FORT BRAGG, N.C. (KTVB) - U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will be back in court December 22 for an appearance before a military judge in North Carolina, it was learned on Thursday.

An Army news release says an arraignment will be held at Fort Bragg for Bergdahl, the Hailey native who disappeared in Afghanistan and was held by the Taliban for five years.

The Army recently announced that he will face a general court martial on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. If convicted, Bergdahl could get life in prison on the misbehavior charge and up to five years for desertion.

Bergdahl's May 2014 release in exchange for five detainees in Guantanamo Bay touched off a firestorm of criticism, with some in Congress accusing President Barack Obama of jeopardizing the nation's safety.

Also on Thursday, the second episode of season two of the podcast "Serial" was released. This season features Bergdahl's account of the events.

Fellow soldiers who appear on the podcast say they dropped everything to search for Bergdahl. They said that Army platoons scattered across the country on leads relating to Bergdahl's whereabouts, with some of them leading to traps that the Taliban had set with hopes of killing American soldiers.

More From News Radio 1310 KLIX