Bowe Bergdahl, a controversial U.S. soldier who abandoned his post in Afghanistan, faces no prison time for desertion despite being labeled a “traitor” by President Trump.
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl dodged a prison sentence after being found guilty of deserting an outpost in Afghanistan during his tour in 2009.
After deserting the outpost, Bergdahl spent five years in Taliban custody.
On May 31, 2014, Bergdahl was released from Taliban custody in a prisoner exchange that saw five Taliban members held in Guantanamo Bay released in exchange for Bergdahl. The move by former United States President, Barack Obama, was highly scrutinized by the military community, media outlets, and political opponents.
Prosecutors demanded that Bergdahl face up to 14 years in prison for abandoning his post, which has a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Major Justin Oshana, an army prosecutor for the Bergdahl case, stated to the court that soldiers had been injured in the search for Bergdahl, including 6 soldiers who were killed in the search.
The prosecution brought the wife of Master Sergeant Mark Allen, Shannon Allen, to the stand, who described the brain injury that her husband received after being shot in the head during the search for Bergdahl.
Despite this, Bergdahl was not sentenced to prison, and was instead dishonorably discharged from his position pending an immediate appeal. Bergdahl was also issued a $1,000 monthly fine from his pay for the next 10 months and a demotion to private.
U.S. President Donald Trump has made controversial remarks about the case, calling Bergdahl a “traitor” and insisting that the prisoner exchange that freed Bergdahl should have never been negotiated.
In a tweet, Trump called the Bergdahl ruling “a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.”