Leave no man behind......

I've struggled with writing this blog for the past week.  I've read most likely a hundred articles with

various view points about Bowe Berghdahl.  I've tried to put myself in the position of being a father, a

brother/sister-in-arms and a civilian.  I've been angry, outraged and sad all at the same time, yet still I

struggled with my thoughts and feelings.   Many of you know, if not all of you that I served a brief

stint in the Marines.  I'm more than familiar with the concept of leave no man behind.  Both the Marines

and the Army Rangers have a history of never leaving a man behind under no circumstances,  Chesty

Puller did it in the frozen Chosin (Korean War) and the Rangers most recently in Somalia.  There are

other great examples as well among the other services but those ring specific in my mind.  I know the

Marines felt strongly about this and apparently Bowe's unit did as well considering they lost 6 soldiers

trying to bring him home. You can read about them here.   The President ultimately traded 5 terrorists,

men so dangerous that they had spent the last 6 years locked at Guantanamo Bay prison.  You can read

about them here if you like.

His father and mother were distraught and never gave up hope.  His father growing a beard and

learning a language to try to help bring Bowe home.  I would hope that most parents would be as

dedicated in trying to bring their son home.  All in all we'll see eventually where this leads and

what the overall trade nets us both as a country and as a society.  I personally have to speak against it.

It seems based on his fellow soldiers testimony, accounts of his final days before capture that Bowe

simply walked away from his post, he took no weapon and walked into enemy territory.

Bowe left ....   Do you see where I'm headed with this?  Bowe left us, his country, his fellow soldiers

and his family.  He wasn't captured he walked into enemy hands.  There is no disputing this.  He

WALKED AWAY, why he did we may never know.  They'll be an investigation and he might be

punished although I suspect the 5 years in captivity and the weight of 6 deaths on his conscious may

be the worst punishment most men could bear.  I doubt it'll be much more although I think many

Americans would like to see him severely punished.  America says "Leave no man behind" and we left

 no man behind.  I hope we don't come to regret it more than we already have.....