Warrants have been issued for five National Guard soldiers who allegedly failed to report for duty last weekend at the Lieurance-Hunt Armory in Sweetwater.

The warrants taken out by Staff Sgt. Frank Yates-Matoy said the five men failed report at the scheduled time of 6 a.m. Saturday.

The warrants state the men failed to notify their superiors they could not report for duty.

The five men, Ewell Jason Cook, Englewood, Michael Sean Helton, 26, East Ridge, James Scott Rohe, 21, Seymour, Benjamin Michael Elkins, 24, Englewood, and Christopher Kyle Murray, 20, Seymour, were charged with being absent without leave (AWOL) and with missing a movement.

The warrants state the men missed a trip to Camp Shelby, Miss., for annual training.

The five soldiers were all either specialists or privates in rank.

“It’s very disappointing,” Yates-Matoy said of the troops’ failure to show up for their 21-day annual training period in Mississippi. “With us being on alert status, we are not playing games anymore.”

The staff sergeant said when arrested the men would likely have to serve 21 days in jail.

tommy.millsaps@advocateanddemocrat.com  | 337-7101