Posted on 10/18/2017 4:28:18 PM PDT by iowamark
Jeffrey Michels disappeared from an Air Force base in northern North Dakota on a summer day in 1977—and was found last week in Florida living a double life, Fox News reports. Michels, 64, was arrested Oct. 12 on desertion charges filed against him after he went missing from Minot Air Force Base near the Canadian border. Police say the former airman had taken the name Jeffrey Lantz, married, and had kids, per WFTV. In 1998, "Lantz" applied for a business license and started a construction company, Atlantic Development Corporation. Michels, originally from Ohio, was nabbed after the Facebook group Veteran Doe posted his photo in July, nearly 40 years to the day after he failed to report for duty. (That photo has since been taken down.)
The site calls "attention to the many missing veteran/active duty cases and unidentified person cases where there is a possible military connection." The Air Force hasn't explained how Michels was found, per the Miami Herald. But Seminole County authorities identified him by a scar on his left leg near the ankle. There's no statute of limitations on desertion, so Michels will stand trial in a military court, per the IB Times. He was turned over to the custody of the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations. Why Michels walked away from the remote base is unknown, but the Herald notes it's known for its nuclear missile silos and hard winters. (One of the first women Army combat engineers was accused of desertion.)
They recognized him from that picture?
Idiot,could’ah done it all legit! Say again, all after Idiot. IDIOT
Another story from Minot Air Force Base. Note that the guy deserted to Florida from Minot.
I wonder how many times he had nightmares about being caught?
1977 was volunteer with no war. He hasn’t gotten in any trouble for 40 years. If Hillary has skated why shouldn’t he?
I guess he shouldn’t have worn yellow shirts all the time?
Hard time at Leavenworth. No mercy
How do you desert legitimately? If I had now that was possible in '69 I could have saved a lot of bother.
I had a friend in the military that was planning on going “over the hill.” he said his kin in the back woods of the state he was from would protect him.
I managed to talk him out of such nonsense as the military never gives up on looking for deserters, and 60 years of living in the back woods on handouts is a l-o-o-o-ng time.
AWOL is a different matter.
***Minot Air Force Base.***
We used to joke about Minot AFB. “Why not Minot!” middle of nowhere Montana. On the other hand we were at Roswell NM, Walker AFB.
Then there was always Thule Greenland. A girl behind every tree!
OTOH, he went missing about the same time Jimmy Carter pardoned all the Vietnam era deserters and draft dodgers. Can’t he just claim to be one of them?
Not Montana, North Dakota.
Skewer this deserter
Because he is a flat out deserter
You gonna reinlist?
Hell, No!
Why not?
Minot!
Also, my experience was not during time of war. That would change things.
Woops. Sorry. Got Glasgow mixed up with Minot.
I spent some time in Minot, ND. I don’t blame him one bit.
When I lived near Cheyenne, which isn’t exactly the tropics, it was funny to hear all the missile contractors talking about how great it was compared to Minot ;-)
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