Wasn’t Bergdahl a private when he went missing? How did he make sergeant?
Time in grade, I would expect. Automatic promotion for having a pulse.
I think maybe it’s SOP to promote someone in captivity based on their time in service. However, there seemst to be ample evidence to suggest that this guy was a deserter or at least AWOL, so I question that decision myself. He’s also eligible for all back pay.
Hopefully, the truth will come out.
When a soldier’s status is POW, he or she is automatically promoted to the next grade as soon as eligible. This rule has been in place since Vietnam and is not subject to any interpretation or judgment. If Bergdahl were to be court martialed then he could be reduced. But, he will not be court martialed, he will not even be subjected to an Article 32 investigation. He is the new military poster boy for the Obama Administration and they will probably parade him out for the State of the Union Address.