the work level, and they are generally subject to pulling as many shit details as anyone.  Chaplains' Assistants are the real Kings of Get-Over.     

[franksolich]

I dunno about anybody else, but I see balls.

Balls bouncing all over the place.

It looks to me as if the maternal ancestress primitive is describing something she wishes her son to do.

And in real life, perhaps her son is sort of uncomfortable with being where he's at, but it appears to me the mother is expressing a hope, not a reality.

[BlueStateSaint]

I dunno about anybody else, but I see balls.

Balls bouncing all over the place.

It looks to me as if the maternal ancestress primitive is describing something she wishes her son to do.

And in real life, perhaps her son is sort of uncomfortable with being where he's at, but it appears to me the mother is expressing a hope, not a reality.

Coach, you're going to have to clue me in to why you think this.  Obviously, you have more experience over there with the primitives than I do, but I would like to know how you came to this determination.  I don't doubt your conclusion; I just want to see how you came to that conclusion.  PM me if necessary . . .

[Chris_]

I dunno about anybody else, but I see balls.

Balls bouncing all over the place.

It looks to me as if the maternal ancestress primitive is describing something she wishes her son to do.

And in real life, perhaps her son is sort of uncomfortable with being where he's at, but it appears to me the mother is expressing a hope, not a reality.

Coach, you're going to have to clue me in to why you think this.  Obviously, you have more experience over there with the primitives than I do, but I would like to know how you came to this determination.  I don't doubt your conclusion; I just want to see how you came to that conclusion.  PM me if necessary . . .

He's got a point there, Saint. What DUmmy would enlist in the army, or be able to pass all the tests and stuff to get in anyway?

[franksolich]

This is strongly reminescent of something I eyewitnessed during the build-up to the War for the Liberation of Kuwait, in 1990-1991.

I have a nephew who was in the Army National Guard; in fact, he was the youngest recruit at the time, in the Nebraska Army National Guard.

The sister-in-law, an utter and complete moonbat, a hippie relic, had been against the idea of his joining.

Well, he joined anyway, and it wasn't quite as what he had expected (one of my brothers, his favorite uncle, unexpectedly died while the nephew was in basic training), and he oftentimes expressed some unhappiness about it.

The moonbat sister-in-law insisted this meant he had to get out of there.

He didn't; he completed everything, and did something more than the minimally-required years.; if memory serves me correctly, he re-enlisted at least one time, perhaps two, and was all done by the turn of the century.

[Crazy Horse]

I don't believe what I'm about to do...............here is what the crying wolf primitive said.

my own council is for him stick it out.... but he is determined to leave the service...

That is honest to good advice............so here is my problem..............Why the **** did she start a thread over at Skin's Island about this situation if she thinks he should stick it out. 

That was rhetorical

[MPCOA]

Ehhh, it's about the same as any other clerical MOS on the work level, and they are generally subject to pulling as many shit details as anyone.  Chaplains' Assistants are the real Kings of Get-Over.     

Except for when it comes time for the personal effects detail.

But on topic, Reserve paralegal is a pretty safe bet, the Guard actually gets called up more I believe and there are paralegals on AD.

[Dixie*Darling]

...
Time to trim the lace off his panties and be a man.

Cindie

  H5!