When should calculating lost time for a deserter typically end?

Calculating lost time for a deserter primarily ends when the deserter is apprehended due to the unauthorized absence warrant. This is because the purpose of tracking lost time is to determine the period during which the individual was absent without leave (AWOL), and apprehension represents the actionable point at which the military or relevant authority recognizes the individual's absence officially.

After apprehension, the deserter's time away from their duty station can no longer accrue as lost time since they are back under the authority of the military. This marks the end of the unauthorized absence, allowing the military to focus on the discipline or legal proceedings that may follow.

The other options do not accurately represent the point at which lost time calculations should conclude. Discharge, for example, pertains to the end of service rather than the period of absence itself, while the end of the trial may not be relevant to lost time calculations. Simply waiting for a specified period to elapse does not provide a clear conclusion linked to the desertion status, as lost time is specifically tied to the duration of unauthorized absence until action is taken.