Despite media reports, the U.S. Army on Tuesday confirmed that a decision has yet to be made over whether or not desertion charges will be brought against Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. Army Sergeant who was held by the Taliban as a prisoner of war for five years.

The 28-year-old soldier was released from captivity in Afghanistan on May 31, 2014 in exchange for five Taliban prisoners being held by U.S. officials at Guantanamo Bay. According to other soldiers, Bergdahl deserted his platoon in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009, and was quickly captured by the Taliban. A preliminary Army investigation also found that Bergdahl left his outpost deliberately of his own free will, according to an official briefed on the report, reports CNN.

However, earlier on Tuesday, NBC News reported that top defense officials said that Bergdahl would be charged with desertion, according to Reuters.

Maj. Gen. Ronald Lewis, the Army's head of public affairs, then released a statement saying that these claims made by NBC and Fox News are "patently false."

"To be clear there have been no actions or decisions on the Sergeant Bergdahl investigation," Lewis said in a statement. "The investigation is still with the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command (General Mark Milley) who will determine appropriate action -- which ranges from no further action to convening a court-martial."

During a news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby also said that no decision had been made in the case, and Gen. Milley does not have a deadline to decide.

"There is no timeline to make that decision and General Milley is not being put under pressure to make a decision either way," Kirby told reporters.

If Bergdahl is indeed found guilty of violating U.S. military law, he could be forced to forfeit around $300,000 in back pay that accumulated during his captivity along with future benefits.

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