Northwest News Network

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.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Turns 27 In Enemy Hands

Boise State Public Radio News | By Jessica Robinson

Published March 28, 2013 at 7:56 AM MDT

Captured U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl turns 27 Thursday. It's the fourth birthday the Army sergeant from Idaho has passed in the hands of the Taliban and their allies. People who knew Bergdahl are trying to call more attention to the only known POW from the war in Afghanistan.

Not a lot is known about Bergdahl's life since he was captured in June 2009. But it's believed he's now being held by a Taliban-allied insurgent network in Pakistan. U.S. efforts to bring Bergdahl home are wrapped up in slow-moving peace negotiations in Afghanistan with the Taliban

At home, the people Bergdahl grew up with have become frustrated with what they see as lack of political pressure for his return.

Sabine Parrish, a University of Washington student, says few people know about her childhood friend.

“I want people to know that Bowe is loved, that he is sorely missed," she says. "And that we want him back so much. I cannot wait for the day I get to give him a huge hug and say, 'Welcome back, man. And boy, do we have a hell of a lot of catching up to do.'”

In Bergdahl's hometown of Hailey, Idaho, the owner of the coffee shop he used to work at is urging people to write two birthday cards: One to send to the White House, and one to save for Bergdahl until he returns.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Turns 27 In Enemy Hands

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