AWOL in the Military: A Serious and Costly Problem
Abstract
Absence without leave is a breach of discipline which the military says cannot be tolerated in developing and maintaining an effective fighting force. But, during the 4 years ended June 30, 1977, the military services reported 608,000 AWOLs exceeding 24 hours which GAO estimates cost the Government over $1 billion. The problem is likely to get worse. Present practices tack credibility and damage the deterrent potential in making AWOL a crime. The system permits severe punishment and no punishment and there is no guidance between these two extremes. AWOL over 30 days--the most serious AWOL offense--is most frequently dealt with administratively by a discharge to avoid court-martial. The broad discretion given to those who deal with the problem results in wide differences in punishments imposed and types of discharges issued to people with similar AWOL records. GAO's recommendations to the Congress and to the Secretary of Defense are directed at developing a more credible approach for dealing with AWOL encompassing recruit quality, military justice training, jobs, punishment for the offense, and separation of offenders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 1979
- Accession Number
- AD1106376
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office