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Basic Training Looms, And Recruit's Still Stuck With Apartment

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 16, 2008

TAMPA - A St. Petersburg Army recruit who is being shipped out Tuesday to basic training in South Carolina remains saddled with an apartment lease, said the private's attorney.

"Unfortunately, the landlord refuses to contact us," said Stan Martin, the lawyer and retired Army captain representing, for free, Michael Agosta.

Agosta decided to enlist last week and tried to break his lease at Camden Lakes apartments in St. Petersburg, where has lived for four years. He had copies of his official Army orders stating he was to report to Fort Jackson, S.C., Tuesday. The complex's managers at first disputed the validity of the orders, then said 30-day notice was required. Agosta said he renewed his lease in March.

Now, Agosta and his attorney, whom the soon-to-be private refers to as "Capt. Martin," are trying to iron out the situation without, so far, much luck.

Martin said at worst, the complex can report the lease breaking as a default, and that could go onto Agosta's credit report. That doesn't sound all that serious, but it could affect his career in the military, Martin said.

"Now," Martin said, "he's shipping out with this hanging over his head. You don't want to have bad credit." It could mean security clearance problems for Agosta in the military, he said. "I would hope the apartment complex wouldn't do that."

Martin said he would have to handle matter during the next eight weeks without much input from his client, since phone calls during basic training are limited.

This morning, Agosta said this is a matter that shouldn't be hanging over him at this time.

"The one thing that should be on my mind right now is getting physically prepared to go into boot camp," he said. "This other stuff should not be on my mind right now.

"This is like a slap in the face -- them telling me I didn't have orders from the Army. It's such an insult. That's where I stand. It's not about the money, I'm doing something for our country, not for me, for the betterment of my parents' lives, my sisters' lives, my nieces' lives; I don't need something slapping me in the face like this."

A spokesman for the apartment complex could not be reached for comment this morning.

Last week, Ed Malone, regional vice president for Camden Lakes at its Tampa operations center, said the company follows state and federal policies when dealing with the early termination of leases for members of the military.

"It's important we're consistent with the way we deal with people," he said last week. "And the way we stay consistent is to follow that lease agreement."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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