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Originally Posted by redwitch
I understand he was tortured for five years. I understand he tried to escape and reunite with his unit. I even understand that he has gone out of his way to assist U.S. agencies in ways to find Taliban sites. BUT the man deserted. Men were injured and killed because of his desertion. For him to receive a dishonorable and, I guess, time served wit the Taliban just seems so wrong. He earned at least some time at Leavenworth.
To me, Bergdahl dishonored this country and our flag far more than any athlete. His actions and this judgment are a slap in the face to every individual who served this nation honorably. What has happened to military justice? When did it become so lax?
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In addition to the factors you listed, he supposedly left his unit because he had a mental condition - schizotypal personality disorder. That certainly impacted his actions and his judgement. He shouldn't have been in the military in the first place.
The judge said he would also weigh prejudicial statements made by President Trump about the case as a mitigating factor. The military is very sensitive to the issue of undue "command influence" in the military justice system. If it had not been for that interference, I suspect he would have gotten some prison time.