Whether people who have completed their military service or been discharged are viewed as deserters by the army and/or receive a document showing that they have been discharged or have completed their service. [SLV8741]
According to the Embassy of El Salvador, as stated in a telephone
interview with the IRBDC, Salvadoreans who complete their military
service or are discharged are not automatically issued a document
stating this (7 June 1991). The source added, however, that the
Ministry of Defence keeps a record indicating individuals who have
completed their service or been discharged, and issues them upon
request a document stating their status (
Ibid.).
The Consulate of El Salvador in Washington, D.C., stated in a
telephone interview with the IRBDC that people who have completed
or otherwise ended their military service are given a document
indicating this (certificate or
constancia in Spanish). The
source, however, was not sure whether the document is given without
need of requesting it in all cases in which military service is
ended (10 June 1991).
The Military Attaché of the Embassy of El Salvador in
Washington, D.C., indicated in a telephone interview with the IRBDC
that people who have completed their military service or been
discharged for non-criminal reasons are entitled to and receive
upon request a document showing that they have served in the
military (10 June 1991). The document is not issued automatically
upon completion of the service or discharge, but is issued upon the
individual's request. The source added that people who are
dishonourably discharged (i.e.: because of desertion or a serious
crime) would likely not receive such a certificate
(
Ibid).
Information on how individuals are perceived by the Army after
having completed their military service or being discharged could
not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.
Bibliography:
Embassy of El Salvador, Ottawa. 7 June
1991. Telephone Interview with Information Staff.
Consulate of El Salvador, Washington,
D.C.. Telephone Interview with Representative.
Military Attaché of the Embassy
of El Salvador, Washington, D.C. 10 June 1990. Telephone Interview
with Representative.