Jacksonville billboard a reminder of war’s actual cost
This billboard beside Lejeune Boulevard reminds drivers about Bowe Bergdahl, a prisoner of war taken captive by the Taliban in 2009.
John Althouse / The Daily News By THOMAS BRENNAN Daily News Staff
Published: Monday, January 27, 2014 at 09:00 AM. For some, five years is simply unacceptable.
Bowe Bergdahl, a 27-year-old sergeant in the Army’s 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment out of Fort Richardson, Alaska, was captured by the Taliban during his 2009 deployment to Afghanistan.
Now, almost five years after being held captive in an unknown location, the local chapter of Rolling Thunder — which advocates for prisoners of war and those missing in action — wants others to know the story behind Bergdahl’s face on a billboard beside one of Jacksonville’s busiest roads.
The billboard features a photograph of Bergdahl before captivity and his date of capture. The posting was funded by POWbracelets.com and SupportBowe.org.
“I’m not going to say it’s nice, but it makes my heart feel good that our community is being made aware of Bowe’s status,” said Paul Levesque, the president of the local Rolling Thunder chapter. “I’m sure the billboard’s location being so busy and right near the Lejeune Memorial Gardens means that he gets the attention he deserves.”
Having spoken out in the community about Bergdahl and his status as a POW since 2009, Levesque said he hopes the billboard continues to broaden the public’s knowledge of Bergdahl and his sacrifice.
