NATION : Marines Oust 20-Year Deserter
An American who has spent half his life in Canada after deserting to avoid the Vietnam War was discharged from the Marine Corps today, 21 years after he left.
Ron Jacko, 42, was given physical and dental exams, $61.50 and an “other than honorable” discharge before being released outside the gates of the Marine base at Quantico, Va., said Lt. Col. Robert McLean.
Jacko had surrendered at the base south of the capital on Wednesday.
After determining that there were no other outstanding charges, the base commander, Lt. Gen. W. R. Etnyre, granted the discharge request, and Jacko was sent on his way in a matter of hours.
Jacko has said he opposed the Vietnam War from the outset but decided to enlist in hopes of pulling an assignment that led elsewhere. When assigned to communications school, he fled to Canada while on leave after basic training in 1969.
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