Myth: If you’re AWOL from the Army you can turn yourself in at Ft. Knox or Ft. Sill instead of going back to your installation. If you’re AWOL from the Marines, you can turn yourself in at Quantico or Camp Pendleton instead of going back to your installation.

Truth: That’s true for a few people, but not everyone can avoid going back to their installation. A related myth is that by going to these installations you’ll automatically avoid a court-martial and jail time. This is very dangerous advice but we know that a lot of service members are being told exactly that. By making the wrong move you could find yourself in jail, or facing a longer wait than you expected. AWOL and Desertion are complicated matters, serious crimes, and you need to talk to an experienced military attorney if you’re absent from your unit.