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Camp Pendleton Marine found unharmed, tried to skip out on first deployment

Posted at 7:04 AM, Oct 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-16 13:53:21-04

SAN DIEGO - The Camp Pendleton Marine reported missing earlier this week by family members is now reported to be safe and back at the military base but he could be in big trouble for skipping out on his deployment. 

Johnny Hair, who was scheduled to be deployed for the first time, turned himself in this weekend, his sister, Melissa Hair, told 10News. 
 
She had been sick with worry about her brother after he was unable to be located after coming off of two weeks of leave. Hair had been last seen on surveillance video three Fridays ago in Oceanside.
 
"I'm really scared for him," she said. "He means a lot to us."

Melissa said her brother never hesitated to risk his life for others.

"Even as a kid … that's all he wanted to do was be in the military," Melissa explained.

She said he would put camo on, hide out in the woods and pretend to serve. She told 10News her brother has been living his dream as a machine gunner at Camp Pendleton.

"He was our little brother, but he was more like our big brother," she said.

She said surveillance video at a train station in Oceanside showed Hair getting off the train, walking under the tunnel and heading toward the beach. Then, he vanished and had not showed up to work.

Melissa said he is facing an upcoming deployment, but he was looking forward to his first deployment.

"He loves what he does," she added.