Idaho News

A Timeline Of Bowe Bergdahl's 5 Years In Captivity

00000176-d8fc-dce8-adff-faff728f0003Bowe Bergdahl was born on March 28, 1986 to Bob and Jani Bergdahl in Sun Valley, Idaho. Bowe was raised in neighboring Hailey, Idaho, where his parents still live.On June 30, 2009, then 23-year-old Bowe Bergdahl is widely reported to have walked off his Army base in Afghanistan. Less than a month later, the Washington Post reports, Bergdahl appeared in the first of several Taliban-affiliated videos. In it, Bergdahl "says he was captured after lagging behind during a patrol," writes the Post.Here's a timeline of events.May 2008: Bergdahl enlists in the U.S. ArmyJune 30, 2009: Bergdahl reported missingJuly 2, 2009: CNN reports a U.S. military official says Bergdahl is being held by the clan of warlord Siraj Haqqani.July 18, 2009: The Taliban posts a video of Bergdahl.Dec. 25, 2009: Bergdahl's captor's release a second video of the solider.April 7, 2010: The Washington Post reports that the Taliban "posts a video showing Bergdahl pleading to be sent home and saying the war in Afghanistan is not worth the human cost."June 2010: The U.S. Army promotes Bergdahl to specialist.Dec. 7, 2010: CNN reports Bergdahl's captors release a 45-minute video showing a thinner soldier.Feb. 2011: Bergdahl's captors release another video.May 6, 2011: Bergdahl's father, Bob, posts a YouTube video asking for his son's release.June 16, 2011: The U.S. Army promotes Bergdahl to sergeant.May 9, 2012: Bob and Jani Bergdahl give an interview to the New York Times. The Bergdahls say the U.S. government is engaged in secret negotiations with the Taliban over a possible prisoner swap.June 6, 2013: Bergdahl’s family announces that “through the International Committee of the Red Cross, we recently received a letter we’re confident was written to us by our son.”Jan. 15, 2014: Bergdahl's captors release a proof-of-life video. Still unreleased publicly, the video reportedly shows Bergdahl in declining health.Feb. 23, 2014: The Taliban says it suspended prisoner-swap talks with the United States government.April 24, 2014: The U.S. government says prisoner-swap talks aren't disorganized. May 31, 2014: The U.S. government announces Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was released by his captors in exchange for five U.S. detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.March 25, 2015: Following a U.S. Military investigation, the Army announced Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will be charged with desertion, avoiding military service, and misbehavior before the enemy.This information was compiled from various media reports including The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, The Associated Press, Northwest News Network.

'Awareness' No Longer The Issue For Bergdahl’s Supporters

NWNews | By Jessica Robinson,

Jessica Robinson

Published June 9, 2014 at 6:25 PM MDT

Groups across the country distributed stickers, patches, armbands and other items to get Bowe Bergdahl’s name out during his captivity.

The parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl issued a statement through social media Monday. Bob and Jani Bergdahl thanked the people who have supported them for nearly five years as they waited for their son to be freed from Taliban captivity.

Bergdahl's online supporters continue to back the POW amidst a raging debate about whether he deserted.

Michael Geer was just 13 when he heard about Bowe Bergdahl. The teen from southern California launched a social media campaign in 2012 to raise awareness about the POW.

Last week, Geer's father took to Facebook to say he is disgusted by the barrage of negative comments on his son’s page.

And they're not the only people who have very quickly gone from trying to get Bergdahl's name in the news to defending him.

Buster Hickam is a member of a Georgia chapter of Rolling Thunder, a POW-MIA awareness group. Hickam has distributed about a quarter of a million Bowe Bergdahl arm bands since 2010.

"Did we know the information that we have today? Yes, most certainly," Hickam says. "None of the things the people are saying today is a surprise."

Hickam, a retired Army first sergeant, says he will continue his support until the Army determines Bergdahl committed a crime.

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that the FBI was looking into death threats against the Bergdahls. Hickam says those aren't the first threats Bergdahl's parents have received during their son’s captivity.

Statement issued on behalf of Bob and Jani Bergdahl:

They would like to thank each and every Facebook supporter and friend for their prayers and kindness during not only the past 10 days but for the past 5 years. It has meant the World to them. They ask that their privacy is respected as they continue on this new path with Bowe. They apologize for not being able to return each phone call, text, message, and email but please know they are very grateful for the love they are receiving from all of you.

'Awareness' No Longer The Issue For Bergdahl’s Supporters

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