Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl Over 3 Years in Captivity in Afghanistan

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is a U.S. Army soldier that was captured in Afghanistan in June 2009.

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl

(KABUL) - Speculation has been rumored though various news agencies how he came into the hands of the Taliban, but the position of the Army is that Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, was discovered missing during a unit roll-call in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowe_Bergdahl) 

"A member of the U.S. military is missing and we will continue to expend significant efforts to locate Sgt. Bergdahl and return him home," said Brigadier General Lewis Boone, director of Public Affairs for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.

An Afghan named Hafiz Ahmadzai has a different perspective on the capture of Sgt. Bergdahl by the Taliban. “I was an Afghan mujahideen during the Russian invasion of my country and some of their soldiers deserted and joined our forces were frequent.”

“You see Afghanistan and Pakistan is made up of tribes and tribes talk, if the Taliban are in an area such as the Taliban that have captured the American, they are a guest. Tribes talk among one another and I have heard the American came willing, he did not even have a weapon on him.”

Whatever the case may be, public opinion is not the judge and jury on how Sgt. Bergdahl came upon in hands of the Taliban. First fact, Sgt. Bergdahl was held captive by the Taliban when he was the rank of Private First Class and he has since been promoted twice by the Army and is now a Sergeant. Second fact is, before he entered the Army he had to take an oath before the American flag that he would protect our nation from foreign and domestic enemies. When a private citizen completes that oath they are in the military and we must give them the benefit of the doubt.

Until we hear differently from Sgt. Bergdahl himself or from military investigators based on evidence, we shall look to our President, who used his tenacity to order the killing of Osama bin Laden, we now look to him to use the same determination to bring our Prisoner of War Sgt. Bergdahl safely back to our country.

A highly decorated Iraq War Veteran, Captain James Van Thach served twenty-four straight months in Iraq, despite being wounded twice during his first year, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. Also, the government of Iraq awarded him the rank of Honorary Staff Brigadier General in the Iraqi Army.

Standing in Captain Thach’s presence you notice instantly an aurora about this young man and admire the goals he set forth in his life through education in the United States and travel overseas in his fight in war torn Iraq.

Why would an educated Law School graduate of Touro Law Center turn down numerous private sector job offers with a very generous salary or a safer career path as an Attorney with the United States Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) and only to choose a dangerous job as an Infantry Officer in active combat as a Military Advisor in Iraq?

Captain James Van Thach answered in a commanding voice, “My sacrifice had to be made because of the opportunities given to me from the men and women who sacrificed their lives and died for our country. I had to do the same in their honor, to protect our nation and protect the unborn of this country so that they might live in a peaceful world.”