What is your personal opinion of military members who desert and then want to badmouth the military?

2016-10-19T09:48:55-04:00

For instance I have a family member, a brother in law who deserted from the army apparently. I was just informed of this by another family member. Since I served honorably in the Marine Corps and was discharged honorably after 5 active service years and now have started my second enlistment in the Navy, it astounds me that this family member could say he refused to fight another person's war in his words. I do believe that I feel super strong about this because as a Marine we are taught in recruit training that to dishonor the Corps and the military in general is the worst thing you can do. I understand everyone is different but we all signed a contract, so we must honor it. Anyway, what do my brothers-in-arms think?

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 19 at 2016 10:02 AM

2016-10-19T10:02:56-04:00

Thats the idiot part of the Internet these days. When your in service in uniform these people that go AWOL just disappear and you never hear from them again. You might get an update from the 1SG if they get caught but ordinarily nothing. Now with the Internet though you can read about Soldiers going AWOL and they actually post about it on various military websites asking how they can turn themselves in OR bashing those currently serving. Totally new environment. My opinion of most of them is that they are lower than dirt, no exceptions as far as excuses in my book. There is no excuse to abandon your buddies and stick them with covering the hole left behind.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 10:30 AM

2016-10-19T10:30:10-04:00

My opinion of a deserter?

There is no one below him/her on the food chain, and I don't give a *&^%* what he/she has to say.

The only opinion I will listen too from such is whether they want a blindfold or not at the firing squad.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 19 at 2016 10:30 AM

2016-10-19T10:30:46-04:00

That's an expected result. You do something you know you'll get into trouble for and then you self rationalize your so called justification by smearing what you didn't have the guts to do vs. acknowledging your own deficiency. Add to that all sorts of avenues to vent and you create your own personal self licking ice cream cone. One of the self rationalizations is "I didn't sign up for that". It's also looked at as immaturity vs. real world. Sometimes people come in that shouldn't be there. We had a new ENS who was a New York fashion type that couldn't understand why you don't put bright lipstick on as camo. She was gone in a few weeks. But she didn't go on a tirade afterwards. She recognized she was a bad fit and didn't need to continue to be miserable. I did have a "personal to" note to the accessions officer's boss on that one. BTW we'll always have this as the system is designed to bring in mostly good people most of the time.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Oct 19 at 2016 10:38 AM

2016-10-19T10:38:19-04:00

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member Deserters,Draft dodgers,all the same to me.Of course,i am from the dinosaur age.No use for any of them.
" he refused to fight another person's war" very familiar words from my generation,yet some of those same protestors and draft-dodgers are now in politics and advocate "economical wars" for their own advancement.
IMO it is just another cop-out.

Response by Cpl Glynis Sakowicz made Oct 19 at 2016 10:53 AM

2016-10-19T10:53:15-04:00

Not sure about the Brothers, but this Sister believes as you do. All Volunteer means its a singular decision to join or not. Its been my experience that those who go AWOL are often being considered for punishment of some sort, or they have this mental view that they are being singled out for some reason or other.
While in, I used to drive the Brig Runs, taking SM from Cherry Point, to the Brig at Camp Lejeune, and they are treated as Brothers or Sisters during that ride, so conversation with the Guards was common, and though I didn't take part in most of those talks, I did listen. There were all sorts of "...THEY singled me out for punishment that I didn't deserve.." and the "...Stupid Regulations.." idea, but the one that always stunned me was, "...I was already in trouble, so what did I have to loose?"
Enlistment is much like a Marriage in some sense... if you can't deal with the restrictions and the expected conduct, then don't do it, because you can screw up your entire life if you mess it up.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Oct 19 at 2016 11:03 AM

2016-10-19T11:03:00-04:00

Depending on who the in-law is puts you in a difficult position of how to act and react toward s/he if you ever bump into them at family gatherings, etc. Could be anything from ignoring the person refusing to associate or speak to them, or showing them the minimum attention or acknowledgment possible and avoiding them if possible. This could be an added problem if the in law was a close relative.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Oct 19 at 2016 11:34 AM

2016-10-19T11:34:51-04:00

It really all depends on the condition of his enlistment. I know you said in-law, but that doesn't really list age. Let's not forget that while we are an all volunteer fighting force, that hasn't always been the case. I do not look kindly on deserters, but draft dodgers is a different story. I might not respect them, but at the end of the day, they didn't sign up for what we did.

But if we're talking about a recent desertion, that might be a different story. Especially if he's constantly badmouthing the military, I would remind him that one phone call could land him in cuffs at Leavenworth. While they may or may not be true, it might shut him up around you so you don't have to deal with such blatant disrespect.

I can pretty much shut out when people badmouth the military, but when it comes from family I'm going to get heated.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 12:07 PM

2016-10-19T12:07:49-04:00

Ignore them !! they are idiots !!

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 12:11 PM

2016-10-19T12:11:13-04:00

Is there a way to check the record or find out? I want to understand the facts.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Oct 19 at 2016 1:57 PM

2016-10-19T13:57:02-04:00

This clip about sums it up for me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpHiZAne1aY

Scarface - Tony Montana: "You Fucking Cockroach!"

Tony Montana: "Hey, Frank, you're a piece of shit." Frank Lopez: "What are you talking about?" Tony Montana: "You know what I'm taking about about, you fucki...

Response by 1SG Al Brown made Oct 19 at 2016 6:01 PM

2016-10-19T18:01:45-04:00

I have a bad opinion. I've worked in the mystical TRADOC land. I've received several calls from deserters that wanted to know what to do. I told them, absolutely don't come here. Go to Fort Knox and turn yourself in. Never call here again, and hang up. There you go.

Response by SP5 Bill Ferguson made Oct 20 at 2016 12:10 PM

2016-10-20T12:10:01-04:00

I think that brother-in-law is a disgusting POS, eligible for a lead pill. He volunteered to join, nobody forced him, and once he agreed, his choices instantly became minimal.

Response by SPC Brad Pratt made Oct 20 at 2016 12:41 PM

2016-10-20T12:41:08-04:00

Well look at the navy captain who refuse the American (so called repressive) Flag. I'm guessing it's a different military since I was in. My captain in the army once announced the we defend the constitution, not participate in it.

Response by CPO Randy Francis made Oct 20 at 2016 1:55 PM

2016-10-20T13:55:49-04:00

They used to pay rewards for deserters - turn him in.

Response by MSgt John Taylor made Oct 20 at 2016 2:58 PM

2016-10-20T14:58:04-04:00

Your brother-in-law is a POS. No matter what your ideology, if you swear (or affirm) to follow the orders of those appointed over you, then you're a turd if you don't. You can't say that "I have principles" and then not live up to them citing that you have principles.

Response by COL William Oseles made Oct 20 at 2016 7:48 PM

2016-10-20T19:48:46-04:00

IF He deserted he should get sent to the USDB for the LONG course.
These days people voluntarily enlist, and you do not say when he deserted which would not change the facts of his desertion but if he was an enlistee it was choice he made and is IMO not a man that is a worthless piece of shite.

Response by 1SG Matt Duesbery made Oct 21 at 2016 8:31 AM

2016-10-21T08:31:17-04:00

Give me his job. I'm unemployed.

Response by MSgt Michael Smith made Oct 21 at 2016 11:06 AM

2016-10-21T11:06:34-04:00

If you desert from the Army, you are a criminal. You sure he deserted?

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Oct 21 at 2016 1:11 PM

2016-10-21T13:11:56-04:00

double loser

Response by Sgt Ramon Nacanaynay made Oct 24 at 2016 12:34 AM

2016-10-24T00:34:34-04:00

There but for the Grace of God , goes I. What have they experienced? Or what is going through their head?

Response by Shila Sadie made Dec 4 at 2016 3:14 PM

2016-12-04T15:14:08-05:00

My opinion is this, you took an oathe, and agreed to serve your country. You run away because you couldn't handle it, you deserve to be punished.

Response by PFC Gary Bunch, II made Jun 18 at 2021 9:53 PM

2021-06-18T21:53:23-04:00

I do NOT tolerate posers nor deserters...10% of my 30% disability is due to a guy who deserted my platoon before we went overseas.