SGT BOWE BERGDAHL TURNS 27: Still held captive by America’s enemies.

SGT Bowe Bergdahl Birthday 2013 © supportbowe.org & LMD

Today is the twenty-eighth day of March. Twenty-seven years ago today Bowe Robert Bergdahl was born into a loving family living in a small town in rural Idaho. Life was good in Idaho and Bowe grew up to become a kind, intelligent, adventurous young man.

Fast forward to today. Bowe’s family still lives in Idaho and they still love him dearly. Bowe, however, is being held captive somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan by insurgents who are allied with the Taliban.

While it’s shocking enough to learn that a United States Army soldier has been taken prisoner by those who are fighting against America, it’s even more shocking to know that one has been held captive for nearly four years. As of today, Bowe has seen four birthdays pass since he was taken captive on 30 June 2009. We wonder if Bowe knows that he turns twenty-seven today. We pray that next year that question won’t even need to be asked. It is our greatest hope that in 2014 he will be able to celebrate his birthday, celebrate his life, with his loving family in that small town in Idaho.

What people are doing

Bowe’s supporters have made extra time today to tell others Bowe’s story. Many have distributed flyers and brochures to tell people about his plight. We have a free downloadable brochure that you can get HERE to use to spread the word about Bowe. Facebook users and twitter users are sharing posts about Bowe via social media. We have posts that you can share from our FACEBOOK PAGE “Waiting and Advocating for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, US Army – POW”. Also, please take a minute to SIGN Bowe’s Guestbook.

Interviews

Dayle Ohlau of Idaho’s KECH-fm 95.3 interviewed Bowe’s parents, Jani and Bob Bergdahl, today. In an in-depth session she finds out more about how the Bergdahls are able to manage through and cope with the crisis of their son being held as a prisoner of war. Also discussed is how Bob Bergdahl is studying the culture in which Bowe finds himself in order to help to bring his son home. Separately there is also a short segment that features Bowe’s family wishing him a happy birthday.

FOLLOW HERE to listen to the in-depth interview with Bowe’s parents.

FOLLOW HERE to listen as Bowe’s family sends him birthday greetings today.

From us to Bowe

We will end our post today by saying “Happy Birthday Bowe! We are standing strong for you until you come home. God willing, may you celebrate your day next year in Idaho surrounded by those who love you.”

photo courtesy of JR – Anacortes, WA

Veterans Day 2012: Thank a Vet

Nov11

Thank You Veterans, for your service to America. We will always be grateful.

BOWE TUESDAY 159: Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl now held captive for 1113 days.

Jul17

Today is BOWE TUESDAY 159. SGT Bowe Bergdahl has been held as a prisoner of war for 1113 days.

The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives will be in session for another two weeks before they go on break. This would be a very good week to leave a phone message for your Senators and Representative. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard can be reached by calling (202)224-3121. When you call, give them your Senators’ names or Representative’s name and tell them that you wish to be connected to their office. Be sure you jot down what you want to say beforehand so that you can get in everything you want tell them. Keep it brief. Be sure to let them know that you are counting on them to do everything in their power to see that Bowe’s release is obtained. Tell them that you want to be able to depend on them to support any effort brought before them to rescue him from his captors. Follow HERE to confirm who your Members of Congress are. If you use this link, you will be able to find the direct lines to your Members of Congress. The main switchboard will get you there also, they just have to connect you.

Please help to raise awareness about Bowe’s captivity by changing your Facebook profile picture today to one that brings attention to Bowe. Please make a special post asking your friends to also make a call to their Members on Congress. And PLEASE share this post. And when you share on Facebook, you’d be amazed at how many shares happen just because you shared on your timeline. And if you actually state on your post PLEASE SHARE, you’ll dramatically boost the chances of having someone else share your post. We all need to get Bowe’s name in front of as many people as possible. Follow HERE for our BOWE TUESDAY post on Facebook.

We continue to ask Twitter users to send out some tweets during the day to tell others about Bowe using hash tags #Bergdahl #bowetuesday #supportbowe #POW. You can top by Twitter and retweet some of ours: https://twitter.com/WaitingForBowe OR https://twitter.com/POWMIAvoice

If you’re new to BOWE TUESDAY, follow HERE for a little info that you might find interesting:

If you are interested in helping to get Bowe’s name out on Twitter, please follow this HERE for more information.

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl In The News: What a difference a week makes

Mar17

The following is taken from various news sources over the past week:

11 March 2012: Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN)

The five Taleban who have been mentioned for possible release (reporting on today’s visit can be seen here and here) are: Khairullah Khairkhwa, the former governor of Herat and one of the founding fathers of the Taleban movement, Fazl Mazlum, former head of the Army, Nurullah Nuri, former head of the northern zone, Abdul Haq Wasiq, former deputy head of Afghanistan’s intelligence agency and Abdul Nabi Omari, a minor figure and former judge who appears to be on the list because he has links to the Haqqanis who are holding the captured US Soldier Bowe Bergdahl, whose exchange may be part of any deal. READ MORE

13 March 2012: Foreign Policy

The pending deal to move senior Taliban figures from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to Qatar is part of a trade for the return of a Western prisoner, according to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

The Obama administration’s plan to move five top Taliban officials to live under house arrest in Qatar has been extensively reported but never openly discussed by administration officials. And until Feinstein confirmed it to The Cable, the fact that the crux of the deal is a swap for a Westerner had never been publicly disclosed.

“That’s the framework of the exchange. But it’s presented as a confidence-building measure,” Feinstein said. “We are giving up people who killed a lot of people, people who were head of major efforts of the Taliban.”

Feinstein said the deal involved the trade of one Westerner for the five Taliban leaders. She also confirmed the name of the Westerner in question, but The Cable has agreed to withhold that name at the request of U.S. officials out of concern for his safety.

Under the deal, the United States would reportedly place the Taliban officials under the responsibility of the Qatari government, where they would ostensibly remain under some degree of supervision and imprisonment. According to reports, the prisoners being considered for transfer include Mullah Khair Khowa, a former interior minister; Noorullah Noori, a former governor in northern Afghanistan; and former army commander Mullah Fazl Akhund. READ MORE

15 March 2012: Akron.com (The West Side Leader and South Side News Leader)

• During the communications from the public portion of the evening, resident Mike Hoofman asked Council to recognize U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who is currently an Afghanistan conflict prisoner of war.

“I’m a member of Rolling Thunder, a veteran of the Marines and mostly a concerned citizen,” Hoofman said. “We have one prisoner of war in Afghanistan and his birthday is March 28. He’ll be 26. I’m asking the city to place a happy birthday announcement and indication to show support for him. We’ve made up yard signs and I’d like permission to install one at Williams Peace Park.”

“We’ll make sure a sign gets put up there,” said Mayor Mike Zita. SOURCE

16 March 2012: KUOW.org Northwest News

The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan may hinder the most likely avenue for bringing a captured Northwest soldier home safely. Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, is the only known U.S. soldier in Taliban captivity.

Peace talks between the U.S. and a faction of the Taliban were already on unstable footing. Now the Taliban says it’s suspending contact with U.S. officials. READ MORE

16 March 2012: Idaho Mountain Express

Planned negotiations between U.S. and Taliban leaders aimed at a prisoner swap that could free captured soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl took an apparent step backward this week.

For several months, numerous media sources have reported that top Taliban leaders in Afghanistan planned to open a “political office” in Qatar, a wealthy Persian Gulf emirate, to begin negotiations with the United States. The Associated Press reported in August that the negotiations included plans for the possible swap of Bergdahl for Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

However, The Washington Post reported Thursday that Taliban leaders were “suspending preliminary peace talks with the United States because of Washington’s ‘alternating and ever-changing position,’ and accused U.S. officials of reneging on promises to take meaningful steps toward a prisoner swap.” READ MORE