The dirtbag Bergdahl got promoted to sergeant for desertion during time of war. They should rip those stripes from his uniform and then hang the bastard.
He got promoted to sergeant/E-5 because the Army did NOT originally charge him with desertion. If it had, any favorable action would have been automatically canceled.
As he was carried as a PoW, the promotions continued as if he were a prisoner and in an honorable position. If he had been carried as AWOL, then he would still have been a PFC when bh0 did his dirty deal.
Our PoWs during the Vietnam War continued to receive promotions when they came due during their time as POW. the difference is that they were either capture in the South or, a majority, after they were shot down over North Vietnam.
Private Garwood, formerly USMC, went over to the enemy in Vietnam was charged with desertion and when he came back 20 years later, he was court martialed, reduced to E-1 and given a dishonorable discharge. All favorable actions ceased when the Corps listed him as AWOL and after 30 days as a deserter. Unfortunately the Army didn’t do that with Bergdahl.