[montanajoe]

If he is only an E-2 after being in two years there is something else going on...

[SaveFerris]

I was thinking the same thing.

Can we trade that doper basketball dude for him, though?

That might work.

[Nifster]

Exactly what I thought

Nasty meanies in the military holding him down. He didn’t know basic Is hard

[17th Miss Regt]

King was facing military disciplinary charges while stationed in South Korea after having served time at a prison in the country over assault charges. He was supposed to fly back to the US and was escorted by military personnel to the airport but he left past the security checkpoint and skipped his flight.

From the article:

King was facing military disciplinary charges while stationed in South Korea after having served time at a prison in the country over assault charges. He was supposed to fly back to the US and was escorted by military personnel to the airport but he left past the security checkpoint and skipped his flight.

Disciplinary problems and no ability to think about the consequences.

[SamAdams76]

The E-2 is pretty much automatic for any armed service enlisted member after six months. Many get it before even going to boot camp.

After two years, most enlisted are E-3 or E-4(NCO). This one likely got busted down a stripe or two in UCMJ (we called it "Office Hours" back in the day). In the old Marine Corps, these perpetual privates were known as s*birds.

Anyway, he may think he was getting away from his problems by defecting to N. Korea but in fact, his problems have only just begun. This will not end well for him.