Bowe Bergdahl faces court-martial and possible life imprisonment
Story highlights
Monday’s decision is a break with the U.S. military officer overseeing Bergdahl’s preliminary hearing, who recommended he face no jail time
The date of the arraignment hearing at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will be announced at a later time
Washington (CNN)
U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will face a military court on charges of desertion and endangering fellow soldiers, the U.S. Army announced Monday.
Gen. Robert Abrams, the commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, ordered the court-martial on Monday, breaking with the U.S. military officer overseeing Bergdahl’s preliminary hearing who recommended that Bergdahl be referred to a special court-martial and face no jail time.
Abrams on Monday ordered Bergdahl’s case to a general court-martial, which means Bergdahl could face life imprisonment if convicted of “misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a command, unit or place.”
Bergdahl disappeared from his base in Afghanistan in June 2009 and was held in captivity by the Taliban until the U.S. released five Taliban detainees in a controversial exchange for Bergdahl in May 2014. Six U.S. troops died in the months following Bergdahl’s disappearance during missions partly aimed at finding and rescuing him.
