I messed up and got a dwi after reporting to my first unit here at ft Polk. What's the likely outcome?

This was a double response of the above response.

Asking someone who lost a brother his senior year of high school and 3 other members of the family on Mother's Day to drunk driver is not a good idea. I hope the military kicks your deadbeat butt out and you end up in jail. If that doesn't happen you are not going to learn a lesson from this serious F- up and another DWI or more will be in your future until you hurt or kill someone then its serious prison time.

Don’t unpack…. At a minimum, loss of a stripe, extra duty, restricted to base

Though I can understand a specific need to drink, ending up in Ft. Polk Louisiana; for I spent a grueling 30 days of June out there before deployment, I would do Iraq again over that place. You will have to prolly put down the alcohol for some time and relearn what being responsible is, and making better choices. I remember getting one in Germany some time ago, and needless to say I see E-fuzzy coming soon, pay reductions suck, and a whole lotta extra work comes with that pay reduction. You will virtually have to prove yourself all over again and regain trust you never had just yet twice as hard. I hope they don't throw the book at you but depending on the circumstances, just take it one step at a time.

I’m very surprised to see so many advising to get a lawyer, don’t talk, and try to have charges reduced. You know what that teaches? “Use the system, try to avoid consequences of the mistake”.

It takes more character to plead guilty and live with the consequences. If you checked into my command with that attitude I would be much more prone to “not hold it against you”.

You are at a crossroads. How you proceed will affect who you become.

Get a good lawyer and fight the case. DUIs are notoriously difficult from a conviction side. It depends on a lot of factors (your BAC, was an accident involved etc).

Go to the First Sgt or Sec Cc and confess immediately. I had a troop do it with me and played favorably for the troop despite Social Actions wanting enrollment.

Young PFC; this posted on August 28th. It is now November 6th. I hope I’m not too late.

The first thing you need to know is that everyone has an opinion and they are just like assholes; they all smell bad. The only person, I say again, the only person, you should be talking to about this matter is your attorney. And please note that attorneys these days specialize in a field of law. Some do wills, some do contracts some do medical malpractice or sports law. Even a “criminal” attorney specializes in a particular area of criminal law. I.e., murder vs homicide vs robbery vs grand theft/petty theft etc, etc. That said, an attorney that specializes in DUI/DWI law knows the applications of different aspects of the states laws. Your attorney more than likely knows the prosecutor and the judges on a real familiar basis and knows which way they lean regarding these matters. I’ve worked as a police officer and as a public defender when I was in law school. I’ve seen everyone hang themselves by running their mouth. SHUT the Fuck UP and speak only with your attorney from now on about this. When I say I’ve seen some people walk away from a DWI matter, I’m not kidding. It is about the skill of your attorney and whether you’ve already hung yourself by running your mouth. So, get the advice of legal counsel immediately. If someone asks you about this matter simply tell them you’ve been told to not say anything by your lawyer.

Now, as for your career; soldier on until the matter is resolved. If formation is held at 0600, be there at 0550 hours in the right uniform, with the right equipment and the right attitude. Show your leadership that you are a soldier and want to become a better one. Your career is not over if you decide to make the military a career. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is not on oncoming train. It doesn’t sound like you’ve killed anyone yet or done any real property damage. You had to much to drink. Don’t let it happen again. If you drink, do it in moderation (limit it) even if everyone else is fall down drunk. Be the designated driver and drink coffee if you need to and use that as an excuse to not get your ass in a crack again. I’ve been the designated driver and it works. It’s keeps your buddies safe and prevents problems. I’ve got drunks in my family and lost family to drinking and driving. Drinking isn’t worth it that much. Go home and have a drink or two at home and than don’t go out again. Be social, don’t be stupid. But, like I said, be the best soldier you can be. Keep your gear squared away, keep your living area squared away, learn you job the best you can and display the best attitude you can.

Remember please, shut up. It is the prosecutors job to prove your guilt, not yours. Listen to your attorney and be truthful with him/her. What you say to your attorney is privileged and cannot be divulged unless there is a clear and present threat to the safety of others.

Wow,that's really a tough way to begin. What I would advise is to be truthful and humble with all authorities involved. Prove you can abstain from any further drinking or maybe substance abuse. Throw yourself at the mercy of the court and hope for some leniency. As for the military, that's another matter altogether and I wouldn't dare give them a reason to drop you from the program if they allow you to continue one more day and another after that!