Members of the US military are split on whether to consider recently freed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a hero for enduring five years of captivity or a traitor who allegedly deserted the US Army to join the Taliban.

Within hours of Bergdahl's release, the Facebook page of the Army Times at http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140531/NEWS/305310046 was flooded with hundreds of comments either asking that Bergdahl face a court martial for desertion or praising him as a hero.

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Many of those commenting called the 28-year-old Bergdahl a traitor, deserter, dirtbag and sympathizer.

The posts focus on the circumstances surrounding Bergdahl's mysterious disappearance on June 30, 2009 at an outpost called Mest-Malak near the town of Yahya Kheyl, Paktika Province in southeast Afghanistan.

The circumstances of Bergdahl's capture are unclear to this day. Bergdahl, who held the rank Private First Class when he went missing, said he was captured when he fell behind on a patrol. The Taliban, however, said Bergdahl had wandered off base and was drunk when seized. Bergdahl was promoted to Sergeant while in captivity.

Much of the anger of US military men who claim Bergdahl is a traitor stems from Bergdahl's emails to his parents before he went missing.

News reports said that on June 27, 2009, Bergdahl sent a final e-mail to his parents saying, "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong. I have seen their ideas and I am ashamed to even be American. The horror of the self-righteous arrogance that they thrive in. It is all revolting."

Bergdahl then described his disillusionment with the U.S. Army.

"In the US army you are cut down for being honest ... but if you are a conceited brown nosing shit bag you will be allowed to do whatever you want, and you will be handed your higher rank... The system is wrong. I am ashamed to be an american. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools ... I am sorry for everything here."

"These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid, that they have no idea how to live. We don't even care when we hear each other talk about running their children down in the dirt streets with our armored trucks ... We make fun of them in front of their faces, and laugh at them for not understanding we are insulting them ... I am sorry for everything. The horror that is america is disgusting ...."

Bergdahl was with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division when he went missing.

TagsBowe Bergdahl, Prisoner of War, Afghanistan war