I Think I Will Just Walk Away

Shall we talk about Bowe Bergdahl? You know, the guy who was just freed by the Taliban in exchange for 5 Really Bad Guys who were caged in Gitmo. The one who is all over the news of late.

mom, dad.
The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong. I have seen their ideas and I am ashamed to even be american. The horror of the self-righteous arrogance that they thrive in. It is all revolting. Three good sergeants had been forced to move to another company [...] one of the biggest shit bags is being put in charge of the team [...] [My battalion commander is a] conceited old fool [...] In the US army you are cut down for being honest... but if you are a conceited brown nosing shit bag you will be allowed to do what ever you want, and you will be handed your higher rank... The system is wrong. I am ashamed to be an american. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools. The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at. It is the army of liars, backstabbers, fools, and bullies. The few good SGTs are getting out as soon as they can, and they are telling us privates to do the same. [...] I am sorry for everything here. These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid, that they have no idea how to live. We don't even care when we hear each other talk about running their children down in the dirt streets with our armored trucks. We make fun of them in front of their faces, and laugh at them for not understanding we are insulting them. [...] I am sorry for everything. The horror that is america is disgusting. There are a few more boxes coming to you guys. Feel free to open them, and use them.
Wiki...

And his father's reply:
Dear Bowe, In matters of life and death, and especially at war, it is never safe to ignore ones' conscience. Ethics demands obedience to our conscience. It is best to also have a systematic oral defense of what our conscience demands. Stand with like minded men when possible. dad.

I was reading a Washington Post article which portrays him as a troubled, confused, young man who felt he didn't fit in. I understand that. For most of my life, I didn't feel I fit in either. And, possibly because of that feeling, I didn't fit in.

When I enlisted in 1965, I had misgivings almost immediately... certainly by the time I was on a plane on my way to boot camp. But I had committed to a 4 year stint and I also felt that I had to do it. I also felt I was "running away" from my life as it was up to that point. I don't know if that last thought was also in Bergdahl's mind when he enlisted the first time (Coast Guard) but I do think he was disappointed in the Coast Guard's boot camp; probably thought it would be tougher. Maybe he thought he could be a hero... jumping out of helicopters to rescue people at sea... and learned that they were the elite and were selected based on performance, attitude, and aptitude. And maybe he felt he couldn't/wouldn't measure up and, so, had the proverbial snowball's chance. So he bailed instead. And later enlisted in the army... and, when it didn't live up to his expectations, decided to bail on it also.

The Navy disappointed me too; I thought boot camp was too easy and discipline not tight enough. I felt that way throughout my 4 years. I went in looking for structure and discipline and came out realizing that the only one who would provide that for me was me. But, even so, I didn't discipline myself or establish structure in my life for some years after. I wasn't ready.

Pity him, identify with him, see him as a victim... whatever you wish to do. But I believe we are all "products" of our family dynamics and think there is much to wonder about when it comes to his.