Bowe Bergdahl, the former hostage who pleaded guilty to desertion, avoids prison

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post



By Alex Horton November 3 at 11:41 AM

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who in 2009 walked off a U.S. military outpost in eastern Afghanistan and spent the next five years in enemy captivity, was sentenced Friday to a dishonorable discharge from the Army but will avoid prison time.

Bergdahl, 31, pleaded guilty in October to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy and had faced a maximum life sentence.

The case sparked ferocious debate over his actions and the controversial prisoner exchange that led to his release in 2014, challenging the military’s bedrock principle of never leaving a soldier behind. It was also overshadowed by President Trump’s accusation that Bergdahl is a traitor.

Bergdahl will also lose all benefits, including medical care, afforded to military veterans. He’ll also pay a fine of $1,000 a month for the next 10 months.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/bowe-bergdahl-the-former-hostage-who-pleaded-guilty-to-desertion-avoids-prison/2017/11/03/4bde4e56-b8e4-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html

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Judge rules no jail time for Bergdahl

BY REBECCA KHEEL - 11/03/17 11:44 AM EDT

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will not serve any jail time for walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009, a military judge ruled Friday.

-snip-

Bergdahl’s defense lawyers twice tried to have the case dismissed over campaign trail comments from President Trump. Trump repeatedly called Bergdahl a traitor who should be executed.

"We're tired of Sgt. Bergdahl, who's a traitor, a no-good traitor, who should have been executed,” Trump said at an October 2015 rally, for example.

“Thirty years ago, he would have been shot,” he added.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/358631-judge-rules-no-jail-time-for-bergdahl

[coolsandy]

1. And avoids execution that Trump called for. I am happy for Bowe and his family.

They all have suffered enough. The judge made an honorable and fair decision. Peace!

[Lochloosa]

2. Maybe the idiot will learn to keep his mouth and twitter thumbs quiet now. But I doubt it.

[Perseus]

4. You win the "Optimist of the Week" award hands down

"Maybe the idiot will learn to keep his mouth and twitter thumbs quiet now."

But I hate to tell you that, although I am also an optimist, the reality does not much the optimism. Like Michael Moore told him on a tweet, tweeting is the only thing the idiot knows how to do.

[Hortensis]

19. Trump supported execution of the "Central Park 5" in 2015!

Decades after they were all found completely innocent.

Just remembering... He'll never stop insisting Bergdahl should be executed.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Good.

[underpants]

5. I'm surprised by this

But hey, get on with your life now.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. I am too

Despite the 5 years in captivity, I thought he would get a token confinement

[Hortensis]

20. Me too. The judge obviously ignored political pressures, tho.

[bluestarone]

6. good

now he and we can move on enough said in my opinion

[jmowreader]

7. How long until Trump tries to get the judge cashiered?

You KNOW General Secretary Trump is pissed over this, especially since he wanted Bergdahl marched in front of a firing squad.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. You mean Donnie thinks traitors should be executed?

Interesting. Let's keep that thought in mind.

[Ligyron]

10. Maybe he'll screw up the trial of the NYC hit and run too.

What an idiot.

The RW are going to have an collective embolism over this.

[LeeM]

11. Thirty years ago?

What is he talking about? The military hasn't executed anyone since 1961. (There are eight on death row in Leavenworth last I heard). A dishonorable discharge and time served seems reasonable.

[benld74]

12. Are those who are discharged with dishonorable on their record

still able to obtain VA benefits?

Just wondering

[Tactical Peek]

17. Nope - actually very very unlikely except for Veterans Group Life Insurance, but nope.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/character_of_discharge.asp

[yallerdawg]

13. Considering what Bergdahl pleaded guilty to -

which predicated his capture, confinement and torture - this is about as good as it could get.

In the end, Bowe Bergdahl took responsibility for his choices, expressed his deep remorse and has honorably paid the price.

[GulfCoast66]

14. I bet trump is flipping out

And asking how he can overrule the decision.

[Nitram]

15. I'm pleasantly surprised by the sentence.

It seemed to me that Bergdahl clearly suffered from some sort of emotional and mental issues, and that he paid the price during 5 years in a cage with beatings and the constant threat of death.

[Tactical Peek]

16. Now Bowe Bergdahl has something that Donald Trump will never have.

A DD Form 214

[keithbvadu2]

18. "shot" says the Donald who bragged that avoiding STDs was his personal VN.

[thesquanderer]

21. "should have been executed...Thirty years ago, he would have been shot

This is the kind of stuff I'd worry about setting off some Trump-loving whacko. If I were Bergdahl, I'd be looking for some equivalent to a witness protection program, he needs to find a way to essentially disappear or otherwise protect himself from the nuts.