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What do you do when forced to choose between your children and service to your country? That is the incredibly difficult decision ex-soldier Giselle Flynn faced 10 years ago, shortly after she joined the military. Unfortunately, Flynn's choice was not without consequence. On Saturday, she was arrested at her San Diego home, a decade after she made her fateful decision.
In 1998, Flynn enlisted in the Army after being homeless and spending considerable time on welfare.
Due to her financial situation, and the state of her deteriorating marriage, she felt that joining the military would allow her to establish financial security for her son and daughter, then ages 4 and 8.
When Flynn attended basic training in South Carolina, she left her children with a friend. Shortly after, she started a 17-week communications class at Fort Gordon in Georgia.
According to the San Diego-Union Tribune:
In February 1999, she flew home and found that her son, Vidal, was suffering from ringworm, anemia and pneumonia. She brought him to the San Diego Naval Medical Center, where he was hospitalized for several weeks. ...
Army officials granted Flynn 10 days of emergency leave. When Vidal's recuperation took longer than expected, they told her to check in with them regularly, according to the newspaper story.Flynn eventually sought permission to bring her children to Fort Gordon, but Army officials said trainees are not allowed to have children on base. In the newspaper story, Flynn said Army officials instructed her to put the children in foster care and turn herself in. Flynn declined out of worry that it would take months or even years to get her kids back.
To compound things, her family members were unwilling to take the children, and Flynn balked at the prospect of leaving them with friends given her son's illness. She was declared absent without leave in 1999, dropped from the roster and marked as a deserter. Her salary payments stopped not long after.
But here's the kicker. She actually tried to turn herself in at least twice at local Navy installations but was rebuffed. Army officials asked the Navy to tell her to go home both times, according to naval authorities in an earlier story by the newspaper.
Flynn got a job as a bus driver and remarried. Her children are now 14 and 18. Sadly, she was taken into custody at 1 a.m. while at her home. And on a Saturday no less. Now, she is in a jail cell awaiting for the Army to assume custody.
For anyone who has ever been in the military or who is familiar with people in the service, you know that desertion is one of the worst possible allegations that a soldier can face. Of course, this is a unique situation and the circumstances surrounding it are atypical. It's not every day that soldiers are faced with a decision like this one.
But I'm curious to know how many people would have done the same were they in Flynn's shoes? I think she made the right decision. It's a travesty that after all these years, she has to face these charges. This is a sad case of government not working for the people. She should have been given an honorable discharge on account of a hardship case.
Hopefully, this wrong will be righted soon. What are your thoughts?
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Comments: (54)
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By: aalensr on 3/07/2009 7:29PM
I feel sorry for this mother. Here she is trying to do right by her family and the military is shafting her. Remember that the military is an all volunteer service now. This is because the military find it easier to control a volunteer than someone drafted. Volunteers are less likely to question what they're being told as opposed to a draftee.An emial campaign to the military from interested parties will go a long way in keeping this mother out of prison. Peace
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By: schocked on 3/08/2009 4:59AM
All you self rightous people sitting aroung judging this lady. You dont know what you would have done unless you were walking in her shoes. It is very easy to say what you would have done in this situation seeeing that it was not you in the situation. I get so sick of people like you all feeling superior and always putting people down, who do you think you are. Mabe the way she handled this was wrong,but she is the one that has to be held accountable for her decision, not you nor me. I can't say that I would have done anything different seeing that it was not me in this situaion, I don't know. I do know that I am not God, I have no right to sit up and say all these harsh things about her. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but none of us know the whole truth in this case. I'm sure there is a lot more to come out than what we have read there always is, but until we know the truth you need to stop judging so harshly. And yes in all these years she could have done something to remedy this situation, but again I say she has to be accountable not us. You should all be careful because one day we are all going to be held accountable and answer to something that might not be so pretty. As for you women that served your time single or married, I commend you that still does not give you the right to judge another person. And for the guy that chose to stay in the service for the benefits even though his son may not be alive when he come home, my Prayers go out to him and for him and his son. But because he chose to return does not mean that was the right decision for this lady at the time, we don't know what her mental was at the time. We are talking about this lady's children, I don't know what I would have done in that situation, nothing and no one comes before my kids. I'm sure it puts you in panic mode when it comes to your children, and your decisions are not always the right ones. I can say for sure 100% sure there is no way my kids would have been put into the system. And it could be true that her family was not there for her, how do we know that that is not true? And it is apparent that her friends were not caring for her children very well. Stress and situations can make you make some very bad decisions, that can sometimes come back to bite you in the long run. What we should be doing is praying that the best would come out of this situation, the right punishment or non punishment whatever they see fit will be done, but we should not put the rope on her neck and hit the horse so she can hang. What happened to innocent until proven guilty, why is it these days guilty until proven innocent? One day it might be you so be careful what you wish on people. And you really shouldn't knock the lady because she wanted to better herself. Because you and I were fortunate enough to not have to be on welfare, does not give us the right to call her names, you should be ashamed of yourself, one day you might be in that welfare line. With that being said I wish her the best, my prayers go up for her.
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By: Willie Williams Jr on 3/12/2009 2:49PM
She Claimed She Wanted To Be A "SOLDIER"...She Ran...Now She MUST Face What Males Had To Face. I Had TO Face A War In Vietnam 1964-1966 1966-1968 1968-1969 19771-1972.
SSG E6 Willie Williams Jr
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By: Sheryl on 3/14/2009 9:51PM
Here is where I straddle the fence, being a mother I empathize with her, being a military spouse...I agree with 'former army officer' who asked why should she be treated any differently then those mothers who are in the military.
Whatever happens I wish her the best. BUT I think that, given the fact that she tried to turn herself in not once, but twice... it shows that she was trying to make amends; and while it is true that you can't (as an active duty servicemember) she still could have gotten an attorney to help her get some additional leave time.
This is a hard call.....
I still wish her the best, and I am glad to see that her children are doing well.
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