Bowe Bergdahl , the U.S. soldier held captive for five years by militants before his release a month ago , has ventured several times off an Army base in Texas as part of the effort to get him used to everyday life in America , a military spokeswoman said . His release on May 31 in exchange for five Taliban being held by the U.S. military has rankled some , including former members of his unit , who said he was a deserter who endangered colleagues searching for him . Yet while investigating circumstances surrounding his departure , the military has also said it 's focused on making sure Bergdahl gets better mentally and physically , so he can gradually readjust to normal life . Since being freed , Bergdahl has been carefully monitored at a military hospital in Landstuhl , Germany , and his home since June 13 , Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston . He recently transitioned from inpatient care at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas to outpatient care , the Army said on June 22 . Still , Bergdahl has hardly left the care of military health professionals . Members of his reintegration team escort him whenever he leaves base and interacts with the public , the Army spokeswoman said . His stops have included a library , a supermarket and several stores of his choosing . Bergdahl has also eaten at fast-food and sit-down restaurants . The Army sergeant is encouraged to pick the places , but because he 's not from San Antonio , he is offered some advice . `` Sometimes they sit at the table with him , '' the Army spokeswoman said of those on Bergdahl 's reintegration team who accompany him . `` ... Other times , they hang in the background . '' During his trips off-base , Bergdahl sometimes wears civilian clothing and others times dresses in his military uniform . In some instances while he has been in uniform , members of the public have recognized him and shaken his hand , according to the Army spokeswoman . His reintegration phase will end sometime in the next several weeks , an Army official said . He will then be assigned to an Army unit , according to the official , though details of his next stop have not been disclosed . Bergdahl went missing on June 30 , 2009 , in Afghanistan 's Paktika province , where he was deployed with the 1st Battalion , 501st Infantry Regiment , 4th Brigade Combat Team , 25th Infantry Division . An Army fact-finding investigation conducted in the months after his disappearance concluded he left his outpost deliberately and of his own free will , according to an official who was briefed on the report . But there was no definitive conclusion Bergdahl was a deserter because that would require knowing his intent , something officials could n't learn without talking to him , a U.S. military official told CNN last month . Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl is leading the Army 's formal Bergdahl investigation , which will review previous findings . The two-star general could ask to re-interview anyone who can shed light on the case ; talking to Bergdahl himself would likely be the last step in this investigation , one official said . As of the middle of last week , the soldier had n't been interviewed by investigators nor did he have a lawyer , one official said . Military officials have talked to Bergdahl about the days and years after his capture as part of the reintegration process . `` We have no reason to believe that he engaged in any misconduct during that period of time , '' one official said late last month , referring to Bergdahl 's time in captivity . No lawyer yet for Bergdahl even though probe underway . Who was swapped for Bergdahl ? Fellow soldiers call Bergdahl a deserter , not a hero .
Bowe Bergdahl was released May 31 in exchange for five Taliban being held by U.S . The U.S. Army said the transfer of the prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to Qatar marked a significant step forward toward ending what it called an "egregious violation of international law." Bergdahl has gone to restaurants , a library and stores , Army spokeswoman says . Sometimes he 's been in uniform and interacted with the public , the source says .