Not even close.
You incorrect. Austin delegated authority to Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks.
Everything about what you just said is incorrect. You would have to be absent by choice, which Austin was not. AWOL has nothing to do with notification. For it to be a dishonorable discharge, it would have to be for more than 30 days.
Apparently, he missed duty because of his drinking. It was not prosecuted as an AWOL, but it is closer to the definition of AWOL than being sick and checking into the hospital.
By definition, you cannot be AWOL while in a hospital being treated.
And now we have the racism, because H10 cannot defend Hegseth drunken incompetence without racism.
Austin was a civilian, so it would be impossible to document him going AWOL.
I agree. Republicans should stop everything they are doing, and investigate this for the next few months.