Can I separate out of my contract before my EAOS... anyone know how?

Military Law Discussions
1

So I’m in a bit of a bind here. My EAOS is coming up, but I’ve got this 12-month extension on my contract after that. Can I request to separate before that? Haven’t talked to my CO yet, but it’s all super confusing. Anyone dealt with this before?

2

Yeah, I’ve been in a similar situation. You usually have to talk to your CO first, though. If they’re cool with it, they might approve it, but if not, it could be tricky.

3

Jace said:
Yeah, I’ve been in a similar situation. You usually have to talk to your CO first, though. If they’re cool with it, they might approve it, but if not, it could be tricky.

What do you mean ‘if they’re cool with it’? Is that like, just a yes/no thing or more complicated?

4

@Remington
It’s not that simple. They’ll look at your contract terms and if they can manage without you. It’s all about operational needs, I think.

5

I had a similar extension issue, and it was super complicated. You could try negotiating, but you might need legal advice to fully understand your options.

6

Jesse said:
I had a similar extension issue, and it was super complicated. You could try negotiating, but you might need legal advice to fully understand your options.

What kind of legal advice? Is that a lawyer or someone else?

7

@Kingsley
Yeah, you’d want a military lawyer who understands all the contract stuff. They can tell you what your rights are and how to approach your CO.

8

Just FYI, your contract might have specific terms that you can’t get out of unless it’s an emergency or something like that. Definitely talk to a legal advisor.

9

My buddy tried to get out early, and it wasn’t easy. If your CO’s not on board, you might need to go through official channels to get it approved.

10

Oli said:
My buddy tried to get out early, and it wasn’t easy. If your CO’s not on board, you might need to go through official channels to get it approved.

What official channels? Like, higher-ups or something?

11

@Bowie
Yeah, you could go through your chain of command or possibly file a grievance if there’s a valid reason for early separation.

12

You should definitely talk to a lawyer about this. It’s not always a quick process, but a lawyer will help you figure out how to approach your CO and what steps you need to take.