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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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.
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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.
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.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
LtCol Robert Quinter - Sir, I bought the Pat Conroy Book about growing up under Col. Conroy at my local Costco not too long ago. Its on the growing list of books that need to get read. Watching the scene in the movie while at OCS of the Nightclub Drunken Carousing in the movie the Great Santini, where the Marine Aviators, led by their Heroic Squadron Commander, go on a drunken spree in Rota, Spain, ending in the fake vomit on that Navy Captain's leg was an inspirational moment, that brought us all to life and brought that Quonset Hut Classroom Down with our screams and U-rahs, It was "Motivation made Visible," that I can still remember to this day. All of us in that room would have done anything, to join that club of Marine Aviators at that moment in time. Before we watched that hilarious movie clip at OCS Plc Seniors in the hot humid summer of 1985 in Quantico VA (aren't they all hot, humid, summers there by order of the Commandant?) at Mainside, there was just a company of tired, after lunch, officer candidates, half asleep, looking forward to another "hard to stay awake through" class.
Its a small Marine Corps World as you say, when you got to brush shoulders with Col. Conroy at Naval Flight School. The Marine Defense Attorney whom Tom Cruise portrayed in a Few Good Men, was at my wetting down party for First Lieutenant, at Camp Pendleton in the summer of 1989. Major Walter Bansley, was the Marine Corps Defense Counsel who represented the Marine Officer who allegedly gave the order (or green light) to give a blanket party to a Marine at Gitmo, and as a lowly Captain, Walt filed a Command Influence Motion Against Major General Gray when Gray was the CG of 2nd MarDiv. Major General Alfred Gray (of course later Commandant Gray) allegedly gathered together all the players in a room and told them the Blanket Party never happened." Walt Bansley was no ordinary Defense Counsel. Bansley was a prior Marine infantry officer who went to law school at night to become a Marine Corps JAG. He had the stones to file that motion against a flag officer who's star was rising, because like you, he made his decisions based upon what he thought was the right thing to do, and what he felt his duty as the JAG assigned to defend those Marines compelled him to do. He was and still is, a great man in my opinion. His career suffered for this Moral Choice and he had reached his terminal rank of Major, when I met him, and he was still a defense counsel, and to the Marine Corps DCs, a living legend in our ranks and our community.
I often wonder with the Post-Tailhook and the politically correct Atmosphere we now live in, if one stupid email or cuss word or perceived homophobic or misogynistic comment that comes out in an ungaurded stupid moment that starts a career ending investigation, WILL lead invariably to a culture of zero tolerance, perfectionism, and the retention and promotion of the least colorful, and least imaginative and least capable, risk-adverse, men and women in the Officer Corps. What will we outlaw next-Cussing? Or sexual relations between officers with officers (same rank) or enlisted with enlisted of equal ranks, on the lamo theory that too much sex even between equals, with no trace of wrongdoing or coercion, creates a sexually charged atmosphere that is corrosive to the "Good Order and Discipline."
Plus, how do you expect to enlist men and recruit male officers who have not been conditioned by US Society to view women as sex objects, when most of the music videos out there , and the TV commercials (my favorite for this kind of "Sex Ketchup" added to almost everything we see on TV is the Carl's Junior TV advertisements with some incredible Hottie eating a Juicy Condiment slathered Hamburger with her Boobs practically becoming a part of that hamburger she is eating), and so much subliminal and overt "sex" messaging, and the Porn that is all over most TV programs these days.
And yet, we expect, testosterone filled young men to come into the US Military and put aside 18-22 years of that kind of conditioning as well as the sexual hookups that are apparently very common on college campuses these days as we recruit from this atmosphere, our officer class? Completely unrealistic without fundamentally changing the underlying culture that produces our pool of enlisted and officers. So the Officers and senior enlisted who survive selection and promotion boards are the officers and enlisted who learn to hide their biases and keep their opinions to themselves and are VERY good at playing the politically correct long game. The best war fighters probably are not apart of this crowd, because they come from a place where blunt honesty is prized and men are encouraged to say what they think and what is in their hearts. These are not the kind of folks that will survive this kind of weeding-out process.
I think the popularity and the rise of Donald Trump is in large part a counter-reaction to the Politically Correct class of Politicians who have risen to power in our government and in our schools, law Enforcement agencies and businesses and pretty much every human institution in the US. A significant portion of Americans think that the thought police and the PC police have taken over this country and are driving it to a place that they do not want to see it go. I also think one of the many very bad side effects of this PC trend is the evisceration of our Warrior class and the warrior culture and institutions that are supposed to create and promote the best war fighters, and not necessarily the best bureaucrats and PC politicians.
Unfortunately, we will not figure this out as a country until we get our ass handed to us in a future armed conflict with a hostile country or foe like ISIS. And then it might be too late.
Its a small Marine Corps World as you say, when you got to brush shoulders with Col. Conroy at Naval Flight School. The Marine Defense Attorney whom Tom Cruise portrayed in a Few Good Men, was at my wetting down party for First Lieutenant, at Camp Pendleton in the summer of 1989. Major Walter Bansley, was the Marine Corps Defense Counsel who represented the Marine Officer who allegedly gave the order (or green light) to give a blanket party to a Marine at Gitmo, and as a lowly Captain, Walt filed a Command Influence Motion Against Major General Gray when Gray was the CG of 2nd MarDiv. Major General Alfred Gray (of course later Commandant Gray) allegedly gathered together all the players in a room and told them the Blanket Party never happened." Walt Bansley was no ordinary Defense Counsel. Bansley was a prior Marine infantry officer who went to law school at night to become a Marine Corps JAG. He had the stones to file that motion against a flag officer who's star was rising, because like you, he made his decisions based upon what he thought was the right thing to do, and what he felt his duty as the JAG assigned to defend those Marines compelled him to do. He was and still is, a great man in my opinion. His career suffered for this Moral Choice and he had reached his terminal rank of Major, when I met him, and he was still a defense counsel, and to the Marine Corps DCs, a living legend in our ranks and our community.
I often wonder with the Post-Tailhook and the politically correct Atmosphere we now live in, if one stupid email or cuss word or perceived homophobic or misogynistic comment that comes out in an ungaurded stupid moment that starts a career ending investigation, WILL lead invariably to a culture of zero tolerance, perfectionism, and the retention and promotion of the least colorful, and least imaginative and least capable, risk-adverse, men and women in the Officer Corps. What will we outlaw next-Cussing? Or sexual relations between officers with officers (same rank) or enlisted with enlisted of equal ranks, on the lamo theory that too much sex even between equals, with no trace of wrongdoing or coercion, creates a sexually charged atmosphere that is corrosive to the "Good Order and Discipline."
Plus, how do you expect to enlist men and recruit male officers who have not been conditioned by US Society to view women as sex objects, when most of the music videos out there , and the TV commercials (my favorite for this kind of "Sex Ketchup" added to almost everything we see on TV is the Carl's Junior TV advertisements with some incredible Hottie eating a Juicy Condiment slathered Hamburger with her Boobs practically becoming a part of that hamburger she is eating), and so much subliminal and overt "sex" messaging, and the Porn that is all over most TV programs these days.
And yet, we expect, testosterone filled young men to come into the US Military and put aside 18-22 years of that kind of conditioning as well as the sexual hookups that are apparently very common on college campuses these days as we recruit from this atmosphere, our officer class? Completely unrealistic without fundamentally changing the underlying culture that produces our pool of enlisted and officers. So the Officers and senior enlisted who survive selection and promotion boards are the officers and enlisted who learn to hide their biases and keep their opinions to themselves and are VERY good at playing the politically correct long game. The best war fighters probably are not apart of this crowd, because they come from a place where blunt honesty is prized and men are encouraged to say what they think and what is in their hearts. These are not the kind of folks that will survive this kind of weeding-out process.
I think the popularity and the rise of Donald Trump is in large part a counter-reaction to the Politically Correct class of Politicians who have risen to power in our government and in our schools, law Enforcement agencies and businesses and pretty much every human institution in the US. A significant portion of Americans think that the thought police and the PC police have taken over this country and are driving it to a place that they do not want to see it go. I also think one of the many very bad side effects of this PC trend is the evisceration of our Warrior class and the warrior culture and institutions that are supposed to create and promote the best war fighters, and not necessarily the best bureaucrats and PC politicians.
Unfortunately, we will not figure this out as a country until we get our ass handed to us in a future armed conflict with a hostile country or foe like ISIS. And then it might be too late.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
Capt Lance Gallardo - A short story about Col Conroy and my "brush" with him. When I checked into Pensacola I was recently married. Got a $400/month apartment with my bride and proudly brought home about $250/payday. The Corps was desperately trying to produce enough helo pilots for VN and many of us were held in a pool at the Detachment waiting for a seat to open up in the program. Conroy held a personnel inspection of all the pool officers every pay day. Since my wife and I had been totally broke for about a week before pay, I felt I needed a hair cut on the eve of the inspection and, since I wore a high and tight to the skin, I thought my wife could do it. She did her best, but as I stood in the formation and the Colonel was doing his look see down the back side of my squad I heard him stop; ask the SgtMaj who I was then told him to have me report to him after dismissal. I duly reported to him in his office in the finest USMC manner. The first words out of his mouth were not the normal stand at ease, but "Lieutenant, who the hell cut your hair." response, "The Lieutenant's wife sir." Colonel's response " I am going to release your pay [we got cash at the time] and I expect to see you running, not walking, to the Barber shop and get your head fixed. Do you understand?", "Aye Aye Sir", "Dismissed".
Sexually charged atmospheres? I always loved them, but in the appropriate circumstances.
Regarding politically correct speech. Some day both the civil and military sectors of our society will realize that brutal honesty not only saves a lot of time, but precludes misunderstanding. I personally never had a lot of time for it and in my current elected civilian position am often described as an arrogant a******** because of it, but my position is always clear.
Sexually charged atmospheres? I always loved them, but in the appropriate circumstances.
Regarding politically correct speech. Some day both the civil and military sectors of our society will realize that brutal honesty not only saves a lot of time, but precludes misunderstanding. I personally never had a lot of time for it and in my current elected civilian position am often described as an arrogant a******** because of it, but my position is always clear.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
Bravo. hard to follow that. Col. Conroy sounds like every bit the blunt straight talker that his "Maverick" reputation made him out to be. I follow in foreign policy.com and twitter, as much as I can, Thomas E. Ricks, the Military Author and Blogger and I read pretty much everything he writes and what he recommends for important reading, with as much of the time that God and my wife and two year old allow me. Rick still is of the opinion that the Pursuit of Honor as an end in and of itself, and Sacrifice, and "Straight talk, no bullshit," and "mission accomplishment" are still the Marine Corp's best traits. I saw this in the recent controversy regarding letting women into the Infantry MOS 0311 field. Only the Marines held firm and told the President and SecDef want they did not want to hear. Women should not be let into the infantry for many good reasons.
I also went to You tube and re-watched Commandant Robert Barrow's testimony to Congress on this subject, and women in war. Commandant Barrow was my first Commandant (for thirty days anyway) as a young officer candidate (18 years old) in the summer of 1983 (Plc Juniors) at OCS. My service overlapped his service by exactly one month, all of June of 1983. "General Barrow was the first Commandant to serve, by law, as regular full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Commandant, "he was instrumental in acquiring approval of production for the Marine Corps of the American-modified Harrier aircraft, in awakening interest in new and improved naval gunfire support, in getting amphibious ships included in the Navy's new construction programs, and in returning hospital ships to the fleet, especially on station with Marine Corps amphibious task forces."
He was a great Marine and a great Commandant, and his service in war and peace is now the stuff of legends -China Marine in WWII, With the First Marine Division, Barrow commanded Company A, 1st Battalion 1st Marines during the Korean War and participated in the Inchon-Seoul campaign and in the Chosin Reservoir campaign. He has been described as the "finest regimental commander" of the Korean War. For his heroism in holding a pass near Koto-ri on December 9–10, 1950, he was awarded the Navy Cross and Col Chesty Puller, received his FIFTH Navy Cross. I maybe wrong, but I think Commandant Barrow is the only Marine Officer to ever receive both the Navy Cross and the Army Distinguished Cross for his Leadership and Heroism as a regimental commander of the Ninth Marines in Vietnam during the Battle or Operation Dewey Canyon, Quang tri Province, 22 January to 18 March 1969, republic of Vietnam.
General Barrow retired from the Marine Corps on 30 June 1983, and was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal on retirement."
When (or IF) the Marine Corps loses that ability to tell the blunt and often ugly truth "to power" as the Liberals like to say (the MARINE CORPS was living that idea long before any Liberal College Professor came up with the Phrase) to the President, and to the American People, than we are truly lost as a nation and a people.
I also went to You tube and re-watched Commandant Robert Barrow's testimony to Congress on this subject, and women in war. Commandant Barrow was my first Commandant (for thirty days anyway) as a young officer candidate (18 years old) in the summer of 1983 (Plc Juniors) at OCS. My service overlapped his service by exactly one month, all of June of 1983. "General Barrow was the first Commandant to serve, by law, as regular full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Commandant, "he was instrumental in acquiring approval of production for the Marine Corps of the American-modified Harrier aircraft, in awakening interest in new and improved naval gunfire support, in getting amphibious ships included in the Navy's new construction programs, and in returning hospital ships to the fleet, especially on station with Marine Corps amphibious task forces."
He was a great Marine and a great Commandant, and his service in war and peace is now the stuff of legends -China Marine in WWII, With the First Marine Division, Barrow commanded Company A, 1st Battalion 1st Marines during the Korean War and participated in the Inchon-Seoul campaign and in the Chosin Reservoir campaign. He has been described as the "finest regimental commander" of the Korean War. For his heroism in holding a pass near Koto-ri on December 9–10, 1950, he was awarded the Navy Cross and Col Chesty Puller, received his FIFTH Navy Cross. I maybe wrong, but I think Commandant Barrow is the only Marine Officer to ever receive both the Navy Cross and the Army Distinguished Cross for his Leadership and Heroism as a regimental commander of the Ninth Marines in Vietnam during the Battle or Operation Dewey Canyon, Quang tri Province, 22 January to 18 March 1969, republic of Vietnam.
General Barrow retired from the Marine Corps on 30 June 1983, and was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal on retirement."
When (or IF) the Marine Corps loses that ability to tell the blunt and often ugly truth "to power" as the Liberals like to say (the MARINE CORPS was living that idea long before any Liberal College Professor came up with the Phrase) to the President, and to the American People, than we are truly lost as a nation and a people.
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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.
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PFC Stephen Eric Serati
Them Privates in a Infantry Unit R ur best resource to to staying alive SSG.Respectfully!
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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...
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...
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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.
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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
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Capt Gregory Prickett
He wasn't coached by his lawyers to do this. No competent CDL would do anything close to what Bergdahl's doing.
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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
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.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
Captain Lance Gallardo; I know you agree, not all Major Generals are created equal
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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
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