Bergdahl didn't last a month in the Coast Guard

[TexasTiger 13,559]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/us/bowe-bergdahl-discharged-from-coast-guard-before-joining-army.html?referrer=

[AUUSN 823]

The Army continually lowered recruiting standards during the height of the war. There are plenty of folks serving who should have never been allowed to join. I don't mean to denigrate their service but some shouldnt be in uniform.

[autigeremt 6,970]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/us/bowe-bergdahl-discharged-from-coast-guard-before-joining-army.html?referrer=

It tells me the Army was looking for a heartbeat and a patch and didn't do their due diligence. It doesn't mean we should have traded 5 Taliban for him but the damage is done.

[TexasTiger 13,559]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/us/bowe-bergdahl-discharged-from-coast-guard-before-joining-army.html?referrer=

It tells me the Army was looking for a heartbeat and a patch and didn't do their due diligence. It doesn't mean we should have traded 5 Taliban for him but the damage is done.

So did the Army put him and those relying on him in a compromising position? Was he ever up to the expectations of a soldier in that very difficult situation?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Probably not and the army should have recognized the situation.

[autigeremt 6,970]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/us/bowe-bergdahl-discharged-from-coast-guard-before-joining-army.html?referrer=

It tells me the Army was looking for a heartbeat and a patch and didn't do their due diligence. It doesn't mean we should have traded 5 Taliban for him but the damage is done.

So did the Army put him and those relying on him in a compromising position? Was he ever up to the expectations of a soldier in that very difficult situation?

Possibly. He "may" have performed well until he got to the combat zone, but changed at that point. I'd like to know what he did to cause my other branch of service to wash him out. The military makes mistakes sometimes with personnel, just like any other employer.

[AUFAN78 4,061]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytime....html?referrer=

It tells me the Army was looking for a heartbeat and a patch and didn't do their due diligence. It doesn't mean we should have traded 5 Taliban for him but the damage is done.

So did the Army put him and those relying on him in a compromising position? Was he ever up to the expectations of a soldier in that very difficult situation?

Possibly. He "may" have performed well until he got to the combat zone, but changed at that point. I'd like to know what he did to cause my other branch of service to wash him out. The military makes mistakes sometimes with personnel, just like any other employer.

Well stated.

[AURaptor 1,137]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

Seems someone has quickly resorted to the " What difference, at this time , does it make ! " defense.

[cptau 169]

We placed a young man in a war zone who wasn't up to our typical standards. Just curious, how does that impact how you view this situation?

http://mobile.nytime....html?referrer=

The military has used a simple way to discharge trainees in basic training for over 35 years. As long as they were below the number of days service to qualify for veteran's status, the military would just let them leave. The reasons they would let them leave ranged from disciplinary, medical, physical, or psychological problems. Bergdahl might have been let go for psychological reasons or he could have been let go due something as simple as being prone to sea sickness. I tend to believe it was psychological.

He did make it through Army basic training, infantry school, and airborne school. So if he had emotional problems, he somehow made it through those training courses.

[DKW 86 7,726]

The official said he did not know whether Sergeant Bergdahl had then been required to obtain a waiver for Army service. He enlisted when the military was desperate for recruits for Iraq and Afghanistan; an estimated one in every five were receiving waivers for previous drug use or because of other conduct, “moral” or medical issues.

That says an awful lot right there. I can tell you, i knew of folks that the USN turned down because they washed out elsewhere. I also know they washed out a few that lied about former service. (IE: discharge status, disciplinary actions, etc) I cant even begin to consider all this, but i agree with others, if he made it thru basic, A School, and Airborne training, i would have given him a pass as well.

[Martinisat5 5]

Maybe he got in because of white privilege. Oops I forgot the sarcasm font.