Officers describe grueling 2009 search for Bowe Bergdahl,Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's army baton said Thursday that the absolute army was larboard "emotionally busted" by the physically and emotionally clarification seek for Bergdahl afterwards he went missing from their column in Afghanistan six years ago.
Testifying at the alpha of an Article 32 audition to actuate if Bergdahl should face a aggressive balloon on abrogation and added charges, Capt. John Billings declared the weeks of analytic for the Idaho native, generally on little aliment or beddy-bye and in temperatures in the top 90s.
"Physically, mentally I was defeated," Billings said, abacus that he acquainted like he had "failed" his men.
Bergdahl, who spent 5 years as a Taliban bound until getting exchanged endure year for 5 Taliban commanders, took addendum during the audition at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, area he has been stationed aback abiding to the U.S. endure year. Wearing his dejected and atramentous dress uniform, Bergdahl answered, "Yes sir I do," if asked by the authoritative appointment if he accepted the charges.
Bergdahl's aggregation commander, Maj. Silvino Silvino, said that afterwards Bergdahl went missing from his column in southeastern Afghanistan's Paktika Province on June 30, 2009, some of the bags of soldiers who took allotment in the 45-day seek grew affronted because they acquainted he had deserted.
"I would acquaint them we are accomplishing what we are accomplishing because he is our brother," Silvino testified.
Before disappearing, Bergdahl had bidding activity to the war in accepted and misgivings about his own role in it. Aggressive prosecutor Maj. Margaret Kurz said Thursday that Bergdahl had in fact been planning for weeks to carelessness the column and had emailed accompany and ancestors about his affairs beforehand.
"Under the awning of darkness, he snuck off the post," Kurz told the administrator authoritative over the hearing, adage she thinks the affirmation is acceptable to accreditation a court-martial. Prosecutors planned to alarm one added witness, the administrator of Bergdahl's battalion.Before the hearing, which could endure several days, acknowledged experts said they accepted Bergdahl's attorneys to altercate that he suffered abundant during his years in captivity.
His advance attorney, Eugene Fidell, has cited an Army analysis that bent Bergdahl larboard his post, but not the Army, and that his "specific absorbed was to accompany what he anticipation were advancing affairs to the absorption of the abutting accepted officer."
Fidell said he affairs to alarm witnesses, but he beneath to say whether Bergdahl would be a part of them or to acknowledge added data about his strategy.
Under analytic by one of Bergdahl's attorneys Thursday, both Billings and Silvino said Bergdahl had been a archetypal soldier until he disappeared. Both aswell said they weren't acquainted of Bergdahl's brainy bloom history, including his cerebral acquittal from the U.S. Coast Guard and that an Army psychiatric lath had assured that Bergdahl bedevilled "severe brainy defect."
The captive barter that brought Bergdahl aback to the U.S. has been acerb criticized by abounding Republicans and some Democrats, who say it was politically motivated and abandoned the U.S. activity of not negotiating with terrorists.
Military prosecutors answerable Bergdahl in March with abrogation and misbehavior afore the enemy. If bedevilled of the misbehavior charge, he could face up to activity in a aggressive prison. He could aswell be dishonorably discharged, bargain in rank and fabricated to cost all pay.
While the Pentagon has said there is no affirmation anyone died analytic for Bergdahl, acknowledged experts say the misbehavior allegation allows authorities to adduce his accomplishments put soldiers who searched for him in harm's way.
Fidell has bidding affair that abrogating publicity that has been awful analytical of Bergdahl could access how the case is resolved. At the hearing, he asked that copies of Bergdahl's account with board be fabricated public. Fidell wants the account appear to advice annul the abrogating publicity. No actual activity was taken on that request.
The Article 32 audition will aftereffect in a address that will be forwarded to Gen. Robert Abrams, the advantageous accepted of U.S. Army Forces Command. Abrams will adjudge whether the case should be referred to a court-martial or is bound in addition manner.
Testifying at the alpha of an Article 32 audition to actuate if Bergdahl should face a aggressive balloon on abrogation and added charges, Capt. John Billings declared the weeks of analytic for the Idaho native, generally on little aliment or beddy-bye and in temperatures in the top 90s.
"Physically, mentally I was defeated," Billings said, abacus that he acquainted like he had "failed" his men.
Bergdahl, who spent 5 years as a Taliban bound until getting exchanged endure year for 5 Taliban commanders, took addendum during the audition at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, area he has been stationed aback abiding to the U.S. endure year. Wearing his dejected and atramentous dress uniform, Bergdahl answered, "Yes sir I do," if asked by the authoritative appointment if he accepted the charges.
Bergdahl's aggregation commander, Maj. Silvino Silvino, said that afterwards Bergdahl went missing from his column in southeastern Afghanistan's Paktika Province on June 30, 2009, some of the bags of soldiers who took allotment in the 45-day seek grew affronted because they acquainted he had deserted.
"I would acquaint them we are accomplishing what we are accomplishing because he is our brother," Silvino testified.
Before disappearing, Bergdahl had bidding activity to the war in accepted and misgivings about his own role in it. Aggressive prosecutor Maj. Margaret Kurz said Thursday that Bergdahl had in fact been planning for weeks to carelessness the column and had emailed accompany and ancestors about his affairs beforehand.
"Under the awning of darkness, he snuck off the post," Kurz told the administrator authoritative over the hearing, adage she thinks the affirmation is acceptable to accreditation a court-martial. Prosecutors planned to alarm one added witness, the administrator of Bergdahl's battalion.Before the hearing, which could endure several days, acknowledged experts said they accepted Bergdahl's attorneys to altercate that he suffered abundant during his years in captivity.
His advance attorney, Eugene Fidell, has cited an Army analysis that bent Bergdahl larboard his post, but not the Army, and that his "specific absorbed was to accompany what he anticipation were advancing affairs to the absorption of the abutting accepted officer."
Fidell said he affairs to alarm witnesses, but he beneath to say whether Bergdahl would be a part of them or to acknowledge added data about his strategy.
Under analytic by one of Bergdahl's attorneys Thursday, both Billings and Silvino said Bergdahl had been a archetypal soldier until he disappeared. Both aswell said they weren't acquainted of Bergdahl's brainy bloom history, including his cerebral acquittal from the U.S. Coast Guard and that an Army psychiatric lath had assured that Bergdahl bedevilled "severe brainy defect."
The captive barter that brought Bergdahl aback to the U.S. has been acerb criticized by abounding Republicans and some Democrats, who say it was politically motivated and abandoned the U.S. activity of not negotiating with terrorists.
Military prosecutors answerable Bergdahl in March with abrogation and misbehavior afore the enemy. If bedevilled of the misbehavior charge, he could face up to activity in a aggressive prison. He could aswell be dishonorably discharged, bargain in rank and fabricated to cost all pay.
While the Pentagon has said there is no affirmation anyone died analytic for Bergdahl, acknowledged experts say the misbehavior allegation allows authorities to adduce his accomplishments put soldiers who searched for him in harm's way.
Fidell has bidding affair that abrogating publicity that has been awful analytical of Bergdahl could access how the case is resolved. At the hearing, he asked that copies of Bergdahl's account with board be fabricated public. Fidell wants the account appear to advice annul the abrogating publicity. No actual activity was taken on that request.
The Article 32 audition will aftereffect in a address that will be forwarded to Gen. Robert Abrams, the advantageous accepted of U.S. Army Forces Command. Abrams will adjudge whether the case should be referred to a court-martial or is bound in addition manner.
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