USA Today reports Bergdahl is to be “charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy”.  The misbehavior charge could result in much more than five years which is what the desertion charge will get you.

Great, very belated news and contrary to my prediction that this incident would be swept under the rug.  Still a long way to go.   Charges doesn’t necessarily mean court martial.  The Army could still go the way of non judicial punishment and avoid a court martial (and fulfill my initial prediction).

Bottom line is I’d like to see him to get busted to private retroactively, a bad conduct discharge and  no multi thousand back pay amount.  FWIW, when a soldier deserts a unit in peacetime his pay stops after 30 days.

One can find my previous Bergdahl coverage here, here and here.

 

Correction: I said Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD) above but meant a Dishonorable Discharge.  A BCD takes away veteran benefits as a result of a conviction from a general court-martial.  The VA can evaluate if a vet is eligible for any benefits for those getting a bad conduct discharge from a special court-martial.  The DD is much more final and the name says it all contrary to Susan Rice’s characterization.