Sergeant Bergdah freed

After 5 years as a psychologically tormented prisoner of the Taliban, there's not much more debt he has to pay. I expect the sentence to be "time served." It's not as though he was smoking weed in Canada.
 
Agree scoutpilot. I do want him to have the official title of deserter to prevent him from collecting any government benefits that come with the title of POW. Let's stop having the taxpayers pay for him, let him move back to Idaho, write a book and he can disappear into the background. He parents concern me more than he does at this point.
 
Sorry scoutpilot and NavyHoops, but Mr. Bergdahl will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison. He can write his book from there. We shall see how the military courts deal with him now.
 
I think if proven as a deserter Bergdahl should spend some time behind bars and stripped of all rank. I think 10 years should nicely send the message to future deserters that joining the enemy isn't going to be forgotten when we get them home.
 
scoutpilot said:
After 5 years as a psychologically tormented prisoner of the Taliban, there's not much more debt he has to pay. I expect the sentence to be "time served." It's not as though he was smoking weed in Canada.
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Disagree. He did pay his personal debt for being stupid enough desert. I don't think he paid his debt to others. I see it as serving concurrent sentences for two different crimes. You could only do one life sentence, but why not two 10 years sentences?
 
He has paid for nothing except his own poor choice. He owes a debt to others now. I would put money on the fact that it won't be "time served."

I wouldn't say life…. but not "time served."
 
Not saying whether I agree with it or not.....Since he has not officially served any time under our legal system, Time Served won't be an option, I would bet that he won't serve any time but will be convicted of desertion and will have his rank stripped and will receive no military benefits. Of course the state where he lives will most likely end up paying his mental health bills and the government will spend some on disability.
 
Yes, he has not served time in our system, so "time served." However, he will be subject to a sentence as "a court martial may direct." So they could very easily give him nothing, specify mental treatment, and call it done.
 
Well, it will be interesting to see what the courts do, but he has served no time. He has been working a desk job in the Ft Sam area. I am not certain how much he can plead mental incapacity. He is not in a mental institution. It is a good thing he is being charged with desertion in the 21st century. He would not have a desk job if it were during the civil war. There were military members who lost their lives trying to rescue his and he can never pay enough for that. He is a deserter, plain and simple and he let his comrades down as well as the U.S. Army. I pray for the families of the soldiers who lost their lives defending his freedom to desert.
 
scoutpilot said:
Yes, he has not served time in our system, so "time served." However, he will be subject to a sentence as "a court martial may direct." So they could very easily give him nothing, specify mental treatment, and call it done.
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Whether I like it or not, I would place my bet with you on this one.
 
Feels like we need a pool like the NCAA bracket on this one.

Its anyone's guess what will happen to this loser but in addition to "desertion" I would add "treason" to the list of charges.
 
USMCGrunt said:
Feels like we need a pool like the NCAA bracket on this one.
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So let's set the over/under at 24 mos. actual jail time.

I'm taking the under.

I also will give 10 to 1 odds that if he receives less than 10 years, Fox News will blame it on Obama within the first 24 hour news cycle.

Without fully knowing what he went through in his captivity, one should assume that he left his post and his capture was of his own making.

Whatever the outcome, I support the decision of the court martial.
 
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I would have no doubt that there's going to be political pressure, and that pressure comes from the top. I've seen it. I've experienced it. Deny it is living blissfully unaware of how "involved" political appointees have become.
 
He got promoted more often than I did.... I guess I picked the wrong "career path." And Susan Rice never called my service honorable.
 
LineInTheSand said:
And Susan Rice never called my service honorable.
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I'm betting that you never had to defend you service like this guys is.

This one is tough. I can't lie, this one gets under my skin a bit. I have to believe in the system and innocent until proven guilty as well. It's what we stand for but my instant reaction is to fry him. And yes I don't know any of the details and I hope in time when I hear them I won't have an emotional response and I'll have an educated one but for now... I hope he gets what's coming to him. Sorry had to vent on this one.
 
Let's see what the Article 32 referral says before we make judgment. I will take the Over. The Court Martial should be a trip on the evening news with a life sentence in the balance.
 
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A retired JAG co-worker of mine (in a non-DOD related workplace), believes he'll be reduced to E-1, dishonorably discharged, and no benefits. He doesn't think he'll see any time. I guess we'll see.
 
Should be E-1 with life time sentence and not time served in captivity and forfeit all that back pay. Rumor has it at about $350,000 total including calculations for BAH????
 
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