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Bergdahl pleads guilty

Via Yahoo. Bergdahl, 31, is accused of endangering his comrades by abandoning his post without authorization. He told a general after his release from five years in enemy hands that he did it with the intention of reaching other commanders and drawing attention to what he saw as problems with his unit. It wasn't immediately…

Via Yahoo.

Bergdahl, 31, is accused of endangering his comrades by abandoning his post without authorization. He told a general after his release from five years in enemy hands that he did it with the intention of reaching other commanders and drawing attention to what he saw as problems with his unit.

It wasn't immediately clear whether his defense has conceded that he's responsible for a long chain of events that his desertion prompted, which included many decisions by others on how to conduct the searches. Despite his plea, the prosecution and defense have not agreed to a stipulation of facts, said one of his lawyers, Maj. Oren Gleich.

This indicates that they did not reach a deal to limit his punishment, and that he may be hoping for leniency from the judge, Army Col. Jeffery R. Nance. The misbehavior charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, while the desertion charge is punishable by up to five years.

As I understand it, a guilty plea before an agreement on stipulation is quite unusual. Further, there appears that no agreement on sentencing is in place either. Having said that, my feeling is that "Big Army" is not going to push very hard for a lengthy sentence. I would not be surprised if the sentence is merely dishonorable discharge, and time served. 

 

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Responses to “Bergdahl pleads guilty”

  1. Quartermaster

    I will be surprised, shocked, actually, if time served and a DD are all he gets. Given other died trying to find him, under the impression he was captured, I can’t see him getting off that lightly when he has the blood of other troops on his hands.
    Having said that, I don’t see him taking Bradley Manning’s slot at Leavenworth for life either, although he certainly deserves it.

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  2. Jeff Gauch

    How about we give him an M9, drop him off in the Middle East, and tell him to not come back until he’s got the 5 terrorists Barry the Simple traded for him?

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  3. SFC Dunlap 173d RVN

    What Quartermaster said….

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  4. Krag

    You say “…time served” – last I read he was never in jail. What time has he served?

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  5. Casey

    Yanno, Krag, you’re right. I was under the impression that Bergdahl had been under some sort of detainment after he got back. I could find no record of this in his Wiki article, but the did mention the Army provided a guard in case other soldiers decided to attack him. Can’t imagine why they would want to do that {/sarc}.
    Additionally, Wiki mentions his awards, which include the CIB & Good Conduct Medal. Really!?
    …Perhaps they are going to count the time spend with the Taliban as imprisonment…

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  6. Krag

    RE: “…Perhaps they are going to count the time spend with the Taliban as imprisonment…”
    I have no doubt some lawyer will try that argument, or that his entire time in the Army should be included in “time served”.

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  7. SoCal Pir8

    Here’s a thought. Back in the day, years and years ago, there was a tv show, Branded, starring Chuck Connors. He was court-martialed out of the cavalry. (He was falsely accused of course, which is not the case here.) After the proceeding, he was marched out of the fort, stripped of all signs his military service and sent off into the desert, unarmed and alone. Why not take this POS and drum him out the same way (AFTER he serves 20 years or so.) in the middle of the Afgan mountains.

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