"Accused" deserter Bowe Bergdahl (I won't address him as SGT) isn't on Decembers pardon list for President Obama. That doesn't mean that he won't be added to a future list but as of right now Bergdahl won't be pardoned.
As a former infantryman myself and a recent 26 year retiree of the army I have absolutely no sympathy for this guy. I know what it feels like to be in that foxhole and having to rely on that brother to your left and right. I also know what it's like to have to pick up the dead weight of someone who has become a cancer to your unit.
I have heard the argument from a very few that he has suffered enough for his transgressions because he was a prisoner of war for years. I have also heard those who bring up that he was simply attempting to address some issues from his unit by going to his higher headquarters.
With out going into great detail I will just say that he hasn't paid the consequences for walking off of his base camp and anybody with any common sense knows you don't ever walk off of your base unauthorized for any reason whatsoever. I knew as a senior non commissioned officer when I was deployed overseas that if I took 10 steps off of my base unauthorized that I would suffer dire consequences.
Bowe Bergdahl should have to go through with his court martial where he will more than likely be found guilty of desertion amongst other charges. He should be stripped down in rank all the way to E-1( I can't stand to watch him walk around with Sgt stripes on). He should have to pay back the over 300,000 dollars he received while he was on prisoner of war status. He should receive a dishonorable discharge which would strip him of any future veterans benefits. The amount of confinement if any I will leave up to the judge to determine or jury( not sure how that plays out). If it was up to me I would go with no less than ten years.
In the end of this infamous saga history should record that we honor our heroes and we dishonor those who fail to live up to the standards of being a soldier/sailer/airman/marine and fails to protect and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic......as we swore to do when we voluntarily joined the ranks of our armed forces.
As a former infantryman myself and a recent 26 year retiree of the army I have absolutely no sympathy for this guy. I know what it feels like to be in that foxhole and having to rely on that brother to your left and right. I also know what it's like to have to pick up the dead weight of someone who has become a cancer to your unit.
I have heard the argument from a very few that he has suffered enough for his transgressions because he was a prisoner of war for years. I have also heard those who bring up that he was simply attempting to address some issues from his unit by going to his higher headquarters.
With out going into great detail I will just say that he hasn't paid the consequences for walking off of his base camp and anybody with any common sense knows you don't ever walk off of your base unauthorized for any reason whatsoever. I knew as a senior non commissioned officer when I was deployed overseas that if I took 10 steps off of my base unauthorized that I would suffer dire consequences.
Bowe Bergdahl should have to go through with his court martial where he will more than likely be found guilty of desertion amongst other charges. He should be stripped down in rank all the way to E-1( I can't stand to watch him walk around with Sgt stripes on). He should have to pay back the over 300,000 dollars he received while he was on prisoner of war status. He should receive a dishonorable discharge which would strip him of any future veterans benefits. The amount of confinement if any I will leave up to the judge to determine or jury( not sure how that plays out). If it was up to me I would go with no less than ten years.
In the end of this infamous saga history should record that we honor our heroes and we dishonor those who fail to live up to the standards of being a soldier/sailer/airman/marine and fails to protect and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic......as we swore to do when we voluntarily joined the ranks of our armed forces.
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