Posted on Mar 23, 2018
SSG Power Plant Electrician
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There’s rumors of an ETSed soldier (now IRR) living in another active duty soldiers barracks room in Germany. Is this legal?
Also, the SM decided to purposely miss their free flight back stateside to stay in Germany without a passport, would this make the SM an illegal immigrant? What kind of repercussions does this SM face and what am I to do if I find this SM (use to be within my platoon)?
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Responses: 5
CW3 Jeff Held
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Part 1: that soldier is not permitted to stay in any military barracks. There are “guest” provisions for housing but that is a 30 day stay.

Part 2 a: did the soldier separate out in Germany or was that supposed to happen stateside? If they were to separate stateside then technically that person missed movement. Part 2b: if the soldier did separate from the military in Germany they are subject to German law. Unless that person has obtained a German visa then they could be illegally in Germany.

Would not want to be the soldier who is abetting the separated soldier and allowing them to hide out in his / her barracks room.
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SFC Platoon Sergeant
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It is not legal for the soldier to stay in another soldiers room. The soldier allowing the ETS'd soldier to stay could face punishment under UCMJ considering that all units have a barrack policy on visitors.

As far the ETS'd Soldier staying in Germany without a Visa (going through the "German out" procedures) there isn't much you can do to him. If he's found on post without a visitor pass or sponsor the soldier can be removed from the post but after that it's a German issue.

There were a few guys that had been in my company in Germany that ETS'd or were chaptered and didn't leave on their scheduled flight, it's actually fairly common especially if the Soldier had a child with a German citizen.
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SGT David T.
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If this turns out to be true, you really cannot do much. Regardless of previous unit affiliation you have zero authority or responsibility over a discharged veteran. The DD-214 is strong with this one and a powerful ally indeed (read that in Yoda voice).

You can check with PMO to see if they have a visitor's pass. That could be an indicator that they are still around and who sponsored them. If they don't have one and you discover them, you can call the MPs and have them removed from post. Their German immigration status isn't your concern. You have no obligation to that individual whatsoever. You can choose to try and help them but that is up to you.

I must say this is probably one of the strangest posts I have seen on here. I don't know too many ETSed folks that would want to stay around their old units lol.
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