Berghdal Completes “Reintegration Process”
The Army Times reports that Bowe Bergdahl has completed his “reintegration process.” He will be returned to duty with US Army North, duty station Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. He will reportedly be assigned administrative duties.
That same Army Times article also notes the following:
An Army fact-finding investigation conducted in the months after Bergdahl’s disappearance concluded he walked away from his post of his own free will, CNN reported, citing an official who was shown the report.
But the report said there was no definitive conclusion Bergdahl was a deserter because that would require knowing his intent — something officials couldn’t learn without talking to him, a U.S. military official has said.
Well, duh – of course the conclusion that Bergdahl was a deserter involves a determination that he intended to remain away permanently. That’s the essential distinction between AWOL/UA and desertion: the intent to remain away permanently.
But there are ways to infer intent that don’t involve interviewing the individual in question and accepting their words at face value. Like maybe interviewing those he actually served with immediately before he went “over the hill”, maybe.
You can also examine other related reports. It also seems that the US Intelligence Community (IC) was not exactly sitting on their hands during Bergdahl’s absence from military control. Specifically, the IC apparently conducted a substantial investigation regarding Berghdal and his activities while “out and about”. The file resulting from that IC investigation is reportedly quite extensive.
As of early June, no relevant Congressional committee had asked to see the IC’s Berghdal files. It’s unclear whether or not that’s happened since early June or not.
Hmm. Perhaps MG Dahl can quicken the pace of his investigation. Maybe he will get around to re-interviewing the folks who served in Afghanistan “real soon now”. They might be able to shed some light on the guy’s intent through statements he made to or around them.
And maybe he’ll take a look at what the IC has regarding the matter, too. That just might shed a bit of light on the subject as well.
Category: Big Army, Military issues, Terror War, Veterans Issues
Sounds like chickenshit bullshit
My thoughts exactly. Why is he not stripped of rank? This is not going anywhere fast. Nothing will happen to him because it will make the administration look bad and it won’t fit their narrative. We can’t have that now can we?
I’m staying hopeful, mountain buddy. Maybe General Dahl will bring everything to light and force a few hands.
It’s like Lord Dunsany said, “Throwing a little truth into any matter will always stir up something, usually controversy, but something.”
I hope you’re right brother, but with the current Army “leadership” I have my doubts.
A local report (I’m in San Antonio) also reports he could be owed in excess of $350,000 of back and POW pay. That’s typical. They also report that he has a “real” lawyer, and when interviewed concerning his little camping trip – lawyered up. It further goes on to state that he is probably going to ETS soon as well (might need some of that dough for legal bills) and, what I find interesting, still hasn’t been in contact with his parents except for a couple of letters. I wonder if they now know the truth and “family rift” has developed.
Smoking pile o’shit.
Out.
Yea, I been staying up on all the shenanigans as well. Hondo brings up a good point: All he really has to maintain is that all he wanted was a little stroll, breathe some fresh (Afghan) air, and was captured immediately. UA easy to prove, desertion maybe not so much. The thing with his family is weird too, but the whole bunch of ’em are a few nuggets short of a happy meal. IMO. At most I figure NJP and ETS. With full backpay. Probably not even cost him a stripe. POW ribbon and all.
True but there is pesky little matter of conduct while a prisoner. We have this thing called the Code of Conduct and everything I have read concerning this individual, indicates he violated both the letter and spirit.
So we’re all good now huh…..
Oh and how about this little gem…
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl could have a tax-free $350,000 dropped into his bank account if the current investigation into his disappearance from his base in Afghanistan was not desertion, and if he is deemed to have been a prisoner of war for the five years he was held by Islamic militants, Fox News has learned….
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/14/bergdahl-could-get-350g-tax-free-if-cleared-by-army/
/FML
I saw that. That report also noted Bergdahl had yet to be asked why he walked away. Seems that is one of the first things to ask him.
wtf happened to our military……
Obama
It was fucked well before that. Sure hasn’t helped though.
The UA/ Deserter claim has the exact same affect on hi pay.
When you do either your pay stops until you return to duty.
It going to be interesting when they consider him as being returned to duty.
When he was picked up by the Taliban he was treated and considered a US soldier by them. So then he would have “returned to duty”.
Unless they can really dig up some shit on him, guys getting paid.
As the bar for proving desertion is quite high (and in my view doesn’t look like it will be met beyond a reasonable doubt), the decision on paying all or part of what he is/could be owed will come down to a political of POTUS/SECDEF.
Don’t hold your breath for a decision prior to the November election.
If he is fit to return to duty, than he is fit to stand trial.
If you think Obama is going to suffer the embarassment of being involved in a photo op in the Rose Garden with the parents of deserter, you are sadly mistaken.
He walks. Bottom line, stop the presses, he walks. Because “Oh I don’t want a photo op” Obama is not going to allow this to go anywhere. Cause he had a big photo op when sweet Bowe was released and he aint ruining that for all the tea in China.
Well that and I don’t think there is anyone in senior leadership positions in the DOD who is going to develop the testicular fortitude to see this deserting weirdo punished for his sins.
According to this article
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/14/us/bowe-bergdahl-active-duty/index.html
2 Soldiers have been assigned to help him readjust to military life? WTF? I feel for those two Soldiers for every possible reason. I hope they are wearing IBA after reading comments around the internet today
Any chance those “2 soldiers” are armed MPs assigned to watch this dirtbag’s every move? What with his history of wandering off, and all.
You know… for his safety.
Bowe’s all refreshed and ready to return to duty?
Great! Now he can go back to Afghanistan and finish his Guard Mount!
THE DANCE is well underway… Oh wait – BUSH made him do it!
Well, duh – of course the conclusion that Bergdahl was a deserter involves a determination that he intended to remain away permanently. That’s the essential distinction between AWOL/UA and desertion: the intent to remain away permanently.
You can also be guilty of desertion if you intended to remain away for a short period of time…as long as you knew you would be shirking hazardous duty or important service. And “important service” includes combat zone service.
(agree with you on the substance…you certainly can infer a person’s intent from his prior words and deeds, even if he won’t talk to the investigator)
Does this mean it is time to award a new primary MOS of 57A or 57G?
Confused? You’ll have to use your Google-Fu skills and look up Viet Nam Era MOS’s to see what I’m talking about.
Back in the 70’s, I remember coming across the 57A MOS – Duty Soldier.
I recall one of the requirements was,
“able to lift heavy objects”. Duh!
Yes, Slick, the USDB at Leavenworth turned out a lot of 57A Duty Soldiers. The MOS description was as follows: This is a broad classification covering enlisted men,who,under supervision,perform various nonspecialized and routine duties requiring no special physical qualifications and little or no responsibility,skill,or initiative. The 57G Duty Foreman was a fully qualified 57A who was given a couple of stripes, sort of like the Trustees of chain gangs, and were able to find the way back to the orderly room on their own after the detail was done.
The Enlisted Efficiency Rating (EER) blurb I always was often tempted to use was:
“This soldier has failed to meet even the low standards he has set for himself.”
Since he’s already made SGT or SSG without any NCOES schooling, he needs to go to PLDC (isn’t it called WLC now?)
His first assignment will be to give the class on Code of Conduct. 😉
On orders from the regime, the investigation will be slow-rolled to ensure it won’t be made public until after the mid-term elections, at which time Deserter Boy will be discharged with no punishment because “he suffered enough.” Disastrous effects on morale and good order and discipline? That’s so “before” fundamental transformation.
Feel sorry for his roommate but it may be fun.
Can you imagine the safety/pc briefing before the turd gets their. IMO he is gonna have CID for neighbor’s least till he walks of into the sunset again.
Why oh why did I do 9 months in the Hell of Vietnam when I could have just gone on R&R and not come back? Oh, maybe it had to do with our motto of the 8th Cav, Honor and Courage. Well, not sure about the courage part but I believe I had honor. Only got 9 because of my wounds incase you’re wondering why I didn’t do the whole 12. Let’s send a message to all our troops…”hey, just do what Bergdahl did”. Well, the great thing is that I do believe, even if he gets off, which is what it’s looking like, that our troops know what Honor and Courage really is. God Bless our young heroes, God Damn Bergdahl.
What 1AirCav69 says spot on!
Yea, I can only imagine what his administrative duties are going to be in the Protocol Office of the Headquarters building. I betcha it involves a clipboard and inventory sheets for the office supplies locker. One box of staples, two boxes of black ink pens, on and on,day after day. Welcome to the daily life of a supply slug.
Pinto Nag nailed it. Obama will not suffer the embarrassment of accepting credit for Bergdahl’s release only to have him subsequently tried–let alone found guilty–of desertion. The Emperor, secretly and w/o the knowledge or stamp of approval of Congress, released five terrorists for Bergdahl. No way Bergdahl is treated or regarded by the occifers as anything but a POW. This show is over. Close the curtain.
350,000 clams will buy a nice light sport aircraft 1/4 full of gas, with enough left over for a 99 cent iPad app to tell you indicated airspeed. It’s been done before!
Hey you show a honorary CPO some respect.
Or he might go full retard on you.
“over”
The NTSB beheld his full retard. They were not impressed. OVER
“Rustle, rustle” says The Bush….OVER
Now I’m not a lawyer but any one know if there are any civil codes that coyld apply? You know something private citizens could sue over? Don’t get me wrong, I’m one of the first ones to groan over our litigious society, but if the the political cridders won’t do their job (or at least let the professionals do theirs), any legal way a citizen could do it for them? Would reckless endangerment brought by the fellow squad/platoon members or wrongful death by the family memebers of the good people who died looking for his sorry but?
Any legal minds or arm chair legal buffs wanna chime in? Just saying….
Uhhh…no. Unless Bergdahl gets drunk and runs over your dog or damages your car, he hasn’t done anything to you that you can sue for.
If we were able to sue people for just pissing us off, I don’t even want to think about what our courts would look like. 😉
I wasn’t say I wanted to sue him, but rather is there something someone from his former squad/platoon or some such. I know I have no grounds.
I’m not going to speculate on this, but this seems rather odd to me, in view of the fact that Bergdahl is shown smiling with one of his ‘captors’ and was apparently not tortured or starved, unlike the POWs during Vietnam, Korea and WWII.
It’s almost as if his desertion and subsequent return were choreographed, but didn’t get the ‘right’ reaction from everyone. Does that sound too suspicious on my part? It just does not sit right with me.
Ex-PH2: if you’re talking about the photo Jonn posted the other day, I’d have to disagree. IMO that photo did have a distinct “lights on, nobody home” look to it.
That said, it also doesn’t excuse his going AWOL or deserting in a combat zone. And if he’s proven to have collaborated with the enemy while a “captive”, well . . . .
The only reason he survived 5 years and we didn’t get to see a video of his beheading was because he collaborated. Why else would they have kept him for so long, basically unharmed? He had to be providing something of value (other than being a replacement goat on Thursday nights).
I thought he rather favored Manning–Bradley not Peyton.
From what we’ve seen and from what his platoon-mates have said publicly so far, he was a bit of a flake even before he deserted his post, so his attitude around his “captors” is probably reasonable seen in that light.
The only surprise is that the Code Pink Hags have not shown up to give him a plaque.
Everyone should have seen this coming.
Birddoll will not be completely reintegrated until his lifeless, bullet riddled, body reintegrates with the cold, cold ground.