Bergdahl Says He Left Base To Expose 'Leadership Failure'. Was It Really Worth It?

2015-12-10T21:35:13-05:00

In a Recent Armyimes Article
BOISE, Idaho — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl says he walked off his base in Afghanistan to cause a crisis that would catch the attention of military brass.

He wanted to warn them about what he believed were serious problems with leadership in his unit. And he wanted to prove himself as a real-life action hero, like someone out of a movie.

Bergdahl hasn't spoken publicly about his decision or his subsequent five-year imprisonment by the Taliban and the prisoner swap that secured his return to the United States. But over the past several months he spoke extensively with screenwriter Mark Boal, who shared about 25 hours of the recorded interviews with Sarah Koenig for her popular podcast, "Serial."
"As a private first-class, nobody is going to listen to me," Bergdahl says in the first episode of the podcast, released Thursday. "No one is going to take me serious that an investigation needs to be put underway."

Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was charged in March with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He faces up to life in prison, though an Army officer has recommended that Bergdahl's case be moved to a special misdemeanor-level military court.

His attorney Eugene Fidell says politicians and would-be politicians have been using Bergdahl as a talking point to push their own agendas for months, a situation he described as creating "gale-force political winds."

The more the public can hear Bergdahl's own words, the better, Fidell told The Associated Press.

"Some of the information that is going to come out is inevitably not going to be what we would have preferred in a perfect universe, but net-net, we'll take it and allow people in our democratic society to form their own opinions," Fidell said.
Bergdahl's interview is another coup for makers of "Serial," which established podcasts as a viable outlet when the first season was downloaded more than 100 million times. Makers wouldn't say how long the new season would last; the first one was 12 separate episodes.

In the episode, Bergdahl says he wanted to expose the "leadership failure" he experienced in Afghanistan. The episode does not elaborate on what that failure was, but he says he believed at the time his disappearance and his plan to reappear at another location would give him access to top officials. After leaving the base after midnight, he worries about the reception he'll get once he reappears, and decides to try to get information on who was planting bombs in the area. That information will help smooth things over with angry military officials, he figures.

Sarah Koenig, the host and executive producer of "Serial," describes Bergdahl as a "radical, idiosyncratic" man in the episode. She says Bergdahl shipped his personal items home, bought local attire and pulled out $300 in U.S. dollars and Afghanis ahead of leaving the base.

Bergdahl acknowledges his motives weren't entirely idealistic.

"I was trying to prove to myself, I was trying to prove to the world, to anybody who used to know me ... I was capable of being what I appeared to be," Bergdahl says. "Doing what I did was me saying I am like Jason Bourne. I had this fantastic idea that I was going to prove to the world I was the real thing."

He says after the sun came up, a group of men on motorcycles captured him as he walked through nearby flatland desert.

He also discusses the psychological torment of being held captive for years.

"It's like how do I explain to a person that just standing in an empty dark room hurts?" Bergdahl recounts. "It's like well, a person asked me, 'Why does it hurt? Does your body hurt?' Yes, your body hurts but it's more than that. It's mental, like, almost confused. ... I would wake up not even remembering what I was."

He adds: "It's like you're standing there, screaming in your mind."

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/12/10/bergdahl-says-he-left-base-expose-leadership-failure/77117432/

Bergdahl says he left base to expose 'leadership failure'

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl says he walked off his base in Afghanistan to cause a crisis that would catch the attention of military brass.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Dec 10 at 2015 9:39 PM

2015-12-10T21:39:11-05:00

This guy is full of it... And no... It wasn't worth it...

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 10 at 2015 9:45 PM

2015-12-10T21:45:19-05:00

Bowe Bergdahl seems to have been deluded to believe that he could walk a day in Afghanistan back to the FOB to draw attention to what he considered bad leadership SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
I expect he learned some lessons which he will never forget from his five years of being a prisoner of the taliban. He may well have confused his captors who kept him alive much longer than any other American prisoner.
Bowe Bergdahl may or may not have felt it was worth it. I doubt that the men who lost their lives searching for him or their comrades in arms felt any sympathy for him after he "revealed why" he did what he did.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Dec 10 at 2015 9:52 PM

2015-12-10T21:52:11-05:00

You don't send all your "stuff" home to do something like this! I don't doubt he got hurt, but was it self inflicted? OH YEA!! And we've never heard what the leadership problems were!!
No mercy from this end of the court!!

Response by SFC Stephen King made Dec 10 at 2015 9:57 PM

2015-12-10T21:57:58-05:00

This Soldier is clearly dilussioned. Jason Bourne I think not. PFC Berdahl needs to be escorted out of the service on way or another.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 10 at 2015 9:59 PM

2015-12-10T21:59:22-05:00

Is he gay now?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2015 10:04 PM

2015-12-10T22:04:24-05:00

Well, Bergdahl is a liar. I mean, I am not saying that his unit was flawless - I know it wasn't, but for an infantry unit with a high turnover since their previous deployment just one year before it was a dirty, effective unit. Of course Bergdahl is gonna come up with some reason for taking off, Since he got caught. If Bergdahl was, and he is not, speaking the truth - shouldn't he do that during a FOB run? You know when you could actually just walked over to higher leadership and not betray your brothers.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2015 10:18 PM

2015-12-10T22:18:01-05:00

His leaving the base exposed himself to a lack of accountability, judgement and integrity.

Response by SrA Daniel Hunter made Dec 10 at 2015 10:27 PM

2015-12-10T22:27:28-05:00

Do you smell that? Yep, that's bull sh*t. Maybe his unit leaders had their heads where the sun don't shine. Joining them in that practice exposed nothing about his leaders.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Dec 10 at 2015 10:28 PM

2015-12-10T22:28:43-05:00

He's lying.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Dec 10 at 2015 10:48 PM

2015-12-10T22:48:33-05:00

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE ON RALLY POINT! Neither Bergdhal nor any member of his family should benefit monetarily from his stupid actions! The vultures are already positioning the clown to ghost write a book and appear in a movie! Then the $ will roll in!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Dec 10 at 2015 10:53 PM

2015-12-10T22:53:05-05:00

Now the idiot is on TV! Yea, for free! The ------ ------ will make so many $ from this - it makes me sick! I must go regurgitate my supper!

Response by SGT Chris McDaniel made Dec 10 at 2015 11:00 PM

2015-12-10T23:00:47-05:00

I don't think people should feel sorry for Bergdahl. He made a choice, and faced consequences for it--heck, I can't recall if the hearing is finished yet but if not he may face even more.

Prior to listening to Serial this morning I knew only what I had read about it. I welcome the rest of this series to get a fuller understanding of what happened.

I am glad he's home. Regardless of why he went off the FOB, he's an American soldier. We don't leave ours behind. And sure as shit don't leave punishing them to Haji.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Dec 10 at 2015 11:05 PM

2015-12-10T23:05:30-05:00

Disgusted and ashamed, the real victims are the Soldiers and the families of those that were killed and injured looking for him.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 10 at 2015 11:17 PM

2015-12-10T23:17:08-05:00

Wtf he is just beyond words for me

Response by Maj William Gambrell made Dec 10 at 2015 11:24 PM

2015-12-10T23:24:02-05:00

So, now he is Jason Bourne. So, what in the hell has he done for the intelligence community as a result of this so called effort to inform leaders?

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 10 at 2015 11:24 PM

2015-12-10T23:24:45-05:00

Bergdahl is like a Hollywood concept at this point -- he is like a mirage and a fantasy and people just skew his narrative into whatever they want to see. People in the military (and veterans) have LONG SINCE already decided the way they feel about it. They have also LONG SINCE lost their faith in the system that is putting Bergdahl on trial and deciding on his fate, as it just feels like a political narrative at this point.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 10 at 2015 11:32 PM

2015-12-10T23:32:02-05:00

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, to elaborate any further on this would be a waste of time and effort. Suffice it to say that using failure of leadership to justify going AWOL is beyond the absurd.

Response by SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres made Dec 10 at 2015 11:39 PM

2015-12-10T23:39:42-05:00

What a nutcase, so as an NCO, he couldn't effectively voice his concerns to his Chain of Command? He is a terrorist, he should be stripped of all insignia and rank. The aforementioned should take place on live, National TV. He should be immediately placed in prison. All this because the President can't be seen/heard going back on his word. Terrorist deserve no rights!

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Dec 11 at 2015 12:01 AM

2015-12-11T00:01:11-05:00

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL He is a waste of our resources. He is a waste of oxygen. Why do we let a deserter like him be allowed to be alive? Feed his ass to a feeding farm or something. Ammo is a waste of money in my opinion. Feed him to the sharks or lions or something. I wouldn't waste anything more on his sorry ASS!!!!

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Dec 11 at 2015 12:01 AM

2015-12-11T00:01:57-05:00

Here in Idaho, this guy and his family are considered "on the fringe" and need to move to another state. They are not and have not been well received (except at the White House). It will be interesting to see when and what the outcome will be. I personally hope they wait till a new administration is residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Response by Cpl Shane Cunningham made Dec 11 at 2015 12:09 AM

2015-12-11T00:09:40-05:00

...of course he did...

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 12:25 AM

2015-12-11T00:25:30-05:00

The real leadership failure here is that PVT Bergdahl is a SGT. Another leadership failure is that this Private was traded for 5 arguably "good soldiers" for the other team. Hardly a good exchange. So yes, I suppose this goober was successful in exposing failures in leadership.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 12:26 AM

2015-12-11T00:26:10-05:00

Looks like he really bought into that whole "Army of One" campaign.

Response by SGT Felicia King made Dec 11 at 2015 1:07 AM

2015-12-11T01:07:29-05:00

I believe he said in a CBS interview looking back at his actions that it was definitely stupid. Which I agree wholeheartedly. If you have shitty leadership, there are other ways to deal with it, and sometimes you just have to suck it up till you PCS or ETS. That saying, his unit does sound like a shitty unit. They mentioned this was his second time walking off a military outpost, I'm assuming it was the same deployment. His ass shouldn't have been captured, because he shouldn't have been given the opportunity to be captured. The first time he tried that crap he should have been sent back to the rear and chaptered, failure to adapt to Army standards, something. Since he wasn't put out of the military, he was captured because his dumbass tried that crap again, but his unit failed to list him as a deserter. They should have known from his record he more than likely waked off, causing his own fate. Instead they listed him as a POW. This I assume because the soldier was promoted in his absence to SGT/E-5; why they do that, I have no idea.
Now they have him being tried in military court as a deserter, as he should be. I know many did not like the fact that he was traded for five Afghan personnel, but as soldiers we live by 'leave no man behind'. I understand he deserted, but he was sent and should not have been left behind. The journalists are a different case; they were not sent, but rather chose that danger on their own reconnaissance. Though, as they stated he more than likely would not receive prison time. I agree the boy suffered enough for his stupidity. Five years as an Afghan POW, or even two years in a Mexico jail seems by far way worse than life in prison in a US jail, civilian or military. In his case, it would probably be Leavenworth.
I knew of a soldier that walked off a military outpost on deployment. It wasn't against leadership, he was an excellent soldier and very hard working, knowledgable and disciplined. He was a gunner and had shot/killed a young Iraqi boy. He was distraught about it, just as the Korean War soldiers were distraught about shooting kids with bombs attached to them. But they had a choice, just like the Navy Seal in Act of Valor made; it's unfortunate that one dies, but if that one can save a whole platoon or more, that's the choice that you make. Obviously, this soldier came to his senses because he couldn't get home when he was alone in the desert. But he didn't know how to return, so he beat himself up and made up a story. His story only lasted a day, with him coming forward and admitting his guilt. His platoon sergeant and squad leader treated him like shit. I agree, but I still felt bad for him. Understanding the whole circumstances as to why he did it; while it doesn't make it right, it just helps you understand. I believe he was sentenced to eight years.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Dec 11 at 2015 1:18 AM

2015-12-11T01:18:53-05:00

Eh. Just made that crap up. Like when I pass out in the yard I tell my wife I had just one beer and I think it was the cold medicine I took.

Response by Cpl Ian Plumlee made Dec 11 at 2015 1:23 AM

2015-12-11T01:23:37-05:00

Sounds like a sorry attempt to excuse his actions to me...

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 2:00 AM

2015-12-11T02:00:09-05:00

Bergdahl=Jane Fonda=Bergdahl=Jane Fonda=Bergdahl=etc=etc. :-/

Response by Vonice LarsenBailey made Dec 11 at 2015 2:02 AM

2015-12-11T02:02:01-05:00

What a coincidence this was a topic of discussion at work today. Someone said he was arrested in a drug raid while he was on leave. I don't know if that is true. I do however wish they would end the circus so his 15 minutes of fame can be over and he won't have the opportunity to cash in on acts of stupidity.

Response by SGT Francis Wright made Dec 11 at 2015 4:53 AM

2015-12-11T04:53:55-05:00

You know, I hope just gets a Discharge. Maybe someone will give him what he deserves.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 7:46 AM

2015-12-11T07:46:42-05:00

I love it how a SPC thinks he is smarter than his chain of command. He must think he could run his battalion better and knows true leadership in the few years he was in compared to that of his command.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 7:52 AM

2015-12-11T07:52:33-05:00

So now a Private in the U.S. Army leave his post to teach his leadership a lesson. The leadership with probably more time in the field than he had time on earth? Yeah, right. Delusional indeed!

Response by SGT David T. made Dec 11 at 2015 8:16 AM

2015-12-11T08:16:32-05:00

I am a bit tired about hearing about this guy. DOD confirmed no one died because of him so why are we going to continue to expend resources on him? Right now as he has not been convicted of anything, is still drawing full pay and benefits at tax payer expense. As a tax payer, I really don't want to feed, house and clothe this guy for the rest of his life. Discharge in lieu of court martial, strip his benefits and punt him out the door. We need to stop wasting resources on him.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 11 at 2015 9:57 AM

2015-12-11T09:57:26-05:00

Berghdahl's mind is probably so messed up from years of isolation and brutal treatment from the Taliban, that anything that comes out of his mouth and imagination regarding why he did what he did has to be taken with a huge grain of salt. The best evidence about why he did something so utterly insane as to walk out of his FOB unarmed, with no real plan or realistic assessment of his chances of making it to his Battalion Commander's location, is to study the events leading up to his departure. The statements of the men he left behind, who justifiably feel betrayed also have to be measured against the prejudice and animosity they have towards Berghdahl. There seems pretty good evidence that the unit was having some serious problems before Berghdahl snapped and took off. The Platoon Leader removed for cause, the acting platoon leader, the Platoon Staff Sgt, maybe not up to the task of replacing the Plt Leader, animosity between members of the unit that Berghdahl was in. The picture of what went on in the platoon before Berghdal left is not pretty. Did someone threaten to harm him? Was the hostility he sensed from the his squad or platoon rise to such a level, that reasonable soldier in Berghdahl's situation feel under duress, to the point where he would leave the perimeter to seek safety? Only a trial will bring out the truth. He should face a courts martial of his peers for whatever charges the Convening Authority and his JAG think can be tried and proven against Berghdahl.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 11 at 2015 10:32 AM

2015-12-11T10:32:30-05:00

He could have got a court martial a lot easier than spending five years as the guest of the Taliban. Just refuse to gear up and go on the next mission. Failure to obey a lawful order, Art. 90 UCMJ. Then he would have his day in court to air his grievances against the unit and face the consequences of his behavior. This is a level of accountability that people like Edward Snowden, who ran off to Russia, instead of facing a jury of peers, fail to grasp.

During WWII there were a number of GI's who refused to fight, and or deserted and were court martial-ed. Only one that I am aware of was executed for desertion during war time, like Berghdahl, Private Eddie Slovick. Big mistake to execute Slovik. Makes the Army look stupid and erodes support for the draft. He should have got some prison time, and then his DD. Plus even a cursory background check, should have classified Slovik as unfit for the draft with his criminal behavior. His poor service behavior was to some extent predictable.

I assert the same thing, to some extent, that Berghdahl's behavior given his prior service in the Coast Gaurd (some kind of psych based discharge during initial training-Entry level Discharge- UN-characterized type of separation), made him a poor candidate for a combat MOS like the Army Infantry, 11B MOS, and to serve as an infantryman, especially in complicated war like Iraq or Afghanistan, which has not had universal support by the American people. I think Berghdahl's Parents in their public statements have opposed our involvement in both wars. They definitely opposed their son's enlistment in the US Army, and I am sure that caused him some internal conflict about what he was doing when he got to Afghanistan and whatever idealism he had about what he was doing there, met the reality that is Afghanistan.

Even the most motivated and strongest minded of our war fighters have seen and experienced things in Afghanistan that have made them question the mission or its execution (or the ridiculous ROEs) or the Child Molesters that we are being told to work with, like the now infamous Afghan Police Commander who had a run in with Special Forces Captain Dan Quinn and SFC Charles Martland who let him know with their fists and feet that they would not ignore his child molestation, and who were then subsequently relieved and transferred for their actions in curbing his criminal child molestation behavior.

From Slovik's Wikipedia page:
"The 28th Division was scheduled to begin an attack in the Hurtgen Forest. The coming attack was common knowledge in the unit, and casualty rates were expected to be high, as the prolonged combat in the area had been unusually grueling. The Germans were determined to hold, and terrain and weather greatly reduced the usual American advantages in armor and air support. A small minority of soldiers (less than 0.5%) indicated they preferred to be imprisoned rather than remain in combat, and the rates of desertion and other crimes had begun to rise.

Slovik was charged with desertion to avoid hazardous duty and tried by court martial on 11 November 1944. Slovik had to be tried by a court martial composed of staff officers from other U.S. Army divisions, because all combat officers from the 28th Infantry Division were fighting on the front lines."
From:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik

Eddie Slovik - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edward Donald "Eddie" Slovik (February 18, 1920– January 31, 1945) was a United States Army soldier during World War II and the only American soldier to be court-martialled and executed for desertion since the American Civil War.[1][2]

Response by SGT Richard H. made Dec 11 at 2015 10:34 AM

2015-12-11T10:34:31-05:00

So...I read the article, and my takeaway was a question: Is he ACTUALLY insane, or is it an ACT to avoid prison time?

Response by SPC Troy Reynolds made Dec 11 at 2015 12:10 PM

2015-12-11T12:10:49-05:00

POS needs to be hanged as a traitor. With the planning that went into this, I am convinced that he conspired with the enemy...or at least saw an opportunity to attempt to ingratiate himself to them.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Dec 11 at 2015 1:42 PM

2015-12-11T13:42:36-05:00

BOLOGNA!

Response by SFC Stephen King made Dec 11 at 2015 1:42 PM

2015-12-11T13:42:39-05:00

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Delusional and needs to be controlled.

Response by SGT David T. made Dec 11 at 2015 1:44 PM

2015-12-11T13:44:20-05:00

Can we just have him discharged in lieu of court martial so we can stop wasting resources on him. Cut his benefits off and punt him out the door.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 1:46 PM

2015-12-11T13:46:02-05:00

... I thought military court is different than civilian court ... ...

Response by SGT Francis Wright made Dec 11 at 2015 1:48 PM

2015-12-11T13:48:53-05:00

This guy is a peace of work. Should have been shipped home, when someone saw he was a liability.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 2:30 PM

2015-12-11T14:30:24-05:00

Yet somehow his unit survived without him saving it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 3:06 PM

2015-12-11T15:06:54-05:00

He deserted! Point blank period! Where are those soldiers that were on watch with them? Does their testimony mean anything? I'd discharge him ; bust him all the way down to PV1 with a dishonorable discharge!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2015 3:32 PM

2015-12-11T15:32:11-05:00

He will get exactly what he deserves, which in ANY case of UCMJ violation is a fair trial and then either a finding of guilt and just punishment, or an acquittal.

It doesn't matter if we are talking about a parking violation of mass murder, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Response by SrA David Steyer made Dec 11 at 2015 3:48 PM

2015-12-11T15:48:49-05:00

WHY is this guy not in pretrial confinement? Why is he allowed to do a podcast? You think they'd learn after he got in trouble (later released and not charged) in California...

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Dec 11 at 2015 4:06 PM

2015-12-11T16:06:10-05:00

I say he's still lucky he hasn't been put up against a wall and shot....

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Dec 11 at 2015 4:30 PM

2015-12-11T16:30:38-05:00

My first question is, "Does a PFC have the qualifications to determine what a Leadership Failure is?"
The short answer would be NO!
Politics has gotten in the way of justice in this case. I doubt he will receive the punishment that he deserves. The guy was a deserter in war time. If this was WWII, he would be executed.

I would settle for a Dishonorable Discharge, forfeiture of all rank, and a minimum of 5 years making big rocks into little rocks at Leavenworth.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Dec 11 at 2015 4:33 PM

2015-12-11T16:33:23-05:00

Allcon and SGT Private RallyPoint Member,

Stepping back from OUR personal attachment to the issue for just a moment. Ask yourself this question:

"Maybe he's just nuts?"

After you've asked yourself that question. Really asked yourself that question, think it through critically, and all the logic that follows behind it. Don't think about HIS actions, but OUR responses to HIS actions.

When you are dealing with someone who is ("potentially") Insane, how do you react to them? Now imagine you throw them into the middle of a war, in a foreign country. Do you expect them to act like a "reasonable human being?"

Again, I stress, leave our personal feelings out of this. Think about it with cold logic. You've got essentially a "madman" on your hands who is capable of literally anything.

I'm not saying that's what happened... but were I a betting man... he falls in the high risk group (Age & Gender), he'd already been discharged from the USCG for "mental issues," and his unit members knew he was "unstable." My assessment is really coming down to Occam's Razor on this one. Dude ain't right in the Head. That isn't an excuse, but it is one hell of an explanation. And once you realize that... it makes it a lot hard to tie the "same" emotions to the "same" crimes.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Dec 11 at 2015 5:48 PM

2015-12-11T17:48:03-05:00

I think that they sould give his sorry ass back to the Taliban.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Dec 11 at 2015 6:07 PM

2015-12-11T18:07:16-05:00

I was just wondering what is going on with his court martial. It is crazy that after all of the investigations, it has not gone to trial yet. That stinks to me. I was surprised to hear about this and wonder if his lawyer allowed him to do this. We need to get this over with as soon as possible.

Response by SGT Dana Williams made Dec 11 at 2015 8:40 PM

2015-12-11T20:40:10-05:00

He deserted his unit and there's indication he collaborated with the Taliban. You can't excuse that!

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Dec 11 at 2015 10:50 PM

2015-12-11T22:50:40-05:00

This is crazy, didn't you just hear that he now is running with the story that he thought he was like 'Jason Borne'? Eff this guy, someone should put this effer under a rock somewhere...

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 11 at 2015 11:17 PM

2015-12-11T23:17:42-05:00

he is just the worst ever

Response by SSG Malcolm "Chris" Canada made Dec 12 at 2015 2:26 AM

2015-12-12T02:26:20-05:00

I have been screaming this on Facebook, and arguing this on Twitter... He disobeyed his first general order, which got six men killed. There is absolutely NOTHING that can justify his actions. Even if he was as high speed as Jason Bourne, he deserves to have his balls handed to him on a plate.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 10:23 AM

2015-12-12T10:23:06-05:00

He could have aired his grievances, he was like that NSA guy who went to Russia to expose instead of dealing with it personally with his chain of command

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Dec 12 at 2015 11:15 AM

2015-12-12T11:15:24-05:00

He also said he was like "...Jason Bourne", so I don't believe a damned thing he or his defense team allows to be put out for public consumption. I think he is a traitor based upon his actions, I think he doesn't give a shit about the consequences that his actions had his "brothers and sisters in arms" and I think he deserves a far harsher penalty than he is probably going to end up receiving.

Response by PV2 Abbott Shaull made Dec 12 at 2015 12:33 PM

2015-12-12T12:33:05-05:00

Well all I can say for any lacking of leadership, is his unit Brigade much like so many other, were created as result of the Army being over-extended and brass not being able build new units before you add in the lack of time in creating them. With that said, he had 5 years in being held as their Prisoner. As PFC damn straight nobody is going to listen to you, if you want to make unit better, you do by doing your damn job. If you good, you earn promotions, as you doing your job, you gain experience that you can use as examples to get people to listen hopefully. Just some thoughts.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Dec 12 at 2015 1:00 PM

2015-12-12T13:00:25-05:00

I don't trust privates especially if they desert in the middle of the combat zone. Put his rear end in a prison for a while where he belongs. Listening to him in a recording to why he deserted his platoon was just like listening to a Private's excuses for everything.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Dec 12 at 2015 1:18 PM

2015-12-12T13:18:25-05:00

This guy is just beyond stupid. Then the Jason Bourne thing is such a joke.

And to think of the resources and lives that were wasted looking for him. Toss him in a dark hole somewhere.

Response by SFC Brian Ewing made Dec 12 at 2015 1:21 PM

2015-12-12T13:21:10-05:00

If that's the reason he claimed he left (Leadership Failure) then guess what? He just joined that very same group because he failed even moreso than they did because as a Leader (especially an Army Leader) he should've remember what our Soldier's Creed says when it reads like this:

"I WILL NEVER QUIT"

He should also remember his General Orders:

I will never quit my post until properly relieved.

Need I say more??

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Dec 12 at 2015 9:11 PM

2015-12-12T21:11:54-05:00

Bergdahl is a POS who should be a PVT in a BRIG for life. But POTUS will never let that happen because he set terrorists free to get this POS back. That is the bottom line.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 11:43 PM

2015-12-12T23:43:54-05:00

Yeah I agree with most of the comments but I do think we need to take a look at the other failures. I don't think he should have been accepted in the first place and recruiters are faced with a lot of stress. He enlisted at a time where it seemed everyone could join...so let's ask ourselves where the RRAL problem lies. I am not defending him but let's not be so narrow minded and look at the big picture.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2015 1:57 AM

2015-12-13T01:57:04-05:00

Bergdahl should be in jail for desertion. I understand that there are things about our Leadership that you do not like/agree with but that does not give anyone the right to just up and walk away. His decision to do that cost the lives of his fellow Soldiers. As a Leader you will never make all the right calls or decisions that will please everyone but as Leaders we make the best decision with the information and experiences that we have gathered up to that point.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2015 2:48 AM

2015-12-13T02:48:31-05:00

Like most B.S., it smells. Even a low rolling PFC has access to higher levels of leadership via the open door policy, and I haven't met a CSM yet that won't entertain the wildest private's story and run it to ground. The worst case is that this guy is the evil dirtbag that he appears to be, the best case is that he is a prime case of why we need psychological screening as a prerequisite to enlistment.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 13 at 2015 10:13 AM

2015-12-13T10:13:42-05:00

It is very unusual for the CA General (Gen. Robert Abrams, the head of Army Forces Command who is in charge of the case) to take this long after receiving the recommendations of the Art. 32 Officer (on October 10th), before deciding to send the Soldier to a Courts Martial (or not). The Article 32 hearing wrapped up Sept. 18. Berghdal faces one desertion charge and one charge of misbehavior before the enemy, which could carry a life sentence. The Convening Authority could ignore the recommendation of the Article 32 Officer and STILL take Bergdahl to a General Courts Martial (A Felony Level Courts Martial) on the one count of count of desertion and one count of charge of misbehavior before the enemy, or the CA could send him to a special courts martial which is the misdemeanor type courts martial, or he could decide to dismiss all charges against Bergdahl.

"The officer in charge of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's Article 32 hearing has recommended that the soldier accused of desertion avoid jail time for his actions, according to Bergdahl's civil defense attorney.

Lt. Col. Mark Visger's report to Gen. Robert Abrams, the head of Army Forces Command who is in charge of the case, also will advise that the matter be decided at a special court-martial, lawyer Eugene Fidell told Army Times on Saturday, confirming reports in other media outlets. Soldiers facing special courts-martial can receive no more than a year in jail and no worse than a bad-conduct discharge; punishments regarding hard labor and pay forfeiture have similar restrictions.

Visger also recommended Bergdahl not face a punitive discharge for his alleged actions, Fidell said. A memo from Bergdahl's defense team to Visger regarding the report — released late Friday by Fidell to media members — said the officer's recommendations didn't go far enough and requested nonjudicial punishment, better known as an Article 15, instead of a special court-martial."

This delay of time in my humble opinion is providing an opportunity for Berghdahl, and his Noted Military Criminal Defense Attorney, Eugene Fidell, (Fidell is a co-founder and former president of the National Institute of Military Justice) to shape public opinion and possibly influence the decision of the General Abrams. Though some legal commentators are saying that Bergdahl's comments in his online interview are not making him look more sympathetic, but either crazy or mentally impaired, possibly paving the way for a lack of mental responsibility affirmative defense should his case go to trial .
From http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/newcaaf 2012 (September Term)

United States v. Mott, 72 M.J. 319 (the affirmative defense of lack of mental responsibility requires the accused to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that at the time of the offense, (1) the accused suffered from a severe mental disease or defect, and (2) as a result of that mental disease or defect, the accused was unable to appreciate either (a) the nature and quality of his acts, or (b) the wrongfulness of his acts).

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/crime/2015/10/10/lawyer-officer-recommends-no-jail-bergdahl/73726990/

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 13 at 2015 10:27 AM

2015-12-13T10:27:29-05:00

2013 (September Term) US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

United States v. MacDonald, 73 M.J. 426 (the defense of lack of mental responsibility requires demonstration that the accused suffered from a mental disease or defect and that as a result he was unable to appreciate the nature and quality or wrongfulness of his act).

This is a high legal standard to meet if this is what Bergdahl is hoping to prove in an affirmative defense in a courts martial. Bergdahl would have to prove that he "suffered from a mental disease or defect" AND that "as a result of" he was "unable to appreciate" "the nature and quality or wrongfulness of his act" in this case desertion, and one charge of misbehavior before the enemy.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 13 at 2015 10:30 AM

2015-12-13T10:30:41-05:00

SAN ANTONIO — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who faces a possible life sentence for endangering the soldiers who searched for him after he left his Afghanistan base in 2009, had a “severe mental disease or defect” at the time, one of his lawyers said Thursday.
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The diagnosis was made later by an independent Army psychiatry board, said the defense lawyer, Lt. Col. Franklin D. Rosenblatt of the Army. Because of his psychological problems, Sergeant Bergdahl washed out of Coast Guard basic training three years earlier, Colonel Rosenblatt said, and had to obtain a waiver to join the Army.

The revelations came during the first day of a hearing in which Army prosecutors hope to persuade a hearing officer to recommend that Sergeant Bergdahl, 29, be court-martialed on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

Prosecutors say his decision to walk off his base prompted a seven-week manhunt involving thousands of troops who braved heat, improvised bombs, fatigue and filth as they conducted raids and other dangerous missions in a fruitless effort to find him.
Photo
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Credit US Army, via Associated Press

Colonel Rosenblatt’s statements — during questioning of Sergeant Bergdahl’s former platoon leader, Capt. John P. Billings — appeared to foreshadow a crucial element of the defense team’s strategy: to argue that the military indirectly shares blame for Sergeant Bergdahl’s decision to leave his remote outpost in the middle of the night because officials should have known that he was mentally unfit for combat.
See:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/18/us/bowe-bergdahl-had-severe-mental-disease-or-defect-lawyer-says.html?_r=0

Bowe Bergdahl Had ‘Severe Mental Disease or Defect,’ Lawyer Says

Officials should have known Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was unfit for combat when he left his Afghanistan base in 2009, the lawyer suggested at an Army hearing.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 13 at 2015 12:32 PM

2015-12-13T12:32:37-05:00

Bergdahl was more than just your run of the mill fuck up. He was probably suffering from some kind of pre-Service mental illness, as evidenced by his psych wash-out from Coast Gaurd basic training. He could not make it through Coast Gaurd Basic training! Are you Fing kidding me? What fucktard thought he would make a good Infantryman in the US Army? Bergdahl was a hand grenade waiting to go off, with a 2 second fuse.

If his case goes to trial, believe me, it will not just be Bergdahl on trial, but an Army recruiting system that let him into the Army (after a psych washout during basic training in the THE COAST GAURD), not as a cook or a laundryman, or some job where he would be a minimal risk for the crucible of combat . . . no, Bergdahl was let into the Army's most stressful and demanding MOS, 11Bravo, Infantry. On top of that, the trial would put Bergdahl's unit and the unit leadership on trial for failing to recognize that Bergdahl was unfit for duty and definitely should not have been forward deployed in combat with a front line Infantry unit. I am sure that General Abrahms is weighing all of this, and is trying to gauge whether to bring this bad publicity shit storm down on the US Army (especially since the Army was the only branch of the Service to miss its enlisted recruiting goal recently) in the military's highest profile war trial since the Sgt. Frank Wuterich's USMC GCM (re: Nov 19th, 2005 Civilian Iraqis Killed in Haditha, Iraq in a counterattack after an IED killed one of Wuterich's men while on patrol) .

Wuterich's Trial ended badly for the government in 2012 (Wuterch was represented by my one time former mentor in the Marine Corps, Attorney Neal Puckett). Frank Wuterich was eventually given an honorable discharge, after an arranged plea deal for pleading guilty to one count of "negligent dereliction of duty" and being reduced to Private from Staff Sgt. from the United States Marine Corps in February of 2012. All of this after the better part of six years of criminal proceedings against him. So from Wuterich charged with 13 Felony counts of unpremeditated murder, he ended up pleading guilty to the one misdemeanor "negligent dereliction of duty" which is not even considered a crime involving moral turpitude. That result at trial in everyone's book is considered a Big Defense Win anyway you look at it. You think the Army wants to emulate the Marine Corps in the Hadita prosecution of Frank Wuterich with a legal disaster if it goes after Bergdahl?

Lesson of the Frank Wuterich Six-year Military Prosecution: The US Government's chances for a "successful outcome" of a high publicity prosecution of a war crime defendant, especially when the Article 32 Officer expresses doubts about the strength of the government's case (or in Bergdahl's case recommends against Felony level charges), and the defendant is represented by a one of the best Military Criminal Defense lawyers in the country-here Eugene Fidell , in Wuterich's case, Neal Puckett, are not too good.

From Wuterich's Wikipedia Page:
"On December 21, 2006, the U.S. military charged eight Marines (four enlisted and four officers) in connection with the Haditha killings. The four enlisted, including Wuterich were charged with 13 counts of unpremeditated murder, while the officers were charged with covering up the killings and failing to investigate properly. Six of the cases were dropped and one officer was acquitted at court-martial.[20][21][22] When announcing the charges, Colonel Stewart Navarre said, "We now know with certainty the press release was incorrect and that none of the civilians were killed by the IED explosion."

On September 3, 2007, the Article 32 hearing investigating officer, LtCol. Paul Ware, recommended that Wuterich should be tried for the lesser offense of negligent homicide in the deaths of two women and five children, and that charges of murder be dropped. Ware wrote: "I believe after reviewing all the evidence that no trier of fact can conclude Staff Sgt. Wuterich formed the criminal intent to kill. When a Marine fails to exercise due care and civilians die, the charge of negligent homicide, and not murder, is appropriate ... The case against Staff Sgt. Wuterich is simply not strong enough to conclude he committed murder beyond a reasonable doubt. Almost all witnesses have an obvious bias or prejudice."[23][24]

Wuterich was expected to be back in court to face nine counts of manslaughter in early 2010, which would equate his sentence to 152 years in prison.[25] Subsequently, a trial date was set for 12 April 2011.[26] In June 2011, it was postponed again.[27] The court martial finally took place in January 2012. On 23 January 2012, all jurors at his court martial were dismissed after SSgt Wuterich pleaded guilty to one count of "negligent dereliction of duty" in a plea deal, approved by LtGen. Waldhauser, the commander of Marine Forces Central Command, in which the charges of assault and manslaughter were dropped and Wuterich would avoid jail time but get a reduction in rank to Private and a pay cut. On January 24, 2012, the judge presiding over Wuterich's case convicted him accordingly.:"

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 13 at 2015 12:46 PM

2015-12-13T12:46:00-05:00

I personally think he is a nut case.

Response by SGT Tommy B made Dec 13 at 2015 4:19 PM

2015-12-13T16:19:51-05:00

Good men died because of this piece of shit! He should have been put to death!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2015 4:31 PM

2015-12-13T16:31:28-05:00

Bergdahl is still grasping for straws. As an NCO his responsibility was to his men but abandoning them and his post, with the idea that getting attention was a good move doesn't hold water. Even as a young NCO, his best move would have been going up the chain. It's not his job to pout and visibly pull a "bone head" move that placed himself, his men and the mission in jeopardy. If he had the Jason Bourne ideation, that didn't just develop after he crossed the wire. Like I said, grasping for straws.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2015 7:56 PM

2015-12-13T19:56:34-05:00

Does anyone feel like their IQ might have dropped by reading this?! Desperation and denial that he's a trader and got great soldiers killed!!!!

Response by SGT John Little made Dec 14 at 2015 9:35 PM

2015-12-14T21:35:10-05:00

My opinion is silent, fellow NCO's, officers and leaders. It is crucial we focus on not having opinion but having the fortitude to allow the Uniform Code of Military Justice system to do its part prior to passing judgement. Allow time and let truth be proven and lies be identified. History is only valuable when facts are presented and proven for consideration, if we pass judgement prior to facts and fiction being provided then we only become judge mentalist without consideration of fact. America is the Land of the Free Home of the Brave for a Proven Fact not Fiction

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 15 at 2015 7:15 AM

2015-12-15T07:15:44-05:00

So Yesterday, it was reported that General Abrahms has decided to send Bergdahl to a General "Felony Level" Courts Martial, and he was formally notified in writing by his company commander. In doing so, he is ignoring the Advice of the Article 32 Officer, and to some degree the written findings of the two star general who de-breifed Bergdahl. I predict this prosecution will end badly for the Army, and Bergdahl will probably end up pleading guilty to a lesser included offense, such as violation of article 90 Violating a Lawful Order, and/or Article 86 Unauthorized Absence. In between you will probably see his defense attorney run an Affirmative Mental defect defense, and you will see a public airing of the dirty laundry and dysfunctions in Bergdahl's unit before he left the wire. You will also see a dysfunctional recruiting system that uses waivers and ultimately human beings to decide who gets into the Army and who does not.

This is either a morally courageous thing to do, by Gen. Abrahms or incredibly stupid, only time will tell. What effect the negative publicity will have on the Army's recruiting efforts will also be seen in the future.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2015 7:26 AM

2015-12-15T07:26:51-05:00

He is a traitor and was a card played play by the President, that back-fired. Imagine, if everyone used the same logic? <-------

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 15 at 2015 8:41 AM

2015-12-15T08:41:26-05:00

Time for both the Army and Bergdahl to go in front of a General Courts Martial, and let the Truth Prevail (though the truth is usually an accidental byproduct of the American Criminal Justice system)! Under the Professional Rules of Conduct, an Army Prosecutor is not supposed to bring charges that he or she does not reasonably believe can be proven at trial. AR-27-26. So supposedly Gen. Abrahms' SJA advised the general that the Army could prove the more serious charges at a GCM instead of a misd. level Special Courts Martial as the Article 32 Officer recommended for the proper forum for Bergdahl's behavior. What should concern all of us here on RP is that we do not know how much pressure the general put on his SJA to tell him that a GCM was good to go on Bergdahl? We have seen recently with the shameful conduct of the former Marine Corps Commandant, General Amos with the Taliban Urination cases, that the pressure on the Convening Authority in high Publicity military criminal justice cases can and do amount to Unlawful Command Influence on CA's where they are told by people higher up the food chain that they want to see defendants like Bergdahl get "hammered." If Fidell gets even a wiff that the Army Chain of command above Gen. Abrams put any kind of pressure on him to "not let Bergdahl off the hook" in any way, you will see an ugly Unlawful Command Influence Motion filed against the Army and see that get litigated in front of the whole country.

Eugene Fidell says:

June 8, 2014 at 9:51 PM
Bergdahl's Attorney, Gene Fidell said this regarding the lack of a DOD Wide Code of Professional Responsibilities that covers all attorneys practicing before DOD Courts, civilian and Military:
It’s amazing that the services have been unable to agree on purple professional responsibility rules. This is a major failing on the part of a generation of TJAGs.

Also not much noted by the media, is that if Bergdahl gets a Punitve Discharge from a GCM he will not be eligible for any VA services, especially menat health treatment, for his five years of POW time as a guest of the Taliban:

"The discharge or dismissal by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial of any person from the Armed Forces . . . shall bar all rights of such person under laws administered by the Secretary [of Veterans Affairs] based upon the period of service from which discharged or dismissed, notwithstanding any action subsequent to the date of such discharge by a board established pursuant to section 1553 of title 10."

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/12/14/sgt-bowe-bergdahl-face-court-martial-desertion-charge/77300686/

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will face court-martial for desertion, misbehavior charges

The Army will court-martial Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the soldier who wondered off his Afghanistan post in 2009.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Dec 15 at 2015 9:39 PM

2015-12-15T21:39:52-05:00

He is a kook, a liar and a traitor.

Response by SGT Patrick Reno made Dec 16 at 2015 3:47 PM

2015-12-16T15:47:04-05:00

Any thing he has to say now about why he left all those years ago is bullshit. He left the reservation, he needs to pay.

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Dec 16 at 2015 4:40 PM

2015-12-16T16:40:39-05:00

Well he surely went the wrong way to draw attention. Not a very smart decision at all.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 16 at 2015 4:53 PM

2015-12-16T16:53:28-05:00

I think with him we are dealing with a bag of nuts and flakes.

Response by LTC Martin Metz made Dec 17 at 2015 7:39 PM

2015-12-17T19:39:59-05:00

If he's serious, he needs to be prepared to take responsibility for his decision and its rippling repercussions. Time at Leavenworth is certainly one of those ripples. A prime example of someone dealing with this and strength of character / convictions was Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali. When notified of his draft status during the Viet Nam war, Ali declared that he would refuse to serve in the Army and publicly considered himself a conscientious objector due to religious convictions. He was prepared to go to jail rather than comply or dodge the draft. In fact, the case got to the Supreme Court before it was all said and done. Bergdahl seems weak in both character and conviction in comparison. He needs to shoulder responsibility for his choices and take the consequences.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 17 at 2015 8:20 PM

2015-12-17T20:20:42-05:00

I have some lyrics for him:

One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all

Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call

And call Alice, when she was just small

When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low

Go ask Alice, I think she'll know

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Dec 18 at 2015 3:00 PM

2015-12-18T15:00:34-05:00

Of course it was not worth it! Bergdahl did an incredible insane and stupid thing by leaving the wire and violating his orders. He definitely put his fellow soldiers lives in danger by leaving a gap in the watch, or his post, and later hazarding the men who went out of the wire to look for him. Now he is facing some very serious criminal charges and many decades in Prison if he is found guilty at his GCM of Desertion and Misbehavior in the face of the enemy. No one really knows except Gen Abrahms what pressures were on him one way or another to prosecute (or not) Bergdahl. We know the General went against the advice of his Article 32 Officer, and the Major General who debriefed Bergdahl. All we really know is that is why he gets paid the big bucks as a Flag officer and a Commanding General to make those big decisions. I am glad the General went forward because I think the men Bergdahl, left behind and endangered need their measure of justice too. That said, I still think there is an even chance this will end badly for the Army, and the US Military. This trial could end up being about why we are still in Afghanistan years after we routed Al Qaeda there and took out the Taliban in 2001-2002. Domestic support for this war has been waning for years, and IMHO as a lowly former Captain and a JAG, not a combat MOS former officer, Afghanistan was severely under-resourced by Pres. Bush's Fiasco in invading Iraq, its execution and the subsequent occupation of Iraq.

Iraqi Freedom, diverted huge quantities of men and material, that could have gone into Afghanistan. We also have destabilized the region by taking out Sadam's regime and his military. We have also put the entire close to fifteen year GWOT War on the backs of the all volunteer force (AVF) without demanding the shared sacrifice of a partial draft. Prosecuting Bergdahl will probably not help the recruiting effort of the US Army and may even help the growing anti-war movement to end our involvement in Afghanistan, sooner rather than later.

Bergdahl and his trial will never be about the guilt or innocence of one soldier, any more than the Lt. William Calley's Murder trial was about just one obscene act of butchery called My Lai, during the Vietnam War. His trial was a referendum on the Vietnam war, and what our involvement there meant to the Soldiers there, as well as the US Public, and the way we were prosecuting that war, and what Americans had been told by two US Presidents about why we were there, and by a General named Westmoreland, who kept telling the Presidents and the American People about "the light at the end of the Tunnel."

High Publicity and Controversial War-time trials are never just about the guilt or innocence of the accused. They focus the country's attention on the bigger picture about why we are still there, why we are sending good Americans over there to fight and die, and what kind of regimes we are supporting with our best people and our treasure. These trials (like the Sgt. Wuterich USMC trial over the Haditha, Iraqi incident civilian deaths) tend to re-engage the US Public which has been largely disengaged about the Afghanistan War lately, while we have focused on ISIS and the ISIS attacks here in San Bernardino, CA and Paris. We also heard this week that some Navy Seals might have been involved in some brutality and a cover up in 2012, against some Afghani Civilians (one of whom died from his beating injuries) that was reported by the some Army soldiers that were stationed with the Seals in a COP in Afghanistan. That might result in wrongful death charges at a GCM against one or more Navy Seals, another potential black eye regarding our military's involvement in Afghanistan. My comments about the "Bad publicity" coming from Bergdahl's trial are more about the Big Picture and the effect that his trial might have on the American Public and the elected Civilian Leadership in Congress (and this President) to continue our effort and at what level in Afghanistan.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/calley-charged-for-my-lai-massacre

Calley charged for My Lai massacre - Sep 05, 1969 - HISTORY.com

On this day in History, Calley charged for My Lai massacre on Sep 05, 1969. Learn more about what happened today on History.

Response by SCPO Charles Thomas "Tom" Canterbury made Dec 20 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-12-20T11:12:32-05:00

What did he accomplish? No one was exposed, he is in jail and facing court marshal. When you enlist in the military you might not agree with decisions but read your Oath f Enlistment - it pretty much revolves around the word "obey."

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Dec 21 at 2015 11:21 AM

2015-12-21T11:21:40-05:00

I heard one of his interviews. He told his captors that he was disrespected by his Senior Officers. That is why he left. Proof he deserted.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2015 1:54 PM

2015-12-28T13:54:54-05:00

Bergdahl has proven he is not quite smart enough to come up with an excuse like this, and he has obviously been coached by lawyers or some other educated nut job to disguise his treasonous act

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Jan 1 at 2016 12:41 AM

2016-01-01T00:41:48-05:00

I'm interested in what he perceived to be bad conduct by his leadership.To make a soldier drop his gear to go hiking through enemy territory to another base.That's extreme to me,and why didn't anyone pass complaints forward,very,very interesting. Whether he was justified in doing what he did,there's more to this story.

Response by SGT Damaso V Santana made Jun 2 at 2016 11:18 AM

2016-06-02T11:18:37-04:00

Is this part of the "Alice in Wonderland" Series? This ass poor piss of a excuse deserting bastard must have heard somewhere in his sorry Army life about the chain of command, damn I forgot, he is Jason Bourne!
As an additional note, how do you desert and misbehave in the face of the enemy (Coward) and get promoted, he must have friends in high places...Rose Garden ceremony and all...Taliban suffered heavier loses than usual that week since they were rolling on the floor laughing...