Sgt. Bergdahl headed back to U.S., Pentagon says

WASHINGTON — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has left Germany and is expected to arrive in the United States sometime early Friday, Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Thursday.

Bergdahl has been treated at the military hospital at Landstuhl Germany, after he was released by his Taliban captors in Afghanistan after five years as a captive.

"He will arrive in San Antonio early tomorrow morning, where he will continue the reintegration process at Brooke Army Medical Center," Kirby said in a statement. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel "has made clear, our first priority is making sure that Sgt. Bergdahl continues to get the care and support he needs."

The swap of five Taliban leaders detained at Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl, who went missing from his post in Afghanistan in 2009, has prompted outrage on Capitol Hill. Members of both parties have criticized the Obama administration for failing to notify them of the trade, and Republicans have blasted the White House for giving up too much.

On Wednesday, Hagel defended the prisoner swap before Congress. He said it was necessary because Bergdahl's health was declining and the military principle of bringing all troops home.

All aspects of Bergdahl's health have improved at Landstuhl, said a defense official speaking on condition of anonymity because officials were not authorized to speak publicly about Bergdahl's health.

Bergdahl's return to America signals the beginning of the second phase of the three-part process to ease him back into normal, everyday life. The first phase, completed at Landstuhl for Bergdahl, involves a team that often includes a chief, usually a colonel, debriefers on survival and escape and intelligence, psychologist, medical personnel, a chaplain and a lawyer.

Bergdahl's five years in captivity were brutal, according to the defense official. An Army investigation, completed shortly after he disappeared from his post in eastern Afghanistan, determined that he wandered outside the wire and was captured.

Bergdahl has not been charged with any crime, including being absent without leave. The Army will conduct another investigation about his disappearance, leaving open the possibility of some type of discipline.

The first phase of recovery for Bergdahl has lasted longer than usual. It typically takes 48 hours, according to two senior defense officials who spoke about his case only on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Phase two is generally a minimum of five days to as long as three weeks. The final phase, in which the service member reunites with family but continues to be monitored by specialists, can last a day or as long as five years.

When Bergdahl lands in Texas, and arrives at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, phase two of his reintegration will begin. That is generally when the returning servicemember has first contact with family members, which is usually a phone call, the officials said.

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