An American soldier who was held captive by Afghan insurgents for nearly five years is returning to military duty after more than a month of counseling, the US Army said today.
Following his release on May 31 in a swap with the Taliban, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl underwent medical examinations and counseling at a military hospital in San Antonio, Texas to prepare him for "reintegration" to the army.
"He will now return to regular duty within the command where he can contribute to the mission," the army said in a statement.
Bergdahl will be assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas, the army said. It was not clear what role or tasks he would be given there.
An investigation into the circumstances of his disappearance and capture "is still ongoing," the army said.
The 28-year-old soldier has yet to speak to the news media since his release and army officials acknowledged they provided him with advice on dealing with journalists over the past month, which they said was standard practice for former prisoners of war.
Bergdahl spent nearly five years in captivity at the hands of Taliban-linked Haqqani insurgents after he went missing from his post in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border in June 2009.
There has long been speculation that Bergdahl may have deserted his post, with some soldiers in his unit alleging he walked away alone.
President Barack Obama has come under intense criticism from some lawmakers over the swap that freed Bergdahl.
Republicans say the administration should not have agreed to allow the transfer of five senior Taliban figures to Qatar from the US-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
