Consequences of a Navy Sailor Running Away from His Ship
Understanding Desertion and AWOL Status
In the naval context, running away from his or her ship is technically termed as "Absent Without Leave" (AWOL) or "Unauthorized Absence" (UA). If the intention is not to return, it escalates to the level of desertion, which is highly disapproved in the military forces, including the Navy.The perversion of a sailor's duty without permission can have severe repercussions, often leading to immediate disciplinary measures and, in the most serious cases, judicial actions such as court-martial proceedings. The consequences can be categorized into a range of penalties, from non-judicial punishments to more severe measures.
Immediate Penalties for Unauthorized Absence
For sailors who are caught before the ship departs, the primary consequence is likely to be a non-judicial punishment (NJP), also known as Captain's Mast, which can include penalties such as a reduction in rank, detention in the brig, and fines. If the period of absence exceeds a defined period, the absence is often categorized as desertion, leading to more severe penalties.For sailors that are not caught and continue their absence, the situation becomes more serious. The absence is referred to as "missing movement," which is a critical issue in the military. Upon their return, the sailor may face severe penalties, including being thrown into the brig, facing a court-martial, and possibly being discharged under dishonorable or less than honorable conditions.
Historical Examples and Current Procedures
In my career, I have witnessed two notable incidents of unauthorized absence.Incident 1: A sailor with a history of unauthorized absences went missing for two months. Upon his return, he was found by local law enforcement during a speeding violation with an outstanding military warrant for AWOL. As a result, his enlistment was extended by the same period, reduced in rank from E-4 to E-1, received half a month of pay forsix months, and spent the remaining six months in an administrative detention setting before being discharged with a bad conduct discharge.
Incident 2: During the return from deployment on 9/11/2001, a sailor did not return to work and was gone for 32 days. Upon his return, it was discovered he was in a state of drug addiction. After initial attempts to rehabilitate him, the sailor fled the hospital for another 15 days. This led to her being detained in the brig, and ultimately, she faced a court-martial, serving an additional three months in the brig, reducing her pay, being demoted to E-1, and receiving a bad conduct discharge.