I have heard some refer to not leaving a soldier behind, regarding Bergdahl. Should "Never leave a fallen comrade" apply to deserters?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:25:46 -0400

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2015 2:33 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:33:08 -0400

Yes. Get them back, and deal with the issue. I have absolutely no issue with them making an example of deserters like Bergdahl.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 26 at 2015 2:40 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:40:17 -0400

(If he is found guilty of desertion) He is neither fallen nor a comrade. He made his choice to leave and due to his actions led to the deaths of many more soldiers. We should attempt to bring him to justice if possible, but not at the expense of more lives.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 26 at 2015 2:56 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:56:15 -0400

Until they are accorded with Due Process, we treat they like everyone else.

Not special, not different, like everyone else.

If we do prisoner exchanges, they are included. When they get back, we investigate. If there is a reason to believe misbehavior occurred, we handle it.

Just because we believe someone might have committed a crime, doesn't mean they don't have Rights. As much as we may despise them, we swore to defend their Rights as much as anyone else's.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Mar 26 at 2015 3:04 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:04:21 -0400

He was not left behind, he deserted. We have no obligation to bring someone who deserts to the enemy back home. He turned his back on country and comrades he deserved the same it return.

We have every obligation to leave no one behind that was captured or killed. The narrative that we needed to bring Bergdahl home was another false narrative of the current administration to try to distract from them releasing 5 very bad Taliban commanders. These 5 will be free to leave their "host" states very soon too. That will not end well.

Response by SPC William Scissom made Mar 26 at 2015 3:12 PM

SPC William Scissom — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:12:26 -0400

I can't imagine leaving any American in enemy hands for any reason. Getting Bergdahl back was a good thing in my opinion because now he has been charged with desertion and when he is convicted they will make an example of him. I only wish good soldiers hadn't been lost looking for him. I don't like the fact that we gave up five prisoners for him, but at least now he will stand trial for each of the soldiers that died as a direct result of his actions.

Response by SSG Leonard Johnson made Mar 27 at 2015 12:05 PM

SSG Leonard Johnson — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:05:36 -0400

no,,,,unless u want to grab him and torture him/her worse

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Mar 27 at 2015 12:12 PM

SFC Collin McMillion — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:12:45 -0400

First you have to be a soldier to be left behind, he was a deserter who wanted to be where he was.

Response by SGT Nia Chiaraluce made Mar 27 at 2015 12:26 PM

SGT Nia Chiaraluce — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:26:01 -0400

We did exhaust significant effort in trying to find him. Soldiers died on search teams looking for him.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2015 12:37 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:37:52 -0400

I don't think this applies to him as he abandoned us and chose to go with our enemies. I don't think he is a deserter so much as a traitor but that is for his court to decide.

Response by SGT Patrick Soule made Mar 27 at 2015 5:22 PM

SGT Patrick Soule — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 17:22:48 -0400

While there was speculation that he deserted, that was not a given, based on what we know about what we knew then. Hence, the search effort to recover him. Were we to know for a FACT that he had deserted to the enemy, I would be reluctant to search for him and would not want to risk my buddies lives.

One of the things I liked about being a soldier was that my buddies would do what they could to make sure I was returned to my family, even at the expense of their lives. I would have done the same for them.

I was fortunate that my TIS was not during extended conflict (Lebanon, Grenada, Panama) and I did not have to test that.

Response by SGT S Sharpless made Apr 23 at 2015 1:55 PM

SGT S Sharpless — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 13:55:39 -0400

No...a traitor should be left behind seeing as though it was his choice to leave.