American soldier, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who spent five years as a Taliban prisoner of war in Afghanistan before being released on May 31, is headed back home from Germany where he was undergoing medical treatment, the Pentagon has said.
The American soldier is scheduled to arrive at an Army base in San Antonio, Texas, early morning today. Bergdahl was being treated at a military hospital at Landstuhl in Germany after he was released by his Taliban captors.
"I can confirm that he (Sgt Bergdahl) is now en route to the United States aboard a US military aircraft, having departed Ramstein Air Base earlier this afternoon," Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said.
"He will arrive in San Antonio early tomorrow (Friday) morning, where he will continue the reintegration process at Brooke Army Medical Center," he said.
"As (the Defense) Secretary (Chuck) Hagel has made clear, our first priority is making sure that Sgt. Bergdahl continues to get the care and support he needs," Kirby said.
The US Government exchanged five Taliban prisoners in lieu of Sgt Bergdahl. Opposition Republicans have been highly critical of the prisoners swap. So far, Bergdahl has not spoken in the public about the circumstances that led to him being taken hostage.
