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Looking for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, Under ‘An Insane Amount of Fire’ Sgt. Bergdahl’s Sentence May Be Lighter Because of Trump’s Comments
(about 4 hours later)
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Staff Sgt. Jason Walters and the rest of his six-man team had only just arrived in Afghanistan when they were sent to search for a missing soldier. They had little time to prepare for the rugged terrain of Paktika Province, and little intelligence to go on. FORT BRAGG, N.C. — President Trump’s harsh criticism of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who walked off his Army post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban, will weigh in favor of a lighter sentence for the sergeant, a military judge said on Monday.
On the second morning, “an insane amount of fire came out of nowhere,” Sergeant Walters said. Militants had them surrounded. In minutes, half the team had been wounded. Sergeant Walters turned to see “a cloud of blood” spraying from the head of Sgt. First Class Mark Allen. “I will consider the president’s comments as mitigation evidence as I arrive at an appropriate sentence,” the judge, Col. Jeffery R. Nance of the Army, said during a hearing at Fort Bragg. The judge is expected to sentence Sergeant Bergdahl in the next few weeks.
The judge rejected a request that he dismiss the case or cap the length of the sentence on the ground that the president’s comments had precluded a fair hearing. The judge said he had not been influenced by the remarks and that the public’s confidence in the military justice system had not been undermined.
Sergeant Bergdahl faces up to life imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to desertion and endangering troops sent to search for him.
As a candidate, Mr. Trump repeatedly called Sergeant Bergdahl a traitor and suggested that he should be executed or returned to the Taliban. On Oct. 16, Mr. Trump seemed to endorse those earlier sentiments, declining to say anything new about the case but adding, “I think people have heard my comments in the past.”
An Army investigator initially recommended that there be no jail time for Sergeant Bergdahl, who was held and tortured by the Taliban for five years. But anger — on the part of politicians and members of the military — over the sergeant’s actions may have contributed to the fact that he now faces the possibility of a long sentence.
That anger has driven much of the testimony in the case so far, as service members vividly described a rescue operation that exposed them to enemy fire. The wife of a soldier who was shot in the head, Sgt. First Class Mark Allen, also took the stand on Monday.
Last week, Staff Sgt. Jason Walters testified that his six-man team had only just arrived in Afghanistan when they were sent to search for a missing soldier. They had little time to prepare for the rugged terrain of Paktika Province, and little intelligence to go on.
On the second morning of the search, “an insane amount of fire came out of nowhere,” Sergeant Walters said. Militants had them surrounded. In minutes, half the team had been wounded. Sergeant Walters turned to see “a cloud of blood” spraying from the head of Sergeant Allen.
“I started treating his wounds, talking to him, telling him to hang on,” Sergeant Walters said.“I started treating his wounds, talking to him, telling him to hang on,” Sergeant Walters said.
Details of that mission, and the anger and anguish of those who participated, were the central drama in two days of testimony that may help determine the sentence given to the missing soldier, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. He walked off his base June 30, 2009, setting off weeks of search and recovery operations that members of Sergeant Allen’s team say placed them in grave danger. Sergeant Allen’s wife is expected to testify on Monday.
Sergeant Bergdahl was held captive and tortured by the Taliban for five years until President Obama negotiated his release in May 2014, and the political fallout continues to this day. Sergeant Bergdahl pleaded guilty on Oct. 16 to charges of desertion and endangering the troops sent to find him, and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Sergeant Allen, a national guardsman from Georgia, had part of his brain removed during surgery, and is now unable to speak, walk, or take care of himself. His wife has said little publicly, but in a Facebook post after Sergeant Bergdahl was freed, she blamed him for causing her husband’s incapacitation.Sergeant Allen, a national guardsman from Georgia, had part of his brain removed during surgery, and is now unable to speak, walk, or take care of himself. His wife has said little publicly, but in a Facebook post after Sergeant Bergdahl was freed, she blamed him for causing her husband’s incapacitation.
The service members who testified last week painted a grim picture of the search and the battle, which subsided only after F-15 fighter jets and Apache helicopters arrived overhead. The wounded were evacuated about an hour after the fighting started. The battle in which he was wounded subsided only after F-15 fighter jets and Apache helicopters arrived overhead. The wounded were evacuated about an hour after the fighting started.
Spec. Charles Benson, a medic, took shrapnel in the thigh. A rocket-propelled grenade that didn’t explode struck Spec. Jonathan Morita in the hand, smashing his fingers and his rifle.Spec. Charles Benson, a medic, took shrapnel in the thigh. A rocket-propelled grenade that didn’t explode struck Spec. Jonathan Morita in the hand, smashing his fingers and his rifle.
Only later would they learn that 150 Taliban fighters were believed to be near the village where the troops were resting when they came under fire.Only later would they learn that 150 Taliban fighters were believed to be near the village where the troops were resting when they came under fire.
The Army’s investigation of the operation described faults with its planning, preparation, equipment and intelligence. Sergeant Bergdahl’s defense team has also argued to the judge that the Taliban — not their client — were directly responsible for Sergeant Allen’s wounds.The Army’s investigation of the operation described faults with its planning, preparation, equipment and intelligence. Sergeant Bergdahl’s defense team has also argued to the judge that the Taliban — not their client — were directly responsible for Sergeant Allen’s wounds.
Prosecutors have sought to show that the attack would have played out similarly even without the problems cited. Increased risks were acceptable, they say, if the missing soldier was thought to be near.Prosecutors have sought to show that the attack would have played out similarly even without the problems cited. Increased risks were acceptable, they say, if the missing soldier was thought to be near.
“We needed to act on it before he got across the border” into Pakistan, Sergeant Walters testified.“We needed to act on it before he got across the border” into Pakistan, Sergeant Walters testified.
But in the immediate aftermath of the attack, the investigation showed, some of Sergeant Allen’s comrades were upset with the officers who ordered the operation.But in the immediate aftermath of the attack, the investigation showed, some of Sergeant Allen’s comrades were upset with the officers who ordered the operation.
“We should have never went out there in the first place, and we would not have lost three of our guys in the process,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Scott Elmore, referring to the wounded. He was one of the six-member Embedded Training Team, or E.T.T. He had been told only afterward that the battalion responsible for that area believed there were 150 Taliban fighters nearby.“We should have never went out there in the first place, and we would not have lost three of our guys in the process,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Scott Elmore, referring to the wounded. He was one of the six-member Embedded Training Team, or E.T.T. He had been told only afterward that the battalion responsible for that area believed there were 150 Taliban fighters nearby.
“We didn’t have the manpower, and that was the first mission that our E.T.T. team has ever conducted” with Afghan troops, he said in a sworn statement to Army investigators.“We didn’t have the manpower, and that was the first mission that our E.T.T. team has ever conducted” with Afghan troops, he said in a sworn statement to Army investigators.
Sergeant Walters suggested that commanders never would have sent their own men from the battalion on such a high-risk patrol.Sergeant Walters suggested that commanders never would have sent their own men from the battalion on such a high-risk patrol.
“They treat us like a redheaded stepchild whose only purpose there is to be used at their convenience and for the missions they don’t want to risk their own men on,” he wrote in his statement.“They treat us like a redheaded stepchild whose only purpose there is to be used at their convenience and for the missions they don’t want to risk their own men on,” he wrote in his statement.
Another search for Sergeant Bergdahl, this one at night, was recounted by Jimmy Hatch, who was a Senior Chief Petty Officer and member of a Navy SEAL special operations team. After helicopters dropped off his team, Chief Hatch sent his military working dog after two people he suspected were enemy fighters. One shot the dog in the head. The other sprayed his gun wildly.Another search for Sergeant Bergdahl, this one at night, was recounted by Jimmy Hatch, who was a Senior Chief Petty Officer and member of a Navy SEAL special operations team. After helicopters dropped off his team, Chief Hatch sent his military working dog after two people he suspected were enemy fighters. One shot the dog in the head. The other sprayed his gun wildly.
The muzzle flashes allowed American troops to locate and kill the fighters — but not before one shot Chief Hatch, shattering his thighbone, he said. He would later have 18 surgical procedures, and still walks with a pronounced limp.The muzzle flashes allowed American troops to locate and kill the fighters — but not before one shot Chief Hatch, shattering his thighbone, he said. He would later have 18 surgical procedures, and still walks with a pronounced limp.
“I was worse than useless,” Chief Hatch said, recalling his fear that noise from his screams might endanger fellow troops. “I really thought I was dead.”“I was worse than useless,” Chief Hatch said, recalling his fear that noise from his screams might endanger fellow troops. “I really thought I was dead.”
Anger in the ranks, especially from those who know Sergeant Allen, may help explain why the Army general who convened the court-martial sought a more severe sentence against Sergeant Bergdahl than was initially proposed.Anger in the ranks, especially from those who know Sergeant Allen, may help explain why the Army general who convened the court-martial sought a more severe sentence against Sergeant Bergdahl than was initially proposed.
The preliminary hearing officer had recommended no jail time, primarily because there no evidence had been presented that troops had been killed or wounded searching for Sergeant Bergdahl.The preliminary hearing officer had recommended no jail time, primarily because there no evidence had been presented that troops had been killed or wounded searching for Sergeant Bergdahl.
But a military judge later ruled that there had indeed been such casualties, clearing the way for limited evidence and testimony to be presented concerning Sergeant Allen and Chief Hatch.But a military judge later ruled that there had indeed been such casualties, clearing the way for limited evidence and testimony to be presented concerning Sergeant Allen and Chief Hatch.
Specialist Morita, whose finger bones shattered when the grenade struck him, has regained only limited use of his hand, even after he received a skin graft and pins were inserted into the bones.Specialist Morita, whose finger bones shattered when the grenade struck him, has regained only limited use of his hand, even after he received a skin graft and pins were inserted into the bones.
Mr. Morita testified that he also suffers from a short temper because of his experience. He said his anger is directed “toward one person.”Mr. Morita testified that he also suffers from a short temper because of his experience. He said his anger is directed “toward one person.”
He did not name a name. But as he left the witness stand and walked past the defense table, he shot Sergeant Bergdahl a withering glare.He did not name a name. But as he left the witness stand and walked past the defense table, he shot Sergeant Bergdahl a withering glare.