Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a POW of the Taliban for five years, hasn't yet spoken with his parents since his release from captivity on Saturday, military officials told NBC News.
The 28-year-old Bergdahl is currently recovering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where psychologists are helping him through the reintegration process.
A statement released by Landstuhl and published by Stars and Stripes reads, in part:
“Trained and highly capable military health care providers will evaluate his condition, begin any necessary medical care and assist in his recovery process...
“The Landstuhl staff is sensitive to what Sgt. Bergdahl has been through and will proceed with his reintegration at a pace with which he is comfortable.”
"There's a reason for that, and that's because Bowe has been gone so long that it's going to be very difficult to come back."
As Home Post has previously reported, Bergdahl was discovered missing from his duty station in eastern Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. He was declared missing/captured three days later.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the United States transferred five detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Qatar in exchange for Bergdahl's freedom:
"The United States has coordinated closely with Qatar to ensure that security measures are in place and the national security of the United States will not be compromised."
The Today Show put together this report on the homecoming planned for Bergdahl in his Idaho hometown:
