To the editor:

Unless you have been living in a cave, you cannot be unaware of the release of Bowe Bergdahl by his Taliban captors in Pakistan. It has been in all the national news.

But now several of his barracks buddies whose motives are unknown and whose veracity is also unknown have chosen to blab to the nearest media outlet their opinion that this soldier who has been released from five years in captivity was, in their opinion, a deserter.  

With no other verification or insight, the national media has gone berserk in reporting this “information.” They have made a disgusting and deplorable circus of this allegation with panels of “experts” on national outlets even before the soldier has been released from medical attention by the U.S. military.

I think this is the most deplorable and disgusting display of ratings grabbing and character assignation by supposedly reliable news services. This soldier who has suffered five years in captivity has not had any chance to have proper investigation or due process, and yet the national news media have tried and convicted him with their desire for huge ratings and sponsorship