Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will not serve any prison time for walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009, a military judge ruled Friday.
The judge, Col. Jeffrey Nance, sentenced Bergdahl to a reduction in rank to private, a payment of $1,000 per month for 10 months and a dishonorable discharge, according to multiple reports.
Nance made no other comments, according to The Associated Press.
Bergdahl, 31, pleaded guilty last month to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Several reports described Bergdahl as tense or shaking as Nance announced his ruling. Bergdahl grimaced and clenched his jaw, according to the AP, which added his attorneys put their arms around him and one patted him on the back.
Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 14 years of in prison. Defense attorneys, meanwhile, asked for no prison time, citing Bergdahl’s time in Taliban captivity.
What Are Your Thoughts?
