Ms. Holley: An officer's commission, beyond a minimum number of years to recoup training costs, is of indefinite duration. The means of separating is to resign one's commission. If done before the minimum time required is served, repayment of costs is required. This rule, which may not have been in effect during the WTBS, has been upheld in court, when officers resigned too soon. Enlisted men, among whom I served, fulfill a specific term of service, at the end of which one may leave or re-enlist for another term of service. At times, a bonus is paid for re-enlisting, if the skills held by the enlisted man or woman are highly valued. Conversely, if the services of the potential re-enlistee are not in great demand, he or she may be denied re-enlistment, or not be paid a bonus. An officer who resigns his commission is no longer bound by his oath. An enlisted person who leaves without permission before the term of service is completed, is absent without leave; after a time, usually thirty days, the absence is considered desertion. While the potential penalty is death, it rarely is imposed. In World War II only one deserter was shot, primarily as an example. The twenty one soldiers who chose to remain in North Korea rather than be repatriated when the armistice was signed were given dishonorable discharges. This precluded their being tried for desertion upon their return, though a few were tried for other reasons. A Marine was alleged to have deserted in Viet Nam. He denied it, but was convicted and served time in military prison. This may be more than you wish to know, but it serves to point out that officers who resigned their commissins were not considered deserters. There is no source citation because I just remember it. Stan