{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-35.473","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 35.473","heading":"Desertion.","body":"(1) Any member of the state military forces is guilty of desertion who:\n(a) Without proper authority goes or remains absent from the member's unit,\norganization, or place of duty with intent to remain away from there\npermanently;\n(b) Quits the member's unit, o rganization, or place of duty with intent to avoid\nhazardous duty or to shirk important service; or\n(c) Without being regularly separated from one (1) of the state military forces\nenlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another one (1) of the stat e\nmilitary forces, or in one (1) of the Armed Forces of the United States,\nwithout fully disclosing the fact the member has not been regularly separated,\nor enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United\nStates.\n(2) Any commissioned officer of the state military forces who, after tender of the\nofficer's resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his or her post or\nproper duties without leave and with intent to remain away therefrom permanently\nis guilty of desertion.\n(3) Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the\noffense is committed in time of war, by confinement of not more than ten (10) years\nor such other punishment as a court -martial may direct, but if the desertion or\nattempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment as a court -martial\nmay direct.","path":["KRS Chapter 35"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=41966","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:48:53Z","sha256":"d2618ab59c3a43c81c0ea4c5a46d138393e4e596d563faa242935f4d966ef8c6","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-35.472","next":"us-ky/krs-35.474"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}