(AP) A Maine man accused of deserting his Marine unit after finishing boot camp was arrested this week and returned to his unit.
Peter Foster-Kinney, who is from the Houlton area, was held briefly at the Penobscot County Jail until returned to the Marine Corps on Tuesday. If found guilty of desertion, he could be sentenced to military prison but most cases end in discharge.
Millinocket Sgt. Aaron Booker and officer Ron McCarthy found Foster-Kinney almost by accident. The officers went to a local home to check on reports of an argument Monday and discovered Foster-McKinney was wanted when they ran a check.
"We talked to him, and because he was a face we didn´t recognize, we ran his name and date of birth, and that´s how we found out," McCarthy said.
McCarthy, who served in the Army as an infantryman and tank driver, said desertion cases are rare. "I´ve been doing this for six years, and we´ve only seen a handful of cases," he said. "All we do is pick them up and turn them over."
If Foster-Kinney completed boot camp, which runs 13 weeks, he would have been given 10 days of leave before having to report to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for combat training, said Lt. Scott Miller, a Marine spokesman at Parris Island.
Soldiers are usually classified as deserters when they have been absent without leave for 30 days and show no intention of returning, officials said.
Thursday, February 17, 2005 11:00 pm
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1 comment:
This was me and i would like to say that it was a horrible mistake yes but all the facts were not straight.....I wasn't just from boot camp i was done my schooling which is after bootcamp.....I was enrolled to go into the Fleet...having 20 days of leave....my mistake was taking a extra 20 days cause i wanted to see my son's ultra sound....i was to see these 3 days later after i was picked up.....I say never would i have just deserted with out a good reason I love my Marine Corps and Country.....wish i could do those extra 20 days i took over now and just requested extra time of leave the proper way....I made more mistakes while i was sentenced to the Brig for 3months i could have finished my tour but again i wanted to see my son born so i asked a family hardship OTH dismissal so i could raise my son properly then as which....i was not granted but was dismissed with a BCD.....the 2 and a half yrs i served before this incident was thrown out the window and now I have to live with this mistake and i urge any other marine vet or active to not make the same mistakes i have there is alternatives to leaves not always what you want but are available.......Semper Fi OOH RAH!!!1
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