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Springs Soldier Gets 7 Months for Being AWOL
February 22, 2007 5:51 PM
A soldier from Colorado Springs was sentenced to seven months in prison today for deserting his unit as it prepared to deploy to Iraq for a second time.
Twenty-three year old Specialist Mark Wilkerson, a graduate of Widefield High School pleaded guilty to desertion and missing troop movement in Ft. Hood Texas today. He sentence was part of a plea bargain. Wilkerson will be kicked out of the army with a bad conduct discharge and have his rank reduced to E-1, and will forfeit some of his pay.
A Widefield High graduate was sentenced today to seven months in prison for going AWOL as his unit readied to head to Iraq for a second time.
Spc. Mark Wilkerson, 23, pleaded guilty to desertion and missing troop movement in a courtroom in Fort Hood, Texas, as part of a plea agreement.
The judge ordered forfeiture of all of Wilkerson’s pay and allowances and reduced his rank to E1, or private. He also will be given a bad-conduct discharge.
Wilkerson says he quit the army without permission after being denied conscientious objector status. He was absent without leave for a year and a half before turning himself in last August, saying he was tired of being on the run.
Wilkerson joined the army at age 17 and took park in the March, 2003 invasion of Iraq, but later became disillusioned about the war.
Posted by Eric Whitney on February 22, 2007 5:51 PM | Permalink
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