A soldier based in Kitzingen, Germany, who failed to return to Iraq after his midtour leave has been sentenced to 178 days in military prison, according to a case summary prepared by the Task Force Danger Staff Judge Advocate.

Spc. Alvin Collins, 23, of the 121st Signal Battalion, pleaded guilty to a single count of absence without leave at a special court-martial in Tikrit Oct. 13. Assigned to Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqouba since his unit deployed to the Middle East in February, he traveled home to West Virginia for 15 days of rest-and-recuperation leave.

Collins was due to return to Iraq by June 3, according to the case summary. But his attorney, Capt. Kurt Gilabert, said Collins’ family convinced him to stay home. He didn’t return to Iraq until Sept. 1.

Besides the jail time, Judge (Col.) James Pohl ordered Collins reduced to the lowest enlisted rank and handed him a bad-conduct discharge. His sentence will become final after it is reviewed by Task Force Danger authorities.

Migrated