Missing/Captured: Bowe Bergdahl

They have to place him in a job somewhere in order to complete the investigation and continue the reintegration process. So far, no misconduct during captivity. http://online.wsj.com/articles/no-e...y-bergdahl-while-captive-army-says-1403719847

It's not like he's keen on going home anytime soon. His parents are PNG to him right now: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/07/14/bowe-bergdahl-has-refused-to-speak-to-parents/

A lot has happened but gaining the full truth on this event may take a year or more. He still draws a paycheck and holds a rank with the service. We are paying him so might as well have him do something. Gainful employment is just one portion of reintegration.
 
I don't understand how someone who willfully walked away from his post isn't already charged with desertion. I saw that the Army was trying to establish "intent." How does that change the fact that he walked away from his post?
 
Freefalling said:
I don't understand how someone who willfully walked away from his post isn't already charged with desertion. I saw that the Army was trying to establish "intent." How does that change the fact that he walked away from his post?
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AWOL vs Desertion.

He can claim he was just going out for an illegal beer and got rolled by the Taliban.

Sgt B becomes Spc B and goes back to Idaho.

The unwillingness to talk to family is very interesting though, wonder how much influence dad had, and he is pissed at them (blame them for his captivity?)
 
The national media buried this story when it became apparent to them that it was a source of embarrassment to their Chosen One. It will be interesting to see what kind of influence politics has on the course of military justice in this case. I have become used to seeing injustices perpetrated against Soldiers and Marines in the past decade by their own commands pressured by various political entities...and as such I have little hope it will finally be served against someone who is apparently so deserving of it.
 
SOWT said:
AWOL vs Desertion.

He can claim he was just going out for an illegal beer and got rolled by the Taliban.

Sgt B becomes Spc B and goes back to Idaho.

The unwillingness to talk to family is very interesting though, wonder how much influence dad had, and he is pissed at them (blame them for his captivity?)
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While I think that he might - MIGHT - be able to testify believably that he didn't leave to deliberately join the Taliban (i.e. he took off for India or some such nonsense), I think his communications back to the home front give an indicator that he had the intention of not going back to his unit. I think desertion will stick.

I don't know if he blames his family for his captivity, so much as he resents them for getting on board with his captors. But that's just my SWAG (scientific wild ass guess).
 
And if the court martial doesn't find desertion or AWOL, he walks away with about $350k. $200k in back pay and another $150k if he's found to have been a POW. A little less if he gets busted down.

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl could have a tax-free $350,000 dropped into his bank account if the current investigation into his disappearance from his base in Afghanistan was not desertion, and if he is deemed to have been a prisoner of war for the five years he was held by Islamic militants, Fox News has learned.
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/14/bergdahl-could-get-350g-tax-free-if-cleared-by-army/
 
The army probably wants to prove intent because I read in the pass he had other incidents were he left base unauthorized. If they don't prove intent he can just claim innocence based on past behavior to support his position. If his pass behavior is true and he didn't get disciplined for it, it would make his case even stronger.

If I blame anything, it's the short sighted lowering of enlistment during the war that leads to these screwballs getting their foot in the door in the first place. It also gets you gang bangers and white supremacist in the ranks as well.
 
Scotth said:
The army probably wants to prove intent because I read in the pass he had other incidents were he left base unauthorized. If they don't prove intent he can just claim innocence based on past behavior to support his position. If his pass behavior is true and he didn't get disciplined for it, it would make his case even stronger.

If I blame anything, it's the short sighted lowering of enlistment during the war that leads to these screwballs getting their foot in the door in the first place. It also gets you gang bangers and white supremacist in the ranks as well.
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Agree, but units not willing to enforce standards prior to deployment added to the problems.

Clinton and Rumsfeld should both be kicked in the nuts for creating this force structure disaster.
 
Scotth said:
The army probably wants to prove intent because I read in the pass he had other incidents were he left base unauthorized.
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If that's the case, his leadership could stand some UCMJ love. This isn't something you turn a blind eye to or tack on some time in the motor pool.
 
SOWT said:
Agree, but units not willing to enforce standards prior to deployment added to the problems.

Clinton and Rumsfeld should both be kicked in the nuts for creating this force structure disaster.
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Whole heartily agree once the foot is in the door the unit is accountable to make it work.
 
Freefalling said:
I don't understand how someone who willfully walked away from his post isn't already charged with desertion. I saw that the Army was trying to establish "intent." How does that change the fact that he walked away from his post?
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It's because he professes to follow the religion of peace that he is not being followed too closely.
 
I hate it for the guys in his unit that have to just grin and bear it. Talk about a drain on morale.
 
Hard for me to imagine his NCOs not picking up on his eccentricities prior to deployment. Is there any option for a plt sgt/plt commander/CO to red flag somebody they deem unsuitable for deployment to a combat zone?

And I agree that Rumsfeld should have been kicked in the nuts...for a lot of reasons.
 
Based on the information given us at a briefing, I don't see desertion sticking. My .02 and can't offer much past that in terms of information. I am, however, curious to see where the investigation leads.
 
xGenoSiide said:
Based on the information given us at a briefing, I don't see desertion sticking. My .02 and can't offer much past that in terms of information. I am, however, curious to see where the investigation leads.
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We'll see. Has the 15-6 been completed and signed off yet? If not, your briefer may have bad data.

In other news, Bowe has hired a High Profile Defense Attorney:

http://www.militarytimes.com/articl...orney-also-fought-Army-captain-espionage-case

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has retained a high-profile attorney — the same lawyer who defended Capt. James Yee, a Muslim Army chaplain cleared in an espionage probe a decade ago.

Bergdahl’s lawyer is Eugene Fidell, a Yale Law School scholar, prominent military legal expert and a co-founder and former president of the National Institute of Military Justice.
 
That is interesting news @SOWT . When I got in from work there was some crap on the news about him. Everything I hear about this jackass makes my BP go up. I cant even look. SMH. :mad:
 
For me at this point, get rid of the guy and get rid of his big back pay out. Nobody wins and the Army gets rid of a guy that it should've never been let in in the first place.

Is that a satisfying solution? Not even remotely close to it!

Why didn't Bergdahl's failure to pass the Coast Guard indoctrination program never raise a red flag is a big failure on the Army's part.
 
Scotth said:
For me at this point, get rid of the guy and get rid of his big back pay out. Nobody wins and the Army gets rid of a guy that it should've never been let in in the first place.

Is that a satisfying solution? Not even remotely close to it!

Why didn't Bergdahl's failure to pass the Coast Guard indoctrination program never raise a red flag is a big failure on the Army's part.
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He got in because Big Army was trying to fight two wars at once and was desperate to get warm bodies in the door.
 

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