Posted on Dec 10, 2015
Bergdahl Says He Left Base To Expose 'Leadership Failure'. Was It Really Worth It?
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In a Recent Armyimes Article
BOISE, Idaho — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl says he walked off his base in Afghanistan to cause a crisis that would catch the attention of military brass.
He wanted to warn them about what he believed were serious problems with leadership in his unit. And he wanted to prove himself as a real-life action hero, like someone out of a movie.
Bergdahl hasn't spoken publicly about his decision or his subsequent five-year imprisonment by the Taliban and the prisoner swap that secured his return to the United States. But over the past several months he spoke extensively with screenwriter Mark Boal, who shared about 25 hours of the recorded interviews with Sarah Koenig for her popular podcast, "Serial."
"As a private first-class, nobody is going to listen to me," Bergdahl says in the first episode of the podcast, released Thursday. "No one is going to take me serious that an investigation needs to be put underway."
Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was charged in March with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He faces up to life in prison, though an Army officer has recommended that Bergdahl's case be moved to a special misdemeanor-level military court.
His attorney Eugene Fidell says politicians and would-be politicians have been using Bergdahl as a talking point to push their own agendas for months, a situation he described as creating "gale-force political winds."
The more the public can hear Bergdahl's own words, the better, Fidell told The Associated Press.
"Some of the information that is going to come out is inevitably not going to be what we would have preferred in a perfect universe, but net-net, we'll take it and allow people in our democratic society to form their own opinions," Fidell said.
Bergdahl's interview is another coup for makers of "Serial," which established podcasts as a viable outlet when the first season was downloaded more than 100 million times. Makers wouldn't say how long the new season would last; the first one was 12 separate episodes.
In the episode, Bergdahl says he wanted to expose the "leadership failure" he experienced in Afghanistan. The episode does not elaborate on what that failure was, but he says he believed at the time his disappearance and his plan to reappear at another location would give him access to top officials. After leaving the base after midnight, he worries about the reception he'll get once he reappears, and decides to try to get information on who was planting bombs in the area. That information will help smooth things over with angry military officials, he figures.
Sarah Koenig, the host and executive producer of "Serial," describes Bergdahl as a "radical, idiosyncratic" man in the episode. She says Bergdahl shipped his personal items home, bought local attire and pulled out $300 in U.S. dollars and Afghanis ahead of leaving the base.
Bergdahl acknowledges his motives weren't entirely idealistic.
"I was trying to prove to myself, I was trying to prove to the world, to anybody who used to know me ... I was capable of being what I appeared to be," Bergdahl says. "Doing what I did was me saying I am like Jason Bourne. I had this fantastic idea that I was going to prove to the world I was the real thing."
He says after the sun came up, a group of men on motorcycles captured him as he walked through nearby flatland desert.
He also discusses the psychological torment of being held captive for years.
"It's like how do I explain to a person that just standing in an empty dark room hurts?" Bergdahl recounts. "It's like well, a person asked me, 'Why does it hurt? Does your body hurt?' Yes, your body hurts but it's more than that. It's mental, like, almost confused. ... I would wake up not even remembering what I was."
He adds: "It's like you're standing there, screaming in your mind."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/12/10/bergdahl-says-he-left-base-expose-leadership-failure/77117432/
BOISE, Idaho — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl says he walked off his base in Afghanistan to cause a crisis that would catch the attention of military brass.
He wanted to warn them about what he believed were serious problems with leadership in his unit. And he wanted to prove himself as a real-life action hero, like someone out of a movie.
Bergdahl hasn't spoken publicly about his decision or his subsequent five-year imprisonment by the Taliban and the prisoner swap that secured his return to the United States. But over the past several months he spoke extensively with screenwriter Mark Boal, who shared about 25 hours of the recorded interviews with Sarah Koenig for her popular podcast, "Serial."
"As a private first-class, nobody is going to listen to me," Bergdahl says in the first episode of the podcast, released Thursday. "No one is going to take me serious that an investigation needs to be put underway."
Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was charged in March with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He faces up to life in prison, though an Army officer has recommended that Bergdahl's case be moved to a special misdemeanor-level military court.
His attorney Eugene Fidell says politicians and would-be politicians have been using Bergdahl as a talking point to push their own agendas for months, a situation he described as creating "gale-force political winds."
The more the public can hear Bergdahl's own words, the better, Fidell told The Associated Press.
"Some of the information that is going to come out is inevitably not going to be what we would have preferred in a perfect universe, but net-net, we'll take it and allow people in our democratic society to form their own opinions," Fidell said.
Bergdahl's interview is another coup for makers of "Serial," which established podcasts as a viable outlet when the first season was downloaded more than 100 million times. Makers wouldn't say how long the new season would last; the first one was 12 separate episodes.
In the episode, Bergdahl says he wanted to expose the "leadership failure" he experienced in Afghanistan. The episode does not elaborate on what that failure was, but he says he believed at the time his disappearance and his plan to reappear at another location would give him access to top officials. After leaving the base after midnight, he worries about the reception he'll get once he reappears, and decides to try to get information on who was planting bombs in the area. That information will help smooth things over with angry military officials, he figures.
Sarah Koenig, the host and executive producer of "Serial," describes Bergdahl as a "radical, idiosyncratic" man in the episode. She says Bergdahl shipped his personal items home, bought local attire and pulled out $300 in U.S. dollars and Afghanis ahead of leaving the base.
Bergdahl acknowledges his motives weren't entirely idealistic.
"I was trying to prove to myself, I was trying to prove to the world, to anybody who used to know me ... I was capable of being what I appeared to be," Bergdahl says. "Doing what I did was me saying I am like Jason Bourne. I had this fantastic idea that I was going to prove to the world I was the real thing."
He says after the sun came up, a group of men on motorcycles captured him as he walked through nearby flatland desert.
He also discusses the psychological torment of being held captive for years.
"It's like how do I explain to a person that just standing in an empty dark room hurts?" Bergdahl recounts. "It's like well, a person asked me, 'Why does it hurt? Does your body hurt?' Yes, your body hurts but it's more than that. It's mental, like, almost confused. ... I would wake up not even remembering what I was."
He adds: "It's like you're standing there, screaming in your mind."
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2015/12/10/bergdahl-says-he-left-base-expose-leadership-failure/77117432/
Edited >1 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 88
I love it how a SPC thinks he is smarter than his chain of command. He must think he could run his battalion better and knows true leadership in the few years he was in compared to that of his command.
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SGT Chris McDaniel
Most E1-E4s think they're smarter than the chain of command. Most of us just realize before doing something that stupid, that no matter how miserable your time is that you have way, way more friends inside than outside the wire.
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CPT (Join to see)
Sgt Richard Buckner - I really want to down vote you just for the content, that is how much I don't like what happened. He did a horrible job representing the Army.
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CPT (Join to see)
Sgt Richard Buckner - I don't blame you at all. It is like when you cringe just by hearing the name of someone you really don't like.
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You know, I hope just gets a Discharge. Maybe someone will give him what he deserves.
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Here in Idaho, this guy and his family are considered "on the fringe" and need to move to another state. They are not and have not been well received (except at the White House). It will be interesting to see when and what the outcome will be. I personally hope they wait till a new administration is residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
MAJ Jim Woods - I've had people look at me and reply, "Oh you drive boats". Let's put it this way, my wife doesn't have to work and by now I can pick and choose who's horses I work on.
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MSG (Join to see)
MAJ Jim Woods Many of the VFW boys here in Pocatello, their faces turn all kinds of shades and shapes whenever his name is even mentioned. The mere name of him brings a lot of disdain in Pocatello.
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What a nutcase, so as an NCO, he couldn't effectively voice his concerns to his Chain of Command? He is a terrorist, he should be stripped of all insignia and rank. The aforementioned should take place on live, National TV. He should be immediately placed in prison. All this because the President can't be seen/heard going back on his word. Terrorist deserve no rights!
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SGT Richard H.
SGT Chris McDaniel - Check me if I'm wrong, but the promotions to SPC & SGT were automatic (while away) by the regs that govern POW advancement...this is, of course, before everyone knew he was a deserter.
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SGT Chris McDaniel
I think that's the case. For a while when I was in they were so short on NCOs they were promoting any one that hit time in service and made points.
I don't think he's a deserter, by the legal definition (that he left and did not intend to return) . But he definitely blue falconed his buddies with his poor choice
I don't think he's a deserter, by the legal definition (that he left and did not intend to return) . But he definitely blue falconed his buddies with his poor choice
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SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres
He did more to simply say he " blue falconed" them, his actions indirectly caused the deaths of several of his comrades. I believe he is Anti-American. I believe his actions were deliberate and that he sought to join a terroristic organization. I also believe that he should be executed for his crimes.
I believe his platoon members, they mentioned he had expressed (at least through written word) that he no longer associated with being an American citizen.....
I believe his platoon members, they mentioned he had expressed (at least through written word) that he no longer associated with being an American citizen.....
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SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres
SGT Richard H. - That is B.S. in and of itself. reducing the rank of SGT to be something automatic in circumstances.
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Bergdahl is like a Hollywood concept at this point -- he is like a mirage and a fantasy and people just skew his narrative into whatever they want to see. People in the military (and veterans) have LONG SINCE already decided the way they feel about it. They have also LONG SINCE lost their faith in the system that is putting Bergdahl on trial and deciding on his fate, as it just feels like a political narrative at this point.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
Jeff, if you are as out of touch with reality or crazy as Bergdahl is, is that lying? You have to know the difference. I think Bergdahl is so bat shit crazy that he is incapable of knowing where reality ends and the Bourne Supremacy begins.
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His leaving the base exposed himself to a lack of accountability, judgement and integrity.
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Capt Lance Gallardo
But what if he really was and is crazy? He is definitely is not in touch with reality. That is why he needs a GCM trial and let the truth come out. I think the government is afraid to try him, because if they lose, and they might, it is going to be some huge pain on the brain of the Army, and its recruiting system. It might be a very public airing of its dirty laundry. Who knew what and when before Bergdahl went rogue and left the wire?
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Cpl (Join to see)
After hearing his father speak captain, I disagree. That is who he is. He abandoned his post, endangering the lives of his team and those who went on the search.
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I have some lyrics for him:
One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call
And call Alice, when she was just small
When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low
Go ask Alice, I think she'll know
One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call
And call Alice, when she was just small
When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low
Go ask Alice, I think she'll know
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