No prison for Bergdahl?
 

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?

Wow.

Just read an article.

Unbelievable!

Political impact carry over from the deal Obama made to get him out in the first place.

A traitor and deserter that does not get even a slap on the wrist.

The decay of American values shows it's ugly face again/still!

What a bum
 

He will go on welfare because no one will hire him. We wiki have to pay for this traitor.

What a travesty! An even bigger issue will be the detriment to military morale going forward.

He will probably write a book and do guest appearances and make a lot of money. That is the American way.

Bet he'll be on "The View" shortly!

Bowe Bergdahl receives dishonorable discharge, avoids prison time - CNNPolitics

I would like to see a lot more information on this before writing anything. I do usually agree with what redwitch puts on Talk of the Villages.

5 years of torture may act as a big deterrent for others who are considering deserting. I think they should have included a clause in his dishonorable that says he cannot profit in any way from this experience (no book, no TV appearance, no movie)

We know Bergdahl was a deserter.

We know his unit risk life and limb to bring him home.

We don't know if Bergdahl desired to join the Taliban or was captured.?

Bergdahl claims he was a captive and suffered greatly?

We know that Obama treated Bergdahl as a conquering hero and exchanged Bergdahl for 5 hard core terrorist.

We know that Bergdahl will serve no prison time but was given a dishonorable discharge, which he intends on appealing.

We know that politics has played an important role in this entire spectacle

I do not know what the maximum prison time for deserting is but factoring all the knowns and unknowns this guy still should be serving time in a federal prison.

What a jolt to the morale of our troops

Personal Best Regards:

Totally agree. Daylight should not be in his cards.

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I'm very confused about some of this. Reports said his rank was lowered to private so his pay will go down. He will not receive his $1000/month for ten months. How can he get military pay if he has been discharged? Something is wrong. Does he get medical benefits?

He was not discharged while awaiting trial... innocent until proven guilty. He had been doing desk duty and presumably still receiving pay and benefits. Now that the judge has ruled, he will get his dishonorable discharge and no more benefits including veteran and medical. In my opinion, misbehavior before the enemy and desertion in wartime should have earned him the possibility of the death penalty. At the very least, 20 years minus time served in Taliban prison which was approx the 14 years the prosecution was seeking. This sentence is a slap in the face of all who were harmed looking for the piece of ____.

I’m also disgusted by this. This man walked away from his post, creating a dangerous situation for his comrades, resulting in injuries and worse. I care not what he experienced at the hands of the Taliban. He made a choice to leave his post in an area of conflict. This punishment does not fit the crime.

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.

It is a national disgrace twice over. The prior administration ridiculously gave up five terrorists for this scumbag traitor. Then this whack job judge cut him loose. This has made us the laughingstock of the world and demoralized our military.

Some of the medical crap being waved around is the same as using the insanity plea in criminal courts. A lawyer tactic.

Most of these claims and other what I refer to as permissive BS excuses would be put to rest if the judge would allow Bergdahl's unit members testify. That of course has been ruled out by the judge.

Now that the disappointing ruling has been made, it appears more and more we do not understand the depths and details of the deal Obama made with and for Bergdahl.
The judges current ruling lines up perfectly with Obama's treatment of Bergdahl as a returning hero.

More white washing of obvious wrong doing in America.

Bergdahl abandoned his post in a warlike environment. As a result several Americans were killed and wounded.
Before the age of permissiveness and nobody loses he would have been tried and sent to prison for life or shot as a convicted deserter that he is.

I would venture a guess that if military folks current and past were polled he would not not be let off so lightly. In fact I would wager the death penalty would prevail.

That's just not true. The diagnosis was made by an independent Army psychiatry board. Because of his psychological problems, Bergdahl washed out of Coast Guard basic training three years earlier, and had to obtain a waiver to join the Army. In addition, some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers had warned senior officers that they were concerned about his mental health. The judge took this into account, since it is clear officials knew he was mentally unfit for combat. He never should have been allowed to serve.

Agree.

If he had been put in prison he would require extensive medical treatment and cost the taxpayers millions. He now is on his own without any benefits and with a shattered mind from 5 years of torture.

.

Another slap in the face of those who served.