An Udate on SGT Bowe Berghdal, POW

| June 7, 2013

Apparently SGT Bergdahl is indeed still alive.  His family received a letter recently through Red Cross channels indicating that he’s still alive and is “doing as well as can be expected” in captivity.  Details in the letter apparently convinced SGT Berghdal’s family that the letter is genuine.

It is unclear where or by precisely whom SGT Bergdahl is being held captive.  He was at one point alleged to be being held captive by the Haqqani Network, a Pakistan-based group declared by the US government to be a terrorist organization.  However, that group’s leadership has stated publicly that they do not hold SGT Berghdal, and that he is being held by others.

SGT Bergdahl has been a POW for nearly 4 years.  Regardless of the circumstances of his capture, I can only hope we can secure his freedom soon.

If anyone reading this article wants to disparage SGT Berghdal or debate whether or not he deserves to be rescued – how about you do us all a favor and just grab a big steaming mug of STFU instead.  The time and place to debate the actions leading to his being taken prisoner is after SGT Bergdahl is repatriated, not while he’s still in captivity.

Category: Big Army, Military issues

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PintoNag

No debate from this quarter, Hondo — I hope we get him back, and soon.

Sparks

We didn’t help anyone in Benghazi, what are the chances the POTUS will do anything to help this poor SGT?

ChipNASA

*Turns off the light, closes the thread*

Nothing more to be said….

/except a prayer for Sgt Berghdal and an “Amen” for this great piece of news.

Old Trooper

@1/2/3: ‘Nuff said.

OWB

Will take this opportunity to admit my own failure – I had not forgotten him, but Bowie Berghdal’s status had moved to the back burner. For that I am very ashamed.

We need to put this back into the news. We need to write to McCain and others to get off their duffs and resolve this.

Bring Bowie home. NOW!

My prayers remain with his family.

Mr Wolf, non-Esq

A heads-up here:

30 June marks the 4th year of captivity for SGT Bergdahl. This is a sad state, but one we’ve been trying to rectify for years. Given that we’re drawing down in AFG, the window of opportunity is quickly drawing closed. We know this. We’re trying our best not to lose any opportunity to recover him.

There is an event this month on the 22d in Hailey, ID where Bowe is from. Anyone up in that area should look at going out. *I’d* certainly appreciate it. I know the family would too.

Hooah, Hondo, for posting…

Sparks

Thanks for the update. I am glad he is still alive. But four years in a mexican shithole is wrong, wrong, wrong. We should have had him out long ago. That NAFTA is working out well isn’t it. I mean isn’t mexico suppose to be our ally in the drug wars and newest trade partners? This SGT needs to come home now Mr. Obama. But your administration is too busy ducking and covering from your illegal cell phone searches, Benghazi, the IRS to name a few biggies to help out a mere soldier detained in a foreign prison. I guarantee one phone call from the State Department and he would be home. But they are too busy to bother. Ass wipes!

ChipNASA

@7,
Puhleeze tell me that was tongue in cheek.
Sgt Bergdahl is currently believed to be being held in Pakistan by a Taliban group.

You MAY (not sure if serious..{:-P) Marine Armando Torres III who was kidnapped in Mexico from his father’s ranch in La Barranca, Tamaulipas. His father and uncle were also kidnapped.

ChipNASA

….be referring to….

David

@7 – this guy is a POW, not someone caught doing something in Mexico. Suggest re-reading Hondo’s last paragraph.

Enigma4you

I cannot imagine the pure hell on earth SGT Bergdahl and his loved ones are going through. We as a Nation have a duty to the Members of our armed forces to fight for them. Yet 4 years later he is still a POW.

Our military and Elected leaders should be looking at themselves in the mirror everyday say what more can I do? What would I do if this were my son?

Sparks

@8 and @10 Yes very tongue in cheek and I admit probably in poor taste. My apologies to the readers and SGT Bergdahl.

ItAllFades

The fact that he’s probably deep inside of Pakistan means that there is really no chance he’s ever going to be rescued. My unit spent a large amount of time searching for Matt Maupin during our deployment, and even provided perimeter security for a number of raids conducted by SF and SEAL teams. (The SF guys have a good working relationship with the 2-14th) This went one for basically the entire year we were there (from June of 04 to 05).

But the fact that this guy isn’t even in the same country we are operating in, leaves no doubt that there isn’t much that can be done. And the government can’t really do anything about it, because they aren’t going to pay the money or release the prisoners. He’s probably going to die over there after the withdrawal and the people holding him finally realize they aren’t going to get anything for him. No matter the circumstances behind how he got captured, still not a good thing at all.(Obama would probably just wish people would forget about the kid)

O-4E

@ 13

A 2-14 FSO from 99-01 here

Right of the Line!

BK

Thank you for posting this. Out of all my FB friends, only two of us are fellow former 1/501st guys. Seeing a Geronimo dude, let alone an American, remaining in captivity burns our buttons. Seeing how few people, even fellow vets, know about Sgt. Bergdahl, darkens my day.

BohicaTwentyTwo

Even if he is a dipshit, he’s OUR dipshit and we should have every resource available working to get him back home.

ItAllFades

@14, I was in A Co. from ’03 to ’06. Good times, great unit.

BK

@17 – was CSM Knight your Smaj? He was my PSG when I was there from 1996-1999.

Mike Kozlowski

Amen. Get him home, we can worry about the details later.

AtDrum

I feel for all the poor guys hurt looking for this guy. I’ll keep my feelings on him under wraps.

But I feel for the searchers.

PhillyandBCEagles

#19 and others, agree. We’ve all heard the rumors but until proven otherwise he’s an American POW.

AtDrum

Just checked the nightson@hotmail

And all the rest of the military ones. The only non spam I have is a MMQC on some meds, an AWR for eqiupment on Chinooks, and some questions on AirWarrior gear. If you are sending me emails I seem to be getting nothing there.

mike

Regardless of the circumstances of his capture he’s ours. If some of the rumors about how he got captured are true then WE deal with him when we have him back. We don’t leave our soldiers or our problems to someone else.