Bergdahl May Have Walked Off Base Multiple Times

The Army Times adds a new wrinkle to the Bowe Bergdahl saga: It quotes officials saying that the Army sergeant may have sneaked off his base in Afghanistan more than once before being captured by the Taliban. “We have no indication that he intended to leave permanently,” says one US official. The story says there's "little doubt" that Bergdahl had left the base without permission on the outing in which he was captured, and fellow soldiers have come forward to call him a deserter. But it's unclear how the new revelation—that he had left and returned safely at least once before—fits into the narrative.

The military intends to find out, however, by opening a new investigation, reports the Wall Street Journal. "The Army is taking a second look at Sgt. Bergdahl's case in the face of allegations from soldiers who served with him that he deserted his post," says an Army statement. The development comes after joint chiefs chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said desertion charges were still possible. "Like any American, he is innocent until proven guilty," wrote Dempsey in a separate Facebook post. "Our Army’s leaders will not look away from misconduct if it occurred." (More Bowe Bergdahl stories.)