What Kind of Punishment Might Bowe Bergdahl Face?

In the military, desertion is something you don’t want to be accused of.

FILE - In this file image taken from video obtained from Voice Of Jihad Website, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, sits in a vehicle guarded by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan. Bergdahl was freed by the Taliban on May 31, 2014, in exchange for five Afghan detainees held in the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Two American values, never leave a man behind and never negotiate with terrorists, collided in the Bergdahl calamity with each ethos running deep in the American conscience. AP Photo/Voice Of Jihad Website via AP video, File

In the military, desertion is something you don’t want to be accused of.

If convicted, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl could become the highest-profile deserter in recent memory. Bergdahl, 28, was held captive by Taliban-aligned militants in Afghanistan and was part of a prisoner exchange for five members of the Taliban who were held at the Guantanamo Bay prison. The swap has been subjected to a great deal of media scrutiny. He was charged with the crime on Wednesday.

There’s been speculation that Bergdahl--who was held captive by the Taliban for five years--could get the death penalty, but that’s not the case. Specifically, he was charged with misbehavior before the enemy, which could get him a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. He was also faces desertion charges, which carries a maximum of five years behind bars.