Bergdahl ruling angers platoon mates
UNITED STATES: Members of Bowe Bergdahl’s platoon say they are furious that the US soldier escaped prison and will still be able to profit from films or books about how he was captured by the Taliban after abandoning his post in Afghanistan.
Mark Boal and Kathryn Bigelow, the team behind Zero Dark Thirty, are already working on a film of his story based on 25 hours of interviews with the soldier.
The case has proved politically polarising, with President Donald Trump among those criticising the court ruling.
On Friday a military judge ruled that Bergdahl should be dishonourably discharged, be demoted to private and pay a fine of $1000 (NZ$1450) a month for the next 10 months.
Josh Cornelison, who served as platoon medic, said it was too little for putting comrades in danger.
‘‘It bugs me that this is a guy who willingly walked away, who had people severely injured and [dead] looking for him or looking for information about him, and he now has the potential to make a lot of money - whether it’s a book deal, exclusive interview rights, TV, movies, whatever,’’ Cornelison said.
Bergdahl admitted desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy and had faced up to life in prison. He said he left his post to walk to another base in order to raise concerns about morale and management in his unit.
However, Cornelison, who now runs an organisation recording veterans’ experiences in California, said the story made no sense.
Cornelison was serving at the small combat outpost in Paktika province, Afghanistan, from where Bergdahl went missing.
He believes six soldiers died during the manhunt, although the military court hearings would only admit evidence that personnel had been wounded.
The sentence was condemned by US president Donald Trump, who tweeted: ‘‘The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.’’ - Telegraph Group