CLueless In The White House

As an Army Veteran who was working as a contractor attached to the
25th Infantry Division (same Division as Bergdahl) in a nearby FOB
when Bowe Bergdahl went missing, I feel the need to speak out on the
situation (notice I don’t ascribe rank to him, I will address that later).
A few days ago, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel took the stage at
Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan and excitedly started with what he
thought would be a big applause line. “We got him back!” he exclaimed.
Silence.
Not. Even. One. Clap.
Numerous White House leaks show that Obama and his team were
convinced that Americans would greet the news of a returning POW
with elation; that this would be the great moment in Obama’s second
term. This shows just how clueless they are about the military.
Let me clue them in.
You see, when Hagel took the stage, he expected joy at
the announcement that one of their own was returned!
However, you have to see inside a soldier’s mind to understand
what was going on here. I believe I can provide a little insight.
When a soldier deserts his post, when he writes that he is
ashamed to be an American, when he gives the enemy secrets
(and he did), he is no longer “one of us”. He is a traitor.
He is not a brother-in-arms.
Soldiers risk their lives for each other every day on the battlefield,
there is a trust and respect they have for each other.
For Bowe Bergdahl to break that trust and the Secretary of
Defense to announce a hero’s welcome instead of a court-martial
is a huge let-down.
He isn't one of their own. He is one of them. He is the enemy.
That's not something to celebrate.
The message the White House is sending is that they value
treason more than honorable service.
Read that last sentence again. Let it sink in.
THIS is what every soldier is thinking.
In a soldier’s mind serving with honor means finishing your tour,
even if you disagree with the way things are done.
All bets are off if you serve with dishonor.
I do not refer to Bergdahl as a sergeant, even though he received
“automatic” promotions while in the Taliban’s custody because
according to law, after 30 days his rank and pay should have been
stripped from him. Due to political pressure, his was not.
In fact, he probably has over $200,000 in cash waiting in his
bank account. In my opinion, this money should be given to the
families of the soldiers who died in the aftermath of his desertion.
Bowe Bergdahl deserted his post. He served with dishonor.
I know that firsthand. Our soldiers know that. They know they
risk their lives every day. They don't get a hero’s welcome from
the White House, they get fewer meals (due to budget constraints)
and less safety equipment (due to the drawdown).
Let me be perfectly clear. A Rose Garden Ceremony,
a “hero’s welcome”, and automatic promotions to a person that
deserted is nothing more than a slap in the face to every service
member who has served honorably.
That, Mr. President and Mr. Hagel, is why soldiers aren’t clapping
and applauding for you. That is why you have lost any remaining
respect from the military community.