AWOL from USAF in Germany 28 years ago, David Hemler contacts family in U.S.

[wfgodot]

Back from the dead: U.S. deserter who vanished 28 years ago after
fleeing his Air Force base is FOUND... living under a new identity in Sweden

28 years after deserting the U.S. Air Force, a serviceman believed dead has stunned his family by contacting them from where has been living, as a fugitive, in Sweden.

Now aged 47, David Hemler vanished in 1984 while serving at a base in Germany, fleeing the country without a trace.
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Hemler planned on staying in Sweden for a week or so, but ended up marrying a woman from Thailand and settling down under an assumed name.
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Hemler became one of the U.S. Air Force's eight most wanted fugitives and had expected at any time to be arrested by military police with both Interpol and Europol looking for him.
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The dad-of-three first contacted his U.S. family four weeks ago, speaking to his brother Thomas who was in Massachusetts at the time on a business trip.
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‘My dream scenario is that the responsible authorities realise I have already been punished quite severely for my actions,’ [David Hemler] said. ‘I have been living 28 years in lies.’
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more, with pictures, at Sunday Mail link above

[Kat]

At the time he went AWOL the standard treatment was to arrest the offender, send them back to their duty station, and chapter them out of the military. Then they were released.

Is there a reason he is considered dangerous (secret info or something like that)? I don't know why he would be a most wanted?

That's what they will probably do now. Just take him back and chapter him out. He won't do any time if he didn't commit any crimes against the USA or unless that's the reason he fled (for other types of crimes he might have committed).

Now they will get your hiney for going awol during a time of war. But IMHO he's just going to be processed out and let go.

Glad he got in touch with his family. I'm sure they were very happy to hear he is alive and well.

[Sleuthster]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/wo...ince-1984.html

He's not dangerous physically, it's probably what he knows. He was a russian linguist was the USAF. I had a feeling when I saw Germany. My brother was the same, he used to tell me that Germany was the most popular base to be requested. My db went to Italy and then the NSA.

They spent alot of time on that guy, doing an extensive background check for that top clearance, training him to speak russian at Lakland AFB, and then he gets the cush base and goes AWOL. IMO he should get more then a slap on the hand but that's

[Mels3kidz]

And it not like he didn't know what he was doing was illegal. The article mentioned something about him getting involved in a pacifist church. He could have claimed conscientious objector status.

I'm sure a lot of people would love to say "whoops I'm sorry but I feel like I've been punished enough."

Mel

Originally Posted by Sleuthster

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/wo...ince-1984.html

He's not dangerous physically, it's probably what he knows. He was a russian linguist was the USAF. I had a feeling when I saw Germany. My brother was the same, he used to tell me that Germany was the most popular base to be requested. My db went to Italy and then the NSA.

They spent alot of time on that guy, doing an extensive background check for that top clearance, training him to speak russian at Lakland AFB, and then he gets the cush base and goes AWOL. IMO he should get more then a slap on the hand but that's

[lillygator]

28 years of "living a lie" is nto punishment enough, Sorry - he knew what he was doing.

[Nova]

And punishing him now would accomplish what exactly?