Posted on Dec 10, 2015
Bergdahl Says He Left Base To Expose 'Leadership Failure'. Was It Really Worth It?
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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/
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/
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Bergdahl
Bergdahl
Edited >1 y ago
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Responses: 88
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This Soldier is clearly dilussioned. Jason Bourne I think not. PFC Berdahl needs to be escorted out of the service on way or another.
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SFC Stephen King
General Order No. 1:
“I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.” violated
General Order No. 2:
“I will obey my special orders and perform all my duties in a military manner.” violated
General Order No. 3:
“I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies and anything
not covered in my instructions to the commander of the relief.” violated
Seriously, he violated 3 general orders and claims he is elite.
“I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.” violated
General Order No. 2:
“I will obey my special orders and perform all my duties in a military manner.” violated
General Order No. 3:
“I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies and anything
not covered in my instructions to the commander of the relief.” violated
Seriously, he violated 3 general orders and claims he is elite.
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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.
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SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres
He is not worthy of the honorable title of Private. There are many Privates on this forum that serve honorably, to wrap Bergdahl with them is disrespectful....I totally get what you are saying though Sir.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
Stop defaming privates. The privates defense league and defense fund, likes the fact that the Army in its infinite wisdom elevated him to NCO status. Can't blame us privates on this one.
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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.
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So...I read the article, and my takeaway was a question: Is he ACTUALLY insane, or is it an ACT to avoid prison time?
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PV2 Abbott Shaull
Next thing you know he will say God lead him to walk away, and bring Jesus to the enemy.
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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!
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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.
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.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
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. The 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
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]
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