doublegunshop.com - home Forums Bergdahl To Be Charged With Desertion

In my circles the phrase "mentally broken" is referred to as 'insufficiently brainwashed'.

Thanks for your report, RHD45. Nothing like from a person who was there. I can't remember if it was a conscript army at the time. If so, that would account for a lot of fragging by guys who didn't want to be there. Your story of discipline reminded me of the same kind of leadership by noncoms and officers on both sides of the India-Pakistan war at the same time Vietnam fragging was in the news---what, around '71 or '72?

Thanks, again. I love to hear these stories, the details, camaraderie. I remember a Gurkha telling me "I know if I listen to my sergeant I'm going to go home." After a night patrol piled in a dugout all the mountain men wanted to hear were hunting stories about my dog. That's enough, I'd say, but they would ask for just one more story about Jake.

The Muslims on one side and Hindus on the other were impressive in action, proud of their regiments and officers. Officers were more British than the British. An Indian brigadier on the front line said he would be seeing his Hindu friend on the other side in a few weeks in Geneva at an international (ground) hockey conference. Crazy!

In my circles, it's obvious many should have not been in the military in the first place. Won't go as far as Joe about already mentally broken but I know as a fact some joined because their teachers told them they must graduate high school to get in the military, training for a trade, a pension after 20 years---like working in the post office (not that there's anything wrong with that). I remember a front-page story of warriors leaving for overseas which quoted a down-at-the-mouth saying "I didn't sign up for this." Wrong guy, wrong place, another PTSD.

Joe, I think Ike lifted Patton from command for that slap, and he wasn't around for some battles where he would have been needed. Not sure. Worth a look.

Speaking as somewhat of an authority on the subject; having done 5 deployments, 4 of them year long combat tours in Iraq (1) and Afghanistan (3) and being there at the same time Bergdahl was I think I can speak with some insight.
This helped American soldier morale?? WTF? Over? You have got to be kidding me. The consensus was that he should be shot; that was the kinder punishment espoused.

Give him some slack? Why?

Enough of the intellectual pontification and BS; lets call a spade a spade. You all who want to give him the benefit of the doubt most likely believe MAJ Nadal Hassan�s attack at FT Hood was work place violence and that he wasn�t driven by Islamic extremism. You want to make excuses; he shouldn�t have been in the military, he was whatever etc. Quite a few guys, when the bullets were flying and the mortars and rockets hitting all around thought they shouldn�t be in the Army at that particular time. !!! But they sucked it up and did the mission.

He deserted his post. He deserted his fellow soldiers, his team mates.

He had PTSD? Please.

Here is the reality. Any soldier over in A-stan who felt they couldn�t hack it anymore only had to go to his combat stress detachment at his FOB and talk to them. They would do a quick diagnosis and if he was exhibiting symptoms that should preclude him from participating in further combat, he would have been shipped out of there. Suicide had become such a cause celebre� that the Army was extremely proactive regarding anyone exhibiting and mental health issues.

That was sort of a running joke. Anyone who missed their mommy, girlfriend, wife, kids, dog, whatever, all they had to do was go to Combat Stress and say they felt like hurting themselves. Instant trip back to the rear and most of the time to the states.
Bergdahl had plenty of avenues besides deserting his post in combat and leaving his team mates unprotected. He left his guard post and didn�t tell anyone he was leaving it. He left a portion of the perimeter exposed, and in turn endangered the lives of everyone on that FOB.

I led soldiers in combat, I had guys break down and cry about their wives and families. We dealt with it with firm compassion. They got some time off, were allowed to call home, get some extra rest, no duty for a few days and they were good as new.

As a side note about PTSD AKA:Shell Shock//Battel fatigue: I remember a study we were instructed about when I was going through the Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC) in the early 90�s at FT Benning. It was about the Israelis and their handling of �Battle fatigue� cases in the 67 war. The point of the study was that at that time the Israelis treated them by sending them as far to the rear as possible to hospitals. And 20+ years later the majority was still in those hospitals. They never recovered.
We don�t do that in most cases. Rest, food, a respite from combat missions is usually all it takes.

So as far as feeling sorry for Bergdahl? Hardly. He had resources that he could utilize but he chose to walk away. ENDAGERING THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

Regardless of that, the fact that the POTUS traded him for 5 HVT�s is absolutely unbelievable. And if I know the administration like we do, Bergdahl will disappear, and this will all be a non-issue to the current administration. If he is court martialed, there will be no finding until the very end of term of the POTUS and he will pardon him as he walks out the door. A slap in the face to all of us who served there.

As I like to say, Sympathy is in the dictionary between shit and syphilis. He won�t get any from me.

Thanks Brian:
For echoing the thoughts of many of us. However in your case you can base your opinion on facts. Thanks for your service.
I just finished watching the hatchet job the Libtards are trying to do on American Sniper and it's enough to turn your stomach.
Many on here are completely disgusted with the current "administation" in several areas and this Bergdahl fiasco is just one of them
It has gotten to the point for me that I really don't care to engage in semantics with the Libtards who infest this area.
Bottom line: You can't reason with socialist idiots who deny or ignore the truth.
Jim

The important thing Brian, when that final slap in the face comes either with Bergdahl's escape from prosecution or an Obama presidential pardon, is that you guys who served and sacrificed know the real truth. Thanks for the straight dope, which is in total opposition to the bullshit that King Brown is attempting to advance. It needs to be said, and it's a bit tough to refute when it comes from guys like you.

Liars like King will always abuse our First Amendment freedoms by lying and spreading propaganda in order to advance their Socialist agendas. All we can do is expose their lies and hypocrisy at every opportunity.

Thank YOU Brian !!
For both your brave service to our country in the War on Terror and fight against radical Islam and replying to this thread.

Another confirmation of your socialist/communist background.

Brian, I respect your authentic and authoritative report based on wide experience. I have no quibbles with it. I can't imagine servicemen not having the same opinion as yours. From all accounts Bergdahl is a deserter. Deserters should be punished, as I said. I don't doubt there's a military consensus to summarily shoot him.

Please correct me if the difference of opinions here is US handling of his release, five-for-one when he should be left to the enemy to determine his fate, speculation of Bergdahl getting off too lightly for leaving his post, and my preference to hold my opinion---give him slack---until I know how his head is working, PTSD etc.

Let�s assume he is a deserter. We don�t know his state of mind at the time or now. He may have lacked the moral fibre to see him through his duty. He may have felt himself a late conscientious objector complicit in a role of occupying invader killing an enemy fighting for his country---and thousands of innocents as collateral damage.

This is no apologia for desertion. I don�t know military or national obligations to bring home fighters, dead or alive, deserters or not. My guess is governments and the military code are obligated to a very high standard to do so according to Israel�s brave example and the current bartering of lives. Even the IS caliphate is bartering �state� to state.

So what to do with Bergdahl? I believe he was promoted while a POW. I believe the US was obligated to bring him home no matter what. There's no justification to punish him more severely than other soldiers who put their units at risk or visited shame on their country. I encourage members to google "US military atrocities" and make up their own minds.

King
I will answer as directly and specifically as I can.
King said �Please correct me if the difference of opinions here is US handling of his release, five-for-one when he should be left to the enemy to determine his fate, speculation of Bergdahl getting off too lightly for leaving his post, and my preference to hold my opinion---give him slack---until I know how his head is working, PTSD etc.�
Don�t know what you are asking. I cant speak for their opinions. If you are asking why there is a difference of opinions , its probably because some of us are more literal thinkers in this area.

King said �Let�s assume he is a deserter. We don�t know his state of mind at the time or now. He may have lacked the moral fibre to see him through his duty. He may have felt himself a late conscientious objector complicit in a role of occupying invader killing an enemy fighting for his country---and thousands of innocents as collateral damage.�
There is no assuming he wasn�t kidnapped, it wasn�t an alpine abduction. He walked off his post. That�s desertion. His state of mind? If that is the litmus test to determine if he should be punuished, then lets apply that to child molesters, murderers and rapists. That is a cop out.

King said �This is no apologia for desertion. I don�t know military or national obligations to bring home fighters, dead or alive, deserters or not. My guess is governments and the military code are obligated to a very high standard to do so according to Israel�s brave example and the current bartering of lives. Even the IS caliphate is bartering �state� to state.�
The UCMJ (uniform code of military justice) doesn�t specify any obligation on the US Military to bring back deserters.

King said: So what to do with Bergdahl? I believe he was promoted while a POW. I believe the US was obligated to bring him home no matter what. There's no justification to punish him more severely than other soldiers who put their units at risk or visited shame on their country. I encourage members to google "US military atrocities" and make up their own minds.
Until his status was known, he continues to get promoted like he was back in his unit. He gets all back pay and allowances. But if he is found guilty of desertion, he loses everything. The presumption if innocence until proven guilty.
The US has no obligation to bring home deserters. We left a bunch in Korea after 53.
MAJ Nadal Hassan continued to get paid in excess of 100K a year for the 4+years it took for his trial.

What does previous US Military atrocities have to do with Bergdahls desertion. Apples to oranges. Each case is judged on its own merits. Not even in the same ballpark. Why would you make that comparison.

Using your logic of �. There's no justification to punish him more severely than other soldiers who put their units at risk or visited shame on their country� then there should be no range of sentences for crimes. The guy who shoots someone in self defense and gets convicted of 2nd degree murder and the guy who is a DWI and kills a family; both get the same sentence? Makes no sense.

I think I answered directly and specifically. Please provide the same with any response s