A 2012 Rolling Stone story brought Bergdahl's case into the public light. Contained in the article was a letter Bergdahl had written right before his disappearance to his father, saying he was "ashamed to even be American," among other complaints that expressed his discontent with the military and America on the whole. He also told his family that a box of his personal items would be arriving for them: "Feel free to open them, and use them."
Remember those "mysterious circumstances" I mentioned? Well, this letter implies that Bergdahl may have deliberately gone AWOL, then happened to be captured by the Taliban. This intent to desert his crew adds a whole new layer to the story. Upon his return, Bergdahl was charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.
Is Bergdahl guilty of the charges? What really happened on the day he disappeared, and why are the details so murky? Most importantly, what happened in the five years that he was gone? Hopefully, Serial will bring some new information to light.
