NationStates Jolt Archive

It appears that a "deserter" in Canada (and many like him) aren't actually deserters. And apparently, haven't been "deserters" for quite some time now.

Which takes the wind completely out of their wanker sails.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=5289506&page=1

Since deserting his unit in Iraq and fleeing to Canada two years ago, Corey Glass has become the poster boy of the war resistors movement. Thursday in Toronto, supporters are planning to protest his scheduled deportation back to the United States.

But it turns out Glass has had little reason to be on the lam, ABCNews has learned.

Unknown to him and his legion of supporters, Glass, 25, was actually discharged from the U.S. Army shortly after he went AWOL in 2006.

Glass and about 40 other American deserters who, like him, sought refugee status have prompted a national debate in Canada that last month reached the floor of parliament on where to draw the line between cowardice and conscience.

"I had absolutely no idea that I had been discharged," said Glass when ABC News informed him of his status. "This is insane. This is so weird. There are no warrants? No one is looking for me?"

According to U.S. Army documents and officials, Glass was discharged from the California National Guard Dec. 1, 2006, four months after he arrived in Canada and six months after he failed to show up to a required muster.

"He is not considered absent without leave. He is not considered a deserter," said Maj. Nathan Banks, an Army spokesman. "He is running for no reason. He is fully welcome in the United States. I cannot believe this is a big deal in Canada."

Situational awareness of a fucking rock...

Sounds like he just wants a good excuse to live in the great frosty north.

So essentially you are saying there is no punishment for going AWOL any more - they just let you off to avoid publicity?

So essentially you are saying there is no punishment for going AWOL any more - they just let you off to avoid publicity?

No, it looks like they let you make a public spectacle of yourself, and let you find out years later that you've been mouthing off like a jackass when you were safe all along.

"Oh noes! The big bad US government is after me!"

NOT

No, it looks like they let you make a public spectacle of yourself, and let you find out years later that you've been mouthing off like a jackass when you were safe all along.

"Oh noes! The big bad US government is after me!"

NOT

Sounds like them being the jackasses, what with not notifying anybody about the discharge...

No, it looks like they let you make a public spectacle of yourself, and let you find out years later that you've been mouthing off like a jackass when you were safe all along.

"Oh noes! The big bad US government is after me!"

NOT

Doesn't the ARNG have slightly different rules about desertion and such than the RA?

No, it looks like they let you make a public spectacle of yourself, and let you find out years later that you've been mouthing off like a jackass when you were safe all along.

"Oh noes! The big bad US government is after me!"

NOT

So you are saying that when they come back to the US nothing will happen to them? If so I was right first time, if not then they have a reason to avoid deportation.

I wouldn't be surprised if some forms were back dated...

Sounds like them being the jackasses, what with not notifying anybody about the discharge...

He probably didn't leave a forwarding address. I bet they mailed it to his last known home address in the US.

Doesn't the ARNG have slightly different rules about desertion and such than the RA?

No. It's all spelled out in the UCMJ.

Would be even better if its a ploy to get him to come back stateside, and get locked up the second he hands his id to the border agents.

He probably didn't leave a forwarding address. I bet they mailed it to his last known home address in the US.

You mean they didn't have the common sense to conclude that a guy who just left without saying good-bye would probably NOT be at his last known address, and therefore they should rather send the papers to his next of kin/emergency contact?

Yep, well, that does sound about right...

Would be even better if its a ploy to get him to come back stateside, and get locked up the second he hands his id to the border agents.

No, I think that would be illegal. Either he's discharged, or he isn't.

You mean they didn't have the common sense to conclude that a guy who just left without saying good-bye would probably NOT be at his last known address, and therefore they should rather send the papers to his next of kin/emergency contact?

Yep, well, that does sound about right...

It's not their responsibility to track him down. It's his responsibility to leave a forwarding address.

It's not their responsibility to track him down. It's his responsibility to leave a forwarding address.

I wasn't talking about "tracking down". I was talking about common sense.
If you are obliged to inform someone about something like losing his/her job, you might use your two brain cells when it comes to where to send the information.

Here's a question. Why ISN'T he AWOL? Why was he discharged?

... you might use your two brain cells when it comes to where to send the information.

We have to take into account it is the military....

So essentially you are saying there is no punishment for going AWOL any more - they just let you off to avoid publicity?Don't go taking the wind out of his sails now. He doesn't like that.

How does this take the wind out of anyone's sails? Rather, I would say it encourages desertion. Hey, look, all you have to do is stay out of legal reach long enough, and they'll just give up and let you off the hook. Yippee! It works! Go north, young man!

How does this take the wind out of anyone's sails? Rather, I would say it encourages desertion. Hey, look, all you have to do is stay out of legal reach long enough, and they'll just give up and let you off the hook. Yippee! It works! Go north, young man!
He can no longer protest against being deported because he won't face what he feared he'd face. This is a critical blow to the liberal surrender-monkey anti-war effort everywhere.

He can no longer protest against being deported because he won't face what he feared he'd face. This is a critical blow to the liberal surrender-monkey anti-war effort everywhere.

Yeah because now he has to....go home and...live his life without punishment.

What a cruel fate

Here's a question. Why ISN'T he AWOL? Why was he discharged?

Because it isn't worth the military's time and resources to drag his ass back most likely.

No. It's all spelled out in the UCMJ.

When you're on Title 32 orders you aren't subject to the UCMJ, you're subject to your state military code (the Michigan Code of Military Justice (http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(0lc1po55zohaqt55ig2ytqrp))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-Act-523-of-1980&queryid=17658883&highlight=code%20of%20military%20justice), for example). Of course, if he was on Title 10 order at the time of the desertion he'd be under the UCMJ.

Because it isn't worth the military's time and resources to drag his ass back most likely.

So he managed to desert the military, continue public protest of the war, raise public conciousness of his cause, rally support on the international level and then go home with no punishment what so ever?

I think this is less "letting the wind out of his sales" and more "winning"

He can no longer protest against being deported because he won't face what he feared he'd face. This is a critical blow to the liberal surrender-monkey anti-war effort everywhere.

Oh, right, I see. The anti-war movement is clearly defeated when the Pentagon decides to cooperate with it. Of course. :D

Oh, right, I see. The anti-war movement is clearly defeated when the Pentagon decides to cooperate with it. Of course. :D

less "defeated" more "utterly fucking confused"

less "defeated" more "utterly fucking confused"

Rule #76. “Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies”

So he managed to desert the military, continue public protest of the war, raise public conciousness of his cause, rally support on the international level and then go home with no punishment what so ever?

I think this is less "letting the wind out of his sales" and more "winning"

Well, obviously, when you win the argument, there's no longer much point in arguing. So, I suppose...

Nope, actually, there's no supposing. The deserter won and desertion is now shown as a legitimate way out of the war. :)

Oh, right, I see. The anti-war movement is clearly defeated when the Pentagon decides to cooperate with it. Of course. :DA sad day for the plot against America and the nuclear family. We'll have to notify our allies, the Gay Agenda and the French, and hope they'll come up with a plan to salvage the situation.

A sad day for the plot against America and the nuclear family. We'll have to notify our allies, the Gay Agenda and the French, and hope they'll come up with a plan to salvage the situation.
Well, the Gays maybe, but if we're waiting on the French to come up with plan... when is their next committee meeting scheduled? I think we may have to mobilize the Feminazis. Is the situation that dire yet?

Well, the Gays maybe, but if we're waiting on the French to come up with plan... when is their next committee meeting scheduled? I think we may have to mobilize the Feminazis. Is the situation that dire yet?French might be busy, seeing as they took on the EU presidency yesterday. But Sarko is ambitious. Maybe we can mobilize the Future Illegal Immigrants League and distract the stalwart American people long enough to land a blow.

French might be busy, seeing as they took on the EU presidency yesterday. But Sarko is ambitious. Maybe we can mobilize the Future Illegal Immigrants League and distract the stalwart American people long enough to land a blow.
Of course! How could I forget about our Brown Brethren? D'oh! *slaps liberal self*

Well, obviously, when you win the argument, there's no longer much point in arguing. So, I suppose...

Nope, actually, there's no supposing. The deserter won and desertion is now shown as a legitimate way out of the war. :)

Monty Python as prophet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLJ8ILIE780

We have to take into account it is the military....

What better addition to bureaucracy than military "efficiency"?

*slaps liberal self*Where? :confused: :p

its great how he can run around pretending we are still at war in Iraq and he can legitimately protest the UN peacekeeping effort

on the subject this has sparked:

he's national guard and thus (if anything like the TA) they will never really bother with a formal discharge due to the hassle on both parties

he stopped showing up so they just struck his name off basically

He can no longer protest against being deported because he won't face what he feared he'd face. This is a critical blow to the liberal surrender-monkey anti-war effort everywhere.

Bwahahahaha how so? I'm not a member of any armed forces, I never shall be, but that does not stop me from demostrating against anything I feel the need to demonstrate against now does it.

Bwahahahaha how so? I'm not a member of any armed forces, I never shall be, but that does not stop me from demostrating against anything I feel the need to demonstrate against now does it.No, but it not existing might :D

No, but it not existing might :D

*protests about voting rights in Zimbabwe* :p

No, but it not existing might :D

*protests against things not existing*:p

Yeah because now he has to....go home and...live his life without punishment.

What a cruel fate

come on, everybody knows he didn't really care about anything other than moving to canada. this was all just an attempt to get past the canadian immigration authorities.
the usian military wins again!!!

I wouldn't be surprised if some forms were back dated...

I'm thinking the same. Actually I'm quite sure they did that.

Here's a question. Why ISN'T he AWOL? Why was he discharged?

Probably to avoid possible conflict with Canada :p

Here's a question. Why ISN'T he AWOL? Why was he discharged?


I am glad someone finally asked this question. Why are we allowing people that have obviously broken their commitments to our armed forces being allowed to walk with no puniwhment?

As far as I know, disagreeing with your deployment is not a reason to be discharged. But then I was never in the military either so I suppose that could be grounds for dismissal.

*protests about voting rights in Zimbabwe* :pYou have the right to vote... FOR MURDERGABE!

But in any case, you'd be protesting for something, not against.

*protests against things not existing*:p
Things not existing is a real thing =P

Sounds like them being the jackasses, what with not notifying anybody about the discharge...

How could they notify him? They didn't know where he was.

You mean they didn't have the common sense to conclude that a guy who just left without saying good-bye would probably NOT be at his last known address, and therefore they should rather send the papers to his next of kin/emergency contact?

Yep, well, that does sound about right...

I doubt they could have contacted his next of kin/emergency contact about being discharged, since that kind of info seems (to me) to be confidential, between the person and the National Guard.

Why are we allowing people that have obviously broken their commitments to our armed forces being allowed to walk with no puniwhment?
Have you forgotten who our "President" currently is?

I doubt they could have contacted his next of kin/emergency contact about being discharged, since that kind of info seems (to me) to be confidential, between the person and the National Guard.

yeah, so personal that a spokesperson for the army was able to talk about it to ABC.

I doubt they could have contacted his next of kin/emergency contact about being discharged, since that kind of info seems (to me) to be confidential, between the person and the National Guard.

Have you ever heard of adressing a letter to one person, to the attention of another? Perfectly normal business procedure.
And they are obliged to inform him if his employment ended.