Bowe Bergdahl will serve no prison time for endangering fellow soldiers when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and surrendered to the Taliban.
Bergdahl will be dishonorably discharged and have his rank reduced to private. The ruling was issued Friday after nearly two weeks of testimony by Bergdahl's former comrades. Bergdahl, was held by the Taliban for five years before being released in a prisoner swap.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy on Oct. 16 and faced the possibility of life in prison.
One thing in the Bergdahl case that must bother other veterans is that, while Bergdahl was a Private First Class when captured, he was promoted in absentia to Sergeant on June 17.
I received my Staff Sergeant stripes the old fashioned way as did every other nco (non commissioned officer) I knew - we earned them.
Bowe Bergdahl received his stripes for being a deserter.