He was obviously sensitive and troubled. And after the long ordeal of captivity, he's now made into a political football. I have no idea about whether he's guilty of anything, but I feel bad for him. Sucks.

We really need a civil service option instead of just scooping up any citizens to be cannon fodder in the military..

Those are two different things. The fools are those who allowed him to join the army (looking at family and army recruiters).

As parents they felt it their responsibility to give him support as most parents would.

When we found ourselves in two wars at the same time with little warning.

It seems to me with an all voluntary force it would behoove the military to use psychological testing to screen out those that will be most affected by the atrocities they will see. It would help protect prospective soldiers and lower PTSD rates. I believe we still have PTSD rates of 33% of returning soldiers which seems high considering that they were volunteers and would have self-selected for those most likely to be able to handle the emotional/psychological strain.

The big loosening was in "moral" requirements - criminal pasts and things such as that. You know that big dent in the sidewalk next to the recruiting station in your hometown, that showed up 'round about 2005? Well son, that got there because the Army Recruiters chucked the Group W bench off the roof. Yessir, they picked up that one-ton granite Group W Bench, told all the mother stabbers and father rapers to grab hold, and they hauled it up the fire stairs to the roof. They chucked that Group W Bench off the roof just as hard as they could. Took out four pigeons and a black-hooded crow on the way down, yes it did. And then you know what they did with all the father rapers and mother stabbers who were a-sittin' on the Group W Bench? That's right, they Put Them Right In The Army!

And now the Army has to figure out how to get rid of them. Because not only have they continued mother stabbing and father raping, they're reenlisting!

You wake up to an explosion and see two of your tentmates injured or killed. Any loud noise effects inordinately for months on end. Your ability to function is severely effected. That is what I call PTSD. Whether it rises to the diagnosis of official disability probably depends on the unit. I'm sure a proper diagnosis is discouraged until one is sent home.

His viewing a child run over without concern by a military vehicle seemed to have a strong effect on his views. Who knows what triggers a response from individuals.

The Army's need for bodies apparently outweighed his mental health issues.

I feel for the guy. I can only imagine how messed up he is now.

“A wolf, mutt, hound, dog, I’ve been called these from my childhood,” he wrote in the first few pages. “But what good am I, my existence is that of exile. To live on the fringes of this world as a guard...”

Wonder who was calling him these all of those things as it doesn't fit with the happy community image. Bergdahl was an achiever in his own way, as posted this here:

Who is Bowe Bergdahl? - Life of the U.S. Soldier captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan:



Uploaded on Jul 22, 2009

HAILEY, Idaho - We are learning more about Bowe Bergdahl, the 23-year-old American soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Since news of his capture was made public over the weekend, his friends in the Sun Valley, Idaho town of Hailey, have told ABC us that Bowe worked at a coffee house for a couple years, liked to ride his bicycle around town and had taken a class at the Sun Valley School of Ballet.

His family, concerned media descriptions of Bowe were limited to "bike riding, ballet dancing, barista," released more details about the life of their son Tuesday, through Walt Femling, the Sheriff of Blaine County, Idaho.

Sheriff Femling, who is a longtime friend of the Bergdahl family, called Bowe an adventurer. He said Bowe loves to ride both bicycles and motorcycles, but not cars. "He didn't like cars so he rode his bike everywhere," said Sheriff Femling.

He recounted how Bowe crewed a sailboat to the Caribbean and a fishing boat in Alaska. He toured Europe and California. "Not bad for somebody who is only 23 years old." He continued, "It's these adventures and others that made Bowe a very well-rounded person and I'm glad to know him." The Sheriff believes that Bowe's adventurous spirit played a part in his decision to join the military.

Bowe was good at handling guns and familiar with martial arts, and yet Sheriff Femling told us he was also a kind and courteous young man, "He would call you 'sir' or 'ma'am' and you know, to get a 23 year old these days to call you that is a little unusual."

As for education, Bowe was home schooled, but Sheriff Femling noted that he did receive his GED through The College of Southern Idaho.

Even though townsfolk had set up a fund for the Bergdahl family at a bank in Hailey, the Sheriff said the family discourages contributions. He explained that's not the focus of the family; they want prayers right now, not money. What's more, they ask everyone to pray not just for Bowe, but also for all of the men and women of the armed forces who find themselves in harm's way.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017195686

From the link about his writings:

He wrote about what he described as “shallow” and crude minds around him, and “this hell that pools so many fools, and they are all part of the illusion.”

He's not far off to a certain way of thinking, but that could be said any time if you don't respect those around you.

That doesn't fit with the video description of his behavior or the opinion of his neighbors. It's largely dependent on one's POV.

He certainly found himself in much worse company when the Taliban found him. There is something to be said for staying with those you know even in a horrible situation with people one doesn't like.

He most likely would have been sent home long before if he'd stayed with this unit. But the psychological pressure that was building up destroyed that instinct to survive in what we commonly term survival.

JMHO.

to wonder to whom this man's enlistment seemed like a good idea. And I mean that with all due respect. Some people aren't cut out for combat. I would surely be one of them. Just reading the little that's out there about Bergdahl, the first thing that comes to mind is, Why would a guy like this and his loved ones think the military was even an option for him?

I guess people have different understandings of things.

He as well acquainted with the use of guns, etc., which may had him thinking he could do well in that milieau.

Earlier stories said he saw it as an adventure. He was a person who had traveled widely and did a lot of extreme sports.

He may have seen this as a test of his ability to survive, but ended up in the company of the Taliban who had no appreciation for what was to him, his sacred sense of 'individualism.'

Tribalists and cultists demand absolute conformity over each other and everyone who crosses their path. They eliminate those who cannot or will not live by their rules.

People are more complicated than Bergdahl realized and no philosophy covers half of what humans are about.

It was well-known that the military was granting waivers to a host of questionable recruits. Bergdahl should never have been re-enlisted by the Army, and he damn sure should never have been placed in a combat zone.

at a young age he was going from home schooling to trying to join the French Foreign Legion, and when he can't do that, he enlists in the middle of a war! I don't think he knew what he was getting into, and may not have had the experience of the world to handle it. In addition, he may have been mentally or emotionally fragile.

one has to wonder why he was sent to Afghanistan.

But, then, without a draft, we have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to keep all the troops in useless wasteful wars.

We are lucky he didn't harm anyone including himself.

was the pressure relief valve that kept him from doing so.

I've speculated that he was bullied into leaving/defecting...and the "search" for him was more of a "hunt."