Man jailed for being an army deserter, even though he was never in the army

[40below]

SEATTLE - A local man returning from a trip to Central America was dumbfounded when military officials had him arrested for being a deserter - even though he was never in the military.

"To one day just be arrested, and like - here you go, you're detained, and not have any idea why ..." says Chris Parks of Seattle, his voice trailing off.

For Parks, 27, the incredible headache began a few weeks ago as he and some friends were coming back to the United States after a trip to Mexico and Central America.

As he went through customs at the Charlotte airport in North Carolina, his name caught the attention of Homeland Security personnel.

Parks' name was flagged as being a deserter from the military.

"I've been in the Army for 10 years, and didn't even know it," he says. "Just seems kind of odd."

He was tossed into the county jail in Charlotte and locked up for one week. When told he was a fugitive, he was floored.

Miore:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/51747592.html

 

[PMedMoe]

Parks says when he was 18, he nearly joined the Army. But at the last minute, he backed out.

Apparently, that message never got through military's system.

Army records showed that Parks had gone through basic training in South Carolina, then went AWOL from a base in Georgia.

He insists that never happened, and wonders if his military recruiter from 10 years ago hung him out to dry by never processing his paperwork to "de-enlist."

Something's not quite right here. 

At the very least, I'd be demanding 10 years of pay!! 

 

[Bird_Gunner45]

One would postulate that it should be pretty simple to prove whether or not he actually served... pay records, course records, deployments (If you're in the US army for 10 years you've deployed SOMEWHERE). I don't see how this error could have gotten this far...

 

[Shec]

Perhaps a case of mistaken identity?  Chris Parks is not a unique name like, say,  BillyBob Basketcase.

 

[HollywoodHitman]

Regardless, it's probably going to be expensive for one of the government agencies involved. I smell litigation!