Bergdahl released from hospital

A sign of support for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is seen in Hailey, Idaho, on June 1, 2014. Picture: Patrick Sweeney

A sign of support for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is seen in Hailey, Idaho, on June 1, 2014. Picture: Patrick Sweeney

Published Jun 23, 2014

Share

Washington - US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who spent five years as a Taliban prisoner of war before being released last month, has been discharged from a military hospital in Texas and will continue treatment as an outpatient, the Army said on Sunday.

Bergdahl was transferred from Brooke Army Medical Centre in San Antonio, Texas, to the nearby Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, said Army spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Carol McClelland.

“It's a sign of progression, showing he's no longer a patient of a hospital,” McClelland said.

Bergdahl's next phase of recovery, during which he'll continue to receive medical care and undergo psychological treatment tailored for soldiers who have spent time in captivity, could last anywhere from a few days to a month, McClelland said.

Bergdahl was handed over to US forces in Afghanistan on May 31 in exchange for five Taliban leaders held at the Guantanamo prison in Cuba.

His release sparked an initial wave of support that was quickly overshadowed by a political uproar over the freeing of the senior members of the Taliban.

Lawmakers criticised the Obama administration for failing to give them 30 days' notice before transferring prisoners from Guantanamo as required by law.

Some charged that in making the exchange, the administration had effectively violated its policy against negotiating with terrorists.

In addition, some of Bergdahl's former Army comrades have come forward to say they believe he deliberately abandoned his post in Afghanistan. - Reuters

Related Topics: