Hi,

My son texted me saying he was scheduled for Captains Mast yesterday (he texted me the day before yesterday) and said that he had gotten "the word" than he most likely would be getting 45 days restriction (for falling asleep on watch). He said that if they did give him restriction that his phone would be taken away- so supposedly that is why he was told the day before- so he could let friends and family know what was up before his phone was taken.

My question is- is there any way to find out if he received any other punishment on top of the restriction? Through his requiter perhaps? He is still in P-cola awaiting orders as an Undesignated Airman.

The reason I ask, is because I read in another thread that that someone else (drug related charge I believe) was discharged as well as receiving 45 days restriction first. I know drugs are Zero Tolerance- and I know falling asleep on watch must be a pretty bad offense too- anyone have thoughts on the likelihood of discharge from "asleep on watch"? It is his first time going to Captains Mast, if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions.

The probability of a discharge is perty low.
I think the most that will happen is the restriction and possibiy doc some pay.

Shockey

Sleeping on watch is a serious offense.

Probable outcome from Mast:

Restriction as you already mentioned.
Probably some extra duty to be performed while on restriction.
Reduction in rate - being demoted to the next inferior paygrade.
A fine - basically they take some of his pay away.

If you want to find out what else happened get a pen and paper and write him a letter and ask him to get pen and paper and do the same. In my day you could at least do that much on your off time while on restriction. I doubt he will have e-mail access for anything other than official business at this point.

This is his wake-up call (no pun intended). He had best heed the call and move forward from the incident.

Sounds like he is having some issues with the Navy right now. Hopefully this truly will be his wake-up call because it will get worse rather than better if the doesn't, from the movie Tuskegee Airmen, "straighten up and fly right."

Thank you all for the replies. Just one follow up question. Before he got in trouble he was told that his "orders" (for where he would be stationed) were probably going to be given to him in the month of November. Now that he is on restriction ( I presume ) for 45 days, will he serve all 45 days in P-cola before anything else can happen- or could he still receive his orders and complete his restriction at his new base? Thanks again for all the helpful input.

Restriction will be served at his current command.

UPDATE-- This is going to be a rather long and (probably) somewhat confusing post, so please bear with me. We have not heard from our son at all since his Captains Mast, so we are assuming he is now in Restriction. His girlfriend DID receive a written letter a few days ago that stated he WAS given a General Discharge.

Of course we were let down with that news, and have begun making preparations for having him back home and moving on with his life.

Now here is the reason for this update... and I am hoping someone out there can give me their "take" on what I am about to say.

My son's mother (who is re-married) just called me with to relate the following conversation. She said the the cable repair man who was just at her home was ex-Navy, and told her the following. "He (my Navy son)should have received 45-45 at captains Mast(Restriction/Pay Dock) for having fallen asleep on guard duty. He (the ex-Navy repair man) was told by my son's mother that my son has been having "issues" with his Chief- and that may be what we (the parents) think may have led to the General Discharge- if he in fact did receive a General Discharge along with the restriction.

Now it is on the ex-Navy's "suggestion" where I need the Forums "take". He said that having the parents send the CO a letter stating our desire (and reasons for doing so) to have our son NOT be allowed to leave the Navy would be a good, and possibly effective thing to do. He also said that a call and letter to our State Representative would also be good to do.

NOW- as I've stated already- I don't KNOW what punishment he has received for his infraction- AND I don't want to come across as wanting to try something underhanded to aid my son. But the way my son's mother related the conversation to me she made it sound that doing these things was NOT uncommon (under these circumstances), and (according to the ex-Navy persons opinion) an effective and allowable way to let the people in charge know our wishes.

Personally I hold little hope on this being of any use in changing things if, in fact, he has already been "written up" for a Discharge, but my son's mother is grasping at any straws for any way to keep her son where we both know he will be best served. So, I am sure she will go along with the advice given to her and try this. My question is- is there ANY hope that this may work?

Thanks

My read on this is pretty much the same as it was before and falls in line with what your ex was saying. What I was interpreting before is that he had already messed up in A school (undetermined as to what it might have been) because you stated he was waiting for orders as an undesignated Airman. If it was for other than academic reasons then it means that he was already on everyone's sh*t list. Then he fell asleep on watch. There was probably no impact from him falling asleep but that is immaterial in this situation. The military is very serious when it comes to falling asleep on watch, even at a training command.

I was hoping, for your son's sake, that this would be used as a wake up call for him. Apparently there had been other wake up calls, at least in his chief's opinion (or whomever he was reporting to), and it was felt that he never woke up (no pun intended).

Even if you were to write a letter, the chances of anyone paying attentionn to it are extremely small. From my experience as the legal YN at three commands, I can tell you that a letter like that would probably just get a chuckle from the admin people, both enlisted and officer. If it has reached the point where the Navy finds it in its own best interest to discharge someone then about the only way that decision will be changed is if a law enforcement agency steps in to charge the person with a more serious crime. I have processed administrative discharges several times. The only one that I didn't finish was when the local police, NCIS and FBI all came in with charges against the service member.

I'm sorry to hear about your son's misfortunes but, again, let's hope it is a wake up call for him. Apparently the Navy is not the career path for him. Now he needs to set his sights on another career path and behave like a perfect employee.

quote:

His girlfriend DID receive a written letter a few days ago that stated he WAS given a General Discharge.

In my opinion this seems pretty harsh for falling asleep on watch. Falling asleep on watch is a serious offense but a general discharge? Sounds like there is much more to this story than what we are getting here.

When I was on watch we had a guy not answer the radio when we attempted to do a radio check, we sent the messenger down and found out he was asleep. We had the messenger take the loaded M14 next to him back to the OOD and then went back and woke him up. He found out later that his weapon had been confiscated. He most certainly went to mast the next day but he was not discharged. That is why I think there is more to the story.

Sounds like he has already been discharged and is just avoiding home for the time being.

From what I can glean from this he was in school and flunked out, therefore the undesignated airman. He was in Pennsicola which I believe is still a school setting.
Waiting for orders and he fell asleep on watch plus having problems with his chief.
Put it all together and you've got quite a load there.
I agree theres a lot more to the story than what we see here.

Like also said, there is more to the story then he is willing to admit to Mom and Dad.

Bottom Line is that he is a Civilian again and it will be easy to stumble and drop deeper into trouble without POSITIVE FAMILY SUPPORT.

BE Supportive and let him decide WHEN to tell you the details of how he ended up out of the Navy. Put yourself in HIS PLACE.... He is dealing with a bunch of PRESSURE as I am sure he was given a going away party or at least it was well known he was going off to the Navy... Returning home will result in friends asking... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? Followed by some sarcastic remarks.... He just might not be ready to deal with it....

Expect his Girlfriend has the most details about this...

When I was an instructor at the Fire Control Schools in Great Lakes in 86 a student went to a Academic Review Board and was kicked out of Electronic Tech School. He Snapped and went to his room and got a gun and knife and came back to the school and shot dead one of the Board Members and wounded the other.

So BE SUPPORTIVE..... He is your SON.

AL

FCC(SW) Retired