Let me make this clear, I am not now, nor have I ever served in the U.S. military. That was my choice, and it’s one I sometimes wish I had reconsidered.
With that in mind, it’s hard for me to have the same perspective about the Bowe Bergdahl case as people who have served. I don’t have the background to form anything more than an outsiders perspective. AND I am an outsider, as is everyone else who has never put on the uniform.
I’m telling you that to get to this point: If those men and women who served are condemming Bergdahl for his actions, and many are, I need to have a really good reason to defend him. So far, I don’t. Here is what they (people who served in the military) tell me about the reasons they are upset.
- There is a chain of command for a reason. You don’t break the chain of comand.
- You NEVER leave your post. It’s one of the worst things you can do, and many say it’s unforgivable.
- Not only did he walk away from his post, but he did so in the middle of a warzone. Those actions put people in danger. (NOTE: it’s not known if anyone actually died while soldiers were looking for Bergdahl)
- AND he is responsible for allowing terrorists to be set free. These actions were not his own, as it was President Obama who actually made the trade, but they still blame Bergdahl for it — because he left of his own free will. (see #2 again.)
For those of you who have not heard Bowe Bergdahl discuss it, I encourage you to listen to the Podcast “Serial” here: https://serialpodcast.org/
It’s worth your time…
