This will be my final post on this website. I will close my account after giving everyone a day to yell at me but I must write what I am about to in hope that it will wake you up even if it is just one person in this forum.
Who do you think you are fooling when you say “We don’t leave anyone behind even civilians”? Does that make you feel good? Like when you and the rest of your soccer team all received trophies even though you came in last place? Because for the last 20 years it hasn’t been fair if everyone didn’t get a trophy right? Listen to me now, hear me later and understand me in sometime in the near future.
We DO leave people behind. We have done it in every war since 1775. We do it all the time the only difference this time is Bowe has gotten good publicity. Obviously you people have never read any history so sit right down and you will hear a tale. On November 4, 1979 six Americans were taken hostage in Iran they were not released for 444 days that is 1 year, 2 months, 2 weeks and 2 days. What did the Iranians what in exchange for the six (6) Americans? One person, the Shah, we would have gotten all six right away for giving them one (1) person. But not even the weak and useless Jimmy Carter would not make the trade. Now kids go and look up the story on your own.
Bergdahl walked away from his post. Now some say it might have been because he was high on hash shish. Well when I served smoking that sh!t was against the UCMJ oh that’s right so is deserting your post. Has anyone of you ever heard of General Orders? You may want to read number 5. Now all of you are making yourselves feel better by saying this “We don’t leave people behind.” Wake up if you think we are going after people, including civilians, you are wrong. What about the Marine being illegally imprisoned in Mexico? What about all the unaccounted for POWs in Vietnam? Are going in to get them? It has been over 40 years since we left them behind.
You are all the reasons why our once great nation has fallen from within. Thank God we had better and stronger people to fight against the Nazis. You are all watching it happen again and you rowing the boat for the Nazis this time.

All I have to say is,
"I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit and I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMRADE"

I'm going to be extremely blunt and controversial because I am passionate on this topic as a result of actual experience. Yes we never leave a Soldier behind, which is both honorable and completely vindicated. However, does one's personal sentiment in this regard become altered with respect to a Soldier that, rather than being wounded, killed or taken prisoner, abandons his unit on the battlefield? Further, is he even a Soldier anymore at this point? My opinion is no, he is no longer an American Soldier. I believe this both by definition and based on my own ethical conclusions. Essentially once you put down your arms, surrender the fight, and desert your unit (organized force), you also forfeit the distinguished title stemming from the U.S. Armed Forces. Speaking from precedent that dates back to pre-civil war, it would only be appropriate to place that individual back in uniform and the custody of the Army in order to stand trial.

definition: "A soldier is one who fights as part of an organized land-based armed force."

In this instance, I firmly disagree with the General. Food for thought, what would Bergdahl's fate have been if serving in Vietnam, WWII, WWI, Civil War...Assuming he sought shelter from the enemy, and the members of his unit testified to that as well as the desertion itself, would this conversation have the same climate?