Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to be charged with desertion

<p><strong>"Formally charged Sgt. Bergdahl ... with desertion with intent to shirk important or hazardous duty,"</strong> <a href="http://www.c-span.org/video/?325022-1/us-army-press-conference-fort-bragg-bowe-bergdahl-charges&live=" target="_blank">said Col. Daniel J.W. King</a> at a press conference.</p><p>The U.S. Army <a href="http://www.c-span.org/video/?325022-1/us-army-press-conference-fort-bragg-bowe-bergdahl-charges&live=" target="_blank">announced Wednesday</a> it's charging Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy for abandoning his post in 2009.</p><p>This comes after the Army reviewed an investigation into the events surrounding Bergdahl's 2009 capture by the Taliban after he was accused of leaving his base in Afghanistan. (Video via <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/31/world/asia/afghanistan-bergdahl-release/index.html?hpt=hp_t1" target="_blank">U</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agNXSf0a46Q&feature=youtube_gdata" target="_blank">.S. Army</a>)</p><p>Bergdahl was held by the Taliban in Afghanistan before the U.S. traded his release for five Taliban prisoners. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agNXSf0a46Q&feature=youtube_gdata" target="_blank">U.S. Army</a>)</p><p><strong>"According to officials, on the night Bergdahl walked away from his post, he was scheduled to walk guard duty at that remote outpost at dawn,"</strong> <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/bowe-bergdahl-face-desertion-charges" target="_blank">MSNBC correspondent Jim Miklaszewski</a> reported. </p><p>In May 2014, the Obama administration freed those five Taliban detainees held at Guantanamo in exchange for Bergdahl's release. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm6u4voY44g" target="_blank">The White House</a>)</p><p>The <a href="http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/MCM-2012.pdf" target="_blank">Manual for Courts-Martial United States</a> says the maximum punishment for desertion with intent to avoid hazardous duty includes<strong> "dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and confinement for five years."</strong></p><p><strong>"Misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a command, unit or place carries a maximum potential penalty of a dishonorable discharge, reduction of rank to E1, total forfeiture of all pay and allowances and possible confinement for life,"</strong> <a href="http://www.c-span.org/video/?325022-1/us-army-press-conference-fort-bragg-bowe-bergdahl-charges&live=" target="_blank">said King</a>.</p><p>Bergdahl <a href="http://www.c-span.org/video/?325022-1/us-army-press-conference-fort-bragg-bowe-bergdahl-charges&live=" target="_blank">will now face</a> a preliminary hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury, which will be announced at a later date. Following that preliminary hearing and recommendations, the report will be forwarded to a General Courts Martial Convening Authority, which will decide what to do with the charges.</p>