With Memorial Day having just passed and Father’s Day fast approaching, it is a bit ridiculous that there has been such an outcry by some politicians over the prisoner exchange to get one of our own soldiers, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, back after being in captivity for five years.
After all, we must remember that Bergdahl did sign up – yes, he signed the papers, went through boot camp, was deployed to an outpost in Afghanistan – to serve our country in a way that few do, wiling to put himself on the line for our nation.
Bergdahl has been maligned as having deserted his post on June 30, 2009, and as being more concerned about helping the citizens of Afghanistan.
There have even been some who blame Bergdahl for the death of six of his platoonmates. But his squad leader and higher ups in the military say that these kind of charges are complicated, given the nature of the platoons assignment at the very far outpost in Afghanistan. A friend of his from the platoon also said that Bergdahl had never wandered off from post before that day in June 2009 and no one knows of any note left to indicate that he was disserting.
Bergdahl’s father and mother have been fighting for years to negotiate the release of their son.
And, now, to hear the smearing of his name when he put his life on the line for the United States, for having joined up in the first place, is a sick present to his father just before Father’s day.
Bergdahl might not be totally correct in his actions, but that will not be known until he is fully vetted by the military. None of us should make such vitriolic statements. Those answers could take years for Bergdahl to reveal, given that he was kept in a tiny cage in total darkness for days and weeks during his captivity, and is surely suffering mentally after the ordeal.
Give the soldier a break. Unless you are willing to sign up for duty overseas, unless you are willing to give all for our country, quit throwing stones.
