The Army has concluded its investigation and legal review of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the Department of Defense announced in a statement today. Bergdahl spent five years as a prisoner of the Taliban after leaving his base in Afghanistan under mysterious circumstances in 2009. The investigation has been handed over to Gen. Mark Milley, who will "determine appropriate action—which ranges from no further action to convening a court martial," the statement read.
Six soldiers reportedly died searching for Bergdahl after he went off-base in 2009. Furthermore, it was not the first time Bergdahl had left base without permission, leading the families of those who died searching for him, as well as critics of Obama, to question whether the decision to trade five Taliban prisoners for Bergdahl's release was wise.
Upon his release, Bergdahl was treated at an army base in Germany before being transferred to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he remained until he was cleared for regular duty in July.
According to NPR, the Army's investigation answered the central question surrounding Bergdahl's disappearance: was he merely AWOL, or did he desert? Presumably, we will know the answer when Gen. Milley makes his determination.
Correction: This article originally incorrectly stated that Bergdahl recovered at an air force base in Germany. He recovered at an army hospital.
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