Bergdahl desertion wasn’t ‘a mistake’ … it was a crime

During his 44 years of active military service, Secretary of Defense James Mattis acquired a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense “Marine’s Marine,” hence the name “Mad Dog.”

Last Memorial Day, the retired four-star general who led expeditionary forces in Iraq and Afghanistan honored the nation’s military personnel at Arlington National Cemetery. Quoting Plato, he said, “In a world awash with change, some things stand firm. Some things are good and true and beautiful.”

He urged families to turn suffering into meaning.

“The kid on the line who never got a chance to grow old will always be there to teach us that suffering has meaning if it is accepted out of love for others,” he said.

His words especially impacted Gen. John Kelly, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who lost his son, Marine 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, in the Afghanistan War in 2010.

Mattis said if you have ever known one of the fallen (soldiers), you have known greatness.

“It is hard to be content with their silence, for we miss them,” Mattis said. “The empty chair on a holiday, empty every day. The photograph that goes wherever you do. The picture fades, but the person in it does not.

“Their fighting spirit persists, passed down through the ranks, and echoes in those who fight on today — on the air, on land and at sea.”

Mattis’ heartfelt words echoed the Soldier’s Creed:

I am an American soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American soldier.

Far from these ideals which describe the American soldier is Bowe Bergdahl, who failed to fulfill his military vows by walking off his Army base in Afghanistan in 2009 and deserting his comrades. He was held captive by the Taliban for five years before being freed by the Taliban in exchange for five Taliban detainees at Guantánamo Bay.

A military judge last Friday ordered Bergdahl to be dishonorably discharged from the Army, but he received no prison time for desertion or endangering other troops, and that has incensed many Americans, especially our veterans.

Bergdahl has been the subject of intense debate, even stretching to the White House and affecting presidential elections. President Donald Trump labeled Bergdahl a traitor who deserved execution. He called the judge’s decision at last week’s court-martial at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, “a complete disgrace to our country and to our military.”

The previous president, Barack Obama, meanwhile held a Rose Garden ceremony to celebrate Bergdahl’s return, and Susan Rice, his National Security Adviser, called him a hero. Calling the disgraced Bergdahl a hero angered many Americans.

Troops were wounded — and some say as many as six died during indirect actions — while hunting for Bergdahl. James Hatch, a retired Navy SEAL, was shot in the leg (requiring 18 surgeries) during the search mission. He cried when he told about how his military dog was shot in the head by enemy fighters in Afghanistan during a mission to find Bergdahl.

Sgt. 1st Class Mark Allen was shot through the head while looking for Bergdahl. Totally paralyzed, he cannot talk, walk or care for himself. In emotional testimony, his wife, Shannon, testified that he is not even able to hold hands with her anymore.

The defense argued that Bergdahl had already suffered a severe penalty for his crimes by being tortured during five years in captivity.

During the sentencing hearing, Bergdahl apologized for his actions, admitting to “a horrible mistake.” He said he grieved “for those who have suffered and their families.”

Maj. Justin Oshana, the lead Army prosecutor, made a quick summation of Bergdahl’s action.

“It wasn’t a mistake,” Oshana said of Bergdahl’s decision to desert his camp, turning his back on his country and his comrades. “It was a crime.”

And so was last week’s slap-on-the-wrist verdict by the military judge.

By Jim Zbick | tneditor@tnonline.com