Although recruiters and other military staff will imply that Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP) members are formally "enlisted" in the military, this is not so. The DEP agreement contained in a very official- looking section of the actual "Enlistment Contract," is only a statement of proposed intention to report for formal enlistment.

Although the military recruiter would like you to think you are "enlisted," the DEP section of the contract DOES NOT bind anyone to actual enlistment. Under military law any DEP member can separate from this intention by writing a simple letter to the commanding officer where the original recruitment took place.

Make copies of the letter for yourself. When mailing the letter, go to the post office and have them attach to the envelope a "Domestic Return Receipt" (certified Return Receipt Requested form) so that you will receive a signed record that your letter was received. Now you have legal documentation that your letter was received by the military command.

Used with the permission of the Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild

If you have questions about the Delayed Enlistment Program, contact the Flint Hills GI Rights Hotline at 800-819-3225