MILPERSMAN 1600-060

Declaration of Desertion

Responsible Office

NAVPERSCOM (PERS-842)

Phone:     DSN COM FAX

882-4451 (901) 874-4451 882-2626

Governing Directive

NAVSUP Publication 485, Naval Supply Procedures NAVSUP Publication 490, Transportation of Personal    Property

 

1.  Policy.  Date and time of desertion always start from the initial unauthorized absence (UA).  If UA over leave or liberty, UA/desertion commences at the time leave or liberty expired.

 

2.  Procedures.  When conditions outlined in MILPERSMAN 1600-010 are met,

 

    a.  prepare DD 553 (Rev. 11-02), Deserter/Absentee Wanted by the Armed Forces.

 

NOTE:  Write “unknown” in the fields for which information is not available and leave the distribution block of DD 553 blank.

 

    b.  declare the member a deserter by transmitting the declaration of desertion message using the format supplied below.

 

    c.  file a copy in the member’s service record.

 

NOTE:  If the command does not possess member’s service record, obtain a duplicate from Navy Personnel Command (NAVPERSCOM), Systems Operations Branch (PERS-313C).

 

    d.  mail DD 553 to Navy Absentee Collection and Information Center (NACIC) at the address listed below.  Include the following:

 

        (1) A copy of OPNAV 5527/1 (Rev. 6-98), Incident Report, if applicable;

 

        (2) A copy of member’s NAVPERS 1070/602 (Rev. 7-72), Dependency Application/Record of Emergency Data;

 

        (3) Enlistment contract;

 

        (4) Photograph of the member (if available); and

 

        (5) A copy of latest leave papers, or last known address.

 

NOTE:  The DD 553 and declaration of desertion message are required to enter the member into the FBI’s National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) Wanted Persons File.  NACIC is the only activity authorized to enter desertion warrants into the NCIC.

 

    e.  if member deserted from a foreign port, forward a copy of DD 553 to the nearest United States (U.S.) consul.

 

    f.  if additional information is received, forward it to NACIC.  Mailing address:

 

Officer-in-Charge

Navy Absentee Collection and Information Center

2834 Green Bay Road

North Chicago, IL  60064-3094

 

3.  Critical Precaution

 

    a.  Desertion cases are complicated because, in most cases, returnees are separated from their field service record.  Service records are always required to adjust pay accounts and for evidence to sustain desertion/UA charges.  Incorrect service record processing and documentation, including courts-martial charge sheets, may result in unnecessary delays in bringing offenders to trial and possibly losing a case at a court‑martial.  Ensure complete, timely, and accurate submission of all documentation.

 

    b.  Commands are responsible for the accurate completion and submission of DD 553, declaration of desertion message, and completing appropriate service record entries prior to forwarding records and documents to NACIC.  Records received by NACIC that are improperly closed out, or improperly completed, or with inaccurate forms, will be returned to the command for correction and not included in NAVPERSCOM deserter unit identification code (UIC) (41104).

 

4.  Disposition of Personal Effects and Service Records

 

    a.  Overseas shore activities, units home-ported overseas, and deployed units (absent from homeport for more than 90 days consecutively) will forward to NACIC all applicable records and documents after member is declared a deserter and absent 31 days or more.

 

    b.  Decommissioning units will send records to NACIC, with annotation on NAVPERS 1070/613, (Rev. 10-81), Administrative Remarks included in the records, citing when the unit is to be decommissioned.  Contact NACIC within 60 days of decommissioning date to arrange for deletion of these members from the command’s Enlisted Distribution and Verification Report (EDVR) (accounting category code (ACC) 109 - Deserter).

 

    c.  Service Records:  Retain a deserter’s record on board for 120 days.  On the 121^st day forward all records via registered mail to:

 

Officer in Charge

Navy Absentee Collection and Information Center

2834 Greenbay Road

North Chicago, IL  60064-3094

 

Mark outside envelope “DESERTER – DO NOT OPEN IN MAIL ROOM.”  Ensure the following documents are inserted in the record and are completed accurately to prevent return to the command for reprocessing:

 

        (1) NAVPERS 1070/606 (Rev. 1-77), Record of Unauthorized Absence

 

        (2) NAVPERS 1070/613 (Rev. 10-81), Administrative Remarks

 

        (3) Copy of NAVSUP 29 (Rev. 5-78), Inventory of Personal Effects Lost – Abandoned - Unclaimed

 

        (4) Copy of DD 553 (Rev. 11-02), Deserter/Absentee Wanted by the Armed Forces

 

        (5) Copy of declaration of desertion message

    d.  Personal Effects:  Per NAVSUP Publication 485, volume 1, Afloat Supply, send personal effects to:

 

Officer in Charge

Cheatham Annex

Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk

108 Sanda Avenue

Williamsburg, VA  23187-8792

 

    e.  On Board Ship Automatic Teller Machines (ATM):  Any monies in a deserter’s ATM account on board a ship will be handled per NAVSUP Publication 490, revision 3, para. N6005.

 

5.  Action by NAVPERSCOM

 

    a.  Upon receipt of the declaration of desertion message, NACIC will change the member’s on board personnel accounting status to Deserter ACC 109.  If member returns to military control within 180 days of the UA date, NACIC will change the member’s ACC to the appropriate status.  Allow 60 days for this transaction to reflect on command’s EDVR.  When a member is absent 181 days or more, and NACIC is in receipt of all records, NACIC will then transfer member to NAVPERSCOM Deserter UIC (41104).  In the case of deployed units and commands overseas, NACIC will transfer member to NAVPERSCOM Deserter UIC (41104) upon receipt of all records.

 

    b.  Replacements will be provided according to priorities in the requisition system and availability of assets.

 

6.  Message Format.  Use the following formatted message:

 

NOTE:  Assigned REPORT CONTROL SYMBOL BUPERS 1600-3, REPORT OF DECLARATION OF DESERTION.