POOR BOWE BERGDAHL

The weepers and wailers are already saying poor old Bowe has suffered enough

There is a growing chorus calling for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the army deserter, to go unpunished on the grounds that after five years of captivity by the Taliban he has suffered enough. These calls are being made by non-military bleeding hearts who want the deserter to receive a medical discharge instead of a court martial.

Whatever suffering Bergdahl may have experienced, he brought on himself when he abandoned his unit at a combat zone observation post.

If Bergdahl receives anything other than a dishonorable discharge he, is due to get about $300,000 in back pay. He would not only get his accrued $1,400 basic monthly pay for the five years he was a captive of the Taliban, but he would also be entitled to a monthly housing allowance, food allowance, hostile fire pay and even some per diem payments.

Should Bergdahl go unpunished, he would in effect be rewarded for the despicable act of abandoning his post in a combat zone. If the military does not punish Bergdahl it would set a terrible precedent, signaling other soldiers that there will be few if any consequences if they abandon their posts.

Anything less than a dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of pay and allowances for Bergdahl would be a slap in the face of all the soldiers and veterans who remained at their posts during whatever war they were fighting in for our country.