Posted on Apr 5, 2019
What happens if I just stop showing up for drill in the military reserves?
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Army Reserve Elements
Army Reserve Elements
Posted >1 y ago
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When you just stop showing up, after the first drill you will receive a certified letter explaining that you were Unauthorized Absent for 4 UTAs, with some boilerplate explanations covering how 9 total UTAs of Unathorized Absence will result in your AWOL discharge, characterized as Other Than Honorable, listing the benefits that you will not be eligible for, as well as instructions on how to contact your unit to clear this up and possibly even convince the Commander to change that Unauthorized Absence to Authorized.
The process will repeat for the next two drills after that.
When you have not responded to the third letter, you will receive a different one, this one is the Notice of Intent to Separate.
If you also ignore that, you will be put out with an OTH, ineligible for benefits or re-enlistment in any component.
If you did not clear supply and CIF, your tax returns will be garnished for the cash value of the gear you did not turn in.
It will be impossible to qualify for a federal job, and difficult to qualify for most state, county and city jobs.
And just about any person who has not also gone AWOL from the military will think you have serious lack of commitment and accountability issues based on the fact that you could not keep up your end of the contract for just showing up one weekend a month.
Other than that...
The process will repeat for the next two drills after that.
When you have not responded to the third letter, you will receive a different one, this one is the Notice of Intent to Separate.
If you also ignore that, you will be put out with an OTH, ineligible for benefits or re-enlistment in any component.
If you did not clear supply and CIF, your tax returns will be garnished for the cash value of the gear you did not turn in.
It will be impossible to qualify for a federal job, and difficult to qualify for most state, county and city jobs.
And just about any person who has not also gone AWOL from the military will think you have serious lack of commitment and accountability issues based on the fact that you could not keep up your end of the contract for just showing up one weekend a month.
Other than that...
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Soon or later, they will drop you from the rolls, process your paperwork for UCMJ- AWOL, and discharge with a General Discharge which will show up on your employment records for the rest of your life. Which means no Federal/State and possibly city/county jobs. Plus a hard time from any HR dept with Veterans in it.
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SSG (Join to see)
SFC Boyd is correct if you have received any bonus money etc, they will turn this over to the IRS and recoup their money as well. I have you thought about the IRR.
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SGM Bill Frazer
PFC (Join to see) - Depends did you use or they use any Veteran prefence points to secure the job? They could possibly.
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If you fail to report to 3 weekend drills they will start to process the paperwork as Other Than Honorable Discharge and No despite what people think that will not effect your civilian employment bc that is not public record. Civilian employers will not as much as they may want have access to that record. It's always been a myth to scare you away from the very idea of just leaving or deserting your duties but much like the myth of the ocean is blue bc soooo many people say it's true.. they have no idea what they're talking about. When the paperwork is put in yes it can take 6 drill weekends to process making a total of 9 drill weekends missed resulting in the discharge I mentioned above and .. well you're out! That simple. People in law enforcement may not like you and veterans may not like you either but who really gives a fuck what they think bc they don't know your situation and are real quick to judge. If you have any questions Call GIRights and they'll explain the entire process to you. [login to see]
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SPC (Join to see)
How did you become a sgt a SSG at that. I hope you're no longer in the army. Have some respect for the commitment that was put into the service despite it not working out and most of all have some respect for the rank and if not the rank have some respect for the uniform that you both and I wear daily. You may outrank myself and the individual asking questions but at the end of the day it just might be a private medic coming to save your ass in the field.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Yah, well I’m a combat veteran, and I’ve served proudly for damn near 20 years, and I’m pissed about this vaccine mandate, and not happy working for the Muppet Show! So you ask why people joined? I joined after 9-11, because of 9-11. I’m also thinking about not returning to base, ever again
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PFC (Join to see)
PFC (Join to see) Imagine what it's like in active duty in the army. I'm in the same situation you was in expect it's 2023. My army reserves unit is trash every time soldiers and officers at my unit hear that it could be deploying littlerally almost all of them hurry and transfer to a different unit or ETS they also don't help you with anything but expect you to know all there is to know about being in the military or army and your job that they changed you into and you didn't choose and they will not retrain you at the job they changed you too. If they do reclass you and you go back to AIT they only will keep you there for like 3 to 4 weeks. Not even worth going to if they aren't going to take the time to teach you. They don't give Us or counseling when a soldier is doing wrong how can anyone expect a good unit when nobody has each others backs literally every one at my unit is only interested in saving their own self. I can tell just by their actions. They also will leave you high and dry. Don't trust officers or E7 and above. Their the ones putting your life on the line while saving their own. Pathetic is an understatement. There is no brotherhood, camaraderie, or sisterhood. Plus there is so many negative people in my unit. I swear their job is to kill as many people as possible. Soldiers die in vain in the military and only any idiot believes otherwise.
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PFC (Join to see)
SrA (Join to see) I believe it's worth getting out for. No point in person putting your limbs or life on the line for nothing else in return.
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Why would anyone not show up for Reserves? Its not like you are giving up a whole lot for just 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year. If you have issues with the unit you are in, check to see what other units are in your area and what openings they may have. Don't mess up the rest of your life by just walking away from a commitment you made. I loved my time in the Reserves. I was able to move around to different units, depending on the situation, and for a time I put in lots of Man Days as clerical assistance for the full timers at 3 units.
I pray you rethink this before it becomes too late.
I pray you rethink this before it becomes too late.
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Well I assume you know what AWOL means, so I guess you are wondering what the end state of that is. Well Soldiers have been known in the past to get bench warrants issued for their arrest, because you are in fact committing a crime under the UCMJ, even as a reservist (state National Guard Soldiers have state military codes that also coincide). However, eventually you will get kicked out of the Army (yes, even in the Reserves or National Guard). Ultimately, you will get an "Other than Honorable Discharge," and in certain circumstances even a Dishonorable. Regardless, you can rest assured this will almost guarantee elimination of you ever getting a government job (and many private sector jobs too). You will also lose your future benefits, and will likely have to pay ones received back. Oh and if you haven't turned any of your gear in before going AWOL, you'll get your taxes garnished for the full amount for that too. Bottom line, no matter your problem with the Army, going AWOL is not the answer (unless you really don't care about your future). We don't want people that don't want to be there either. So, there may be other ways for you to get out under a General Discharge for things like hardships, medical reasons, religious reasons, etc. But you have to communicate with your Chain of Command, not go AWOL, because it will be much worse for you.
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SPC (Join to see)
I finished my time in service but do you want to know what happened when I reached out to leadership, chaplains and medical providers in my unit (medical unit by the way) when I told them that I was depressed, they also saw episodes that were way out of character for me like yelling at leadership in front of everyone, etc....they did nothing. Nothing at all, as a matter of fact, they said "what could you do differently to change this?" even after telling them all the issues that were caused by the unit. So no, I am not surprised soldiers just end up saying "f*ck it, I'm done."
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PFC (Join to see)
Most of what this guy is saying is only true if you are on a deployment aka callEd up for one. If not then the situation is different.
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Let's be honest, though you receive U'sup to 4 per month. You can still show up later and full-fill your contract. The Reserves doesn't hold soldiers accountability, Leaders are to lazy to do counseling's or if they do it. Higher just states that they didn't try hard enough to retain you. Lots of soldiers skip AT and nothing ever happens to them. All you have to do is occasionally show up, pass a PT test and maintain yourself medically green. SGM's are more concerned about their numbers being green than caring about their soldiers. Though their are some good leaders out there like SGM's and Colonel's not all are bad and toxic. But it's pathetic to be treated as a number, I'm a SFC and still get treated like a number. Good luck to you, and don't worry about finding a job, you can make more in the private sector that the crap hole of GS world.
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Well, check it out. Before anyone questions my grit, or my love for the uniform and this country, hear me out. I’ve only got a few years to go to retirement, Ana I’m done! After this vaccine mandate, that the Muppet head put out, I’m thinking about not stepping foot on that base, ever again. AWOL, or no AWOL. So, people need to understand where people’s heads are at, before they lump everyone into a “shot bird” category. No one’s gonna question why I joined. I joined because of 9-11, and I wanted to go specifically to Iraq. I got my chance in ‘05. So, I’m not willing to go through the whole commander, chaplain, JAG, upper echelon bs, just to have my religious exemption denied. I’m done. So I don’t really give two squirts o’ piss what kind of discharge they give me, or what any other American thinks, for that matter.
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My unit is over 150 miles and they have not been giving me a room when I go to drill recently had a change in financial situation I cannot afford to drive out there and pay for a hotel anymore
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PFC (Join to see)
SGM Jeff Mccloud the unit was already being non helpful even when the person did show up to drills/AT. I doubt him showing up would effect anything and if that's the case then that's another IG compliant towards that unit.
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PFC (Join to see)
SGM Bill Frazer wow you don't have staff then if that's the case. Who would work with you with a high turnover rate like that?
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PFC (Join to see)
SGM Bill Frazer also I thank you for telling me about how in the contract it's states that the US military doesn't care about their personnel at all. I look forward to spreading the word.
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