2009-10-13 19:08:50 UTC
This is a factual experience of going AWOL and being discharged from Ft. Knox. Do not listen to people who have not gone through such an experience, they don't know what they are talking about or are trying to scare you to stay in. Military law holds that you can receive the death penalty for desertion, but the reality is that it never happens. Same deal with going AWOL, the reality is right here in this thread.
Profile :
IET soldier, completed basic, no pending charges/article 15's. (There were permanent party soldiers with me at Knox too and they received the same deal as IET soldiers. I think if you go AWOL while serving overseas they treat you differently. There were also soldiers with a record of field grade article 15's, but as long as they are over and done with, you are treated the same as this profile)
I waited till I had confirmation that I was DFR'd, and took the bus to Ft. Knox and arrived on a Teusday. I did not want to be apprehended because you will be held at a local jail until they get you on a bus/plane to Knox/Sill. I avoided going this route because you can be held up to 30 days in local (usually 3-10 days), and won't shower, eat well, etc...
*If you are taking the bus, take it to Elizabethtown and not Louisville. Louisville is about 30 miles from Knox while Elizabethtown is only 15.
What to bring?
>Underwear/boxers. They let me keep a solid white undershirt and solid white ankle socks.
>A couple of good books.
>Money for food/drinks on (for some people) can be a long ride to PCF and back home.
Anything else will be put away into a locked room. Valuables such as keys, cellphone/charger, money, wallet, etc... will be sealed and put away and given to you moments before you are ready to leave the base and go home. Unopened cigarettes can be put in this bag as well, but if they are open they will be destroyed.
If your profile is like mine, the only way you will be held longer than the customary 3-4 days is if you bring up any issues that the Army has to investigate. Ie, recruiter fraud, problems with cadre/other soldiers, or if you put up a legal defense to the charge of going AWOL.
Arrive on a Teusday morning, eat a good meal, make sure you get there by noon so they can process you in that day. Theoretically you can still make a Friday departure if you get there on a Wed, but don't bet on it, just get there on Teusday.
Here is my experience :
I arrived at the gate where the civilian security frisked me, and searched all of my belongings. If you have cigarettes they will tell you to smoke a cigarette because you will not be able to smoke at the PCF.
MP's pick you up, cuff you, and drive you to the MP station. There you will be fingerprinted and the initial paperwork is done. This process isn't long at all. After they are done with you, they drive you to the PCF facility.
At PCF you will surrender your belongings and fill out in processing paperwork. You will get a foot locker, lock, Army sweats, sheets, pillow, blanket, and hygiene bag.
Your head will be shaved.
The rooms generally hold 3 people at most. When I arrived there was less than 10 people at PCF, by the end of the week that number would swell to over 30, but by the time it gets that large, most of those people go home.
The bed is comfy and you will sleep well. There is FG and CQ every night.
The food is provided by the RCF (military prison of Knox) and it is absolutely horrible. You get fed 3 times a day.
All day long you will sit in the day room and do nothing but talk to each other or stare at the wall. I only went on detail once, and I was glad to go because we bummed cigarettes of our civlian handlers.
The man in charge of PCF is Lt. Laplace. He is not an Army Lt. He is a cop Lt.
There is no PT or morning stretches whatsoever but if you are a real jackass Sgt. Rich will drop you.
Wake up is around 5:30a. Free time is around 6p. You can watch t.v., they generally let you watch whatever you want (they have cable). Or you can just go upstairs and pass out. Lights out is at 10p.
You get ACU's not BDU's, and no they do not fit right at all.
Here is the procedure: If you get there on a Teus.
Teus - In-processing into PCF.
Wed. - You meet civilans on the second floor to gather up your legal documents requesting a Ch. 10 OTH.
Thurs - You meet JAG lawyers, they only meet you on Mon, or Thurs. If you accept the Ch. 10 and they sign off on it, you are almost out the door. In the afternoon you are given a class detailing what this discharge affords you benefits wise, and all that other good stuff.
Fri - In the morning you hand everything in and basically outprocess. You change into your civies, are given your leave papers, and board a bus that usually comes around 11a. Yes, you leave in the morning. The bus takes you to 1 of 2 destinations, the airport or bus in Louisville. The best time to get a ticket is 1am or past. Those that had a 12:30 bus ticket just barely made i