The latest on Bergdahl: Bergdahl’s platoon leader testifies

The U.S. Army is holding an Article 32 hearing in the case of Sgt.

U.S. Army Forces Command said an Article 32 preliminary hearing into the two charges would take place at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where Bergdahl has been stationed since shortly after his release in the summer of 2014.

The testimony comes as Bergdahl faces a hearing to determine whether he should face a military tribunal over his charges of desertion over the 2009 incident, which military officials said led to his being captured by the Taliban.

Fidell has said Bergdahl was not trying to desert when he left his post but instead was trying to locate the nearest general officer so he could report “disturbing circumstances”.

Bergdahl’s attorneys will get to cross-examine prosecution witnesses and to call their own witnesses and present evidence once the prosecution has concluded its case.

Billings told military prosecutor Maj.

Bergdahl spent five years as a Taliban captive before being exchanged for five Taliban commanders being held at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In March, Bergdahl was charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

Thursday’s hearing is the first step in deciding whether Bergdahl will face a court martial which could result in a punishment of life in prison. Billings, who testified that Bergdahl was a “great soldier” who had never previously caused him problems, said he wasn’t aware. He could also be dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank and have to forfeit all pay.

Some members of Bergdahl’s former unit have said he should be severely punished, claiming that six soldiers died, directly or indirectly, as part of search efforts. Many Republicans and some Democrats criticized the swap as politically motivated and a violation of the U.S. policy of not negotiating with terrorists.

He said Fidell might argue that Bergdahl should be given an “other than honorable discharge” and be allowed to go home. “You have a soldier who, apparently, from what we know from the evidence, abandoned his combat outpost leaving his equipment behind and put himself, at best, in a position where he was vulnerable to capture by the enemy”. Abrams will ultimately decide whether to send the case to a court-martial, which is the military equivalent of a civilian trial.