My last Sgt Major absolutely HATED me because I wasn't infantry. Didn't help when I did my training for Iraq I shot better than half the company on the first time I used the SUSAT on the SA-80 and I beat them all in the vehicle and equipment identification.
One of the guys in my company, carribiean lad kept going awol, always came back but he kept doing it. And my WO2 who I am sure got aroused by charging people considering the number of charges he'd do a week, had something special for him.
Kid went AWOL before Iraq, and my Sgt Major wanted to charge him not with going AWOL but with Desertion. And in the Army Act 1955 and Manual of Military Law, thats an entirely different animal to say the least and carries a far greater punishment, namely 6 months at Her Majesties pleasure in RMP Colchester and then out with a dishonourable discharge, good luck getting any employment after that.
But, we couldn't charge him with it. We wasn't in a state of war and thus, no desertion, just AWOL. Told my CSM this, got yelled at and told to go do it for desertion. Went up to HQ, got new paperwork and one of my Sgt's (another Clerk) saw me and asked what I was doing, I explained and he came down with me and then had a blazing row with my CSM.
Ended out having to get the Regimental Admin Officer, all 5'2 of her to come down there and tell the CSM to stop being bloody stupid.
I'm glad I got out after Iraq.