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Charged with going AWOL, Chris Parks proves it was all just a mix-up

At 27 years old, Chris Parks never expected to return from a trip to Central America with friends - only to be arrested. He didn’t know why he caught the attention of  Homeland Security officials, but he would soon find out. Going AWOL, is what they charged him with. He was thrown into the County jail in Charlotte, N.C. for one week, and that was only the beginning of his ordeal.

According to a military bulletin issued, he had been AWOL for 10 years. When they said Chris was a fugitive, he was floored. He was ordered to report to Fort Knox, Kentucky where he and other “military deserters” awaited their fate. They shaved his head and issued him military fatigues. 

The mix up all started 10 years ago when at 18, Chris nearly joined the army but backed out at the last minute. It’s fair to say, the military never received that note.  According to military paperwork, it states he actually went through military training in South Carolina, then went AWOL from a base in Georgia.  He says that never happened. Basically, this was an administrative oversight on the military recruiters’ part all those years ago.

To quell his nerves these days, Chris makes sure to carry with him documents to prove that he’s not AWOL from the military. He’s probably very glad to be moving on with his life as a  mere, civilian.