Bergdahl explains his reasoning in newly released documents

By JONATHAN DREW
Associated Press

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl says he left a post in Afghanistan in 2009 to draw attention to what he saw as leadership problems in newly released documents from a military investigation.

The documents were released Wednesday night by Bergdahl’s attorneys.

The attorneys also released a July 2015 document showing that an Army Sanity Board Evaluation concluded that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder when he left the post. A Mayo Clinic website says people with the disorder have trouble interpreting social cues and can develop significant mistrust of others.

Bergdahl faces a general court-martial on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

According to the transcript of a 2014 interview with a general, Bergdahl saw his action as “self-sacrifice” to draw attention to bad decisions by officers.

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