Marine boot camp: the few, the chosen, the bad apples

A story about hazing a Marine recuit to death. 

Another story, another well-done story, another awful story. These stories show up periodically and give evidence that this is not just the actions of a few bad apples (the term is, of course, used), but the inevitable spawn of a corrupt, cruel, and misaligned culture.

Another story and what will change?

our elite corps

This story from the New York Times, along with the official investigation report, documents appalling behavior by Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. The behavior is bad enough; the official response is bad enough plus. To quote the Times: "The SEAL command, though, cleared the Team 2 members of wrongdoing in a closed disciplinary process that is typically used only for minor infractions, disregarding a Navy lawyer’s recommendation that the troops face assault charges and choosing not to seek a court-martial."  Arrogance? Dehumanization? What inevitably happens when you've been an occupying force for well over a decade? You decide.

murder at Kunduz hospital

This thorough report, which Laura Gottesdiener based on the word of people targeted in the bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan where killed 30 patients and staff members were killed and the hospital destroyed, is very hard to take. (It appeared on the insightful site, tomdispatch.) The US general in charge of our military in Afghanistan called the attack -- the murders -- "a tragic mistake." Tragic? Oh yes, and as mistaken as could be. But if you believe Gottesdiener (and everything about her report stands up to scrutiny), it becomes clear that the avoidable -- or at the very least, stoppable -- mistake was one more mess in a mess of a war, a war that we supposedly are no longer fighting.The US military did an internal investigation and suspended several people. Details of their punishment aren't available yet, nearly two months after the event.

Afghanistan too (surprised?)

An investigation by the US military was probably reopened: at least 17 Afghans were probably murdered by Army Special Forces in 2012 & 2013 in Wardak province. Among the intriguing details is the role of an Afghan-American interpreter, Zakaria Kandahari, who probably tortured a man there while working with a Special Forces team. He "escaped" from a heavily guarded base before Afghan officials could questions him, but was subsequently arrested  & probably fingered his US handlers.

Hutchins convicted of murder -- again

Marine Sgt Lawrence Hutchins III was again found guilty of murdering Hashim Ibrahim Awad, a 52-year-old Iraqi policeman, in Hamdania in 2006, and then doing a weapon drop to cover it up. it's the second time he was convicted -- earlier convictions were overturned twice -- and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces had earlier ruled that his rights were  violated when he was originally held in solitary confinement for 7 days without access to a lawyer. Reportedly, others in his squad were reluctant to testify again out of shame.

Hutchins has already served 7 years of an 11-year sentence. The military jury sentenced him to time served the next day, which means that he will go probably home. "This is not about killing. This is about murder," said the lead prosecutor. "This is about the wholesale abandonment of moral prowess." Yep.

Boot camp overload/overlord?

Staff Sgt. Dustin Barker faces a general court martial, the most severe legal punishment, for tormenting marines under his command at Guantanamo and Camp Allen in Norfolk, VA. Barker is from Kentucky and has been in Iraq and Afghanistan since he joined up in 2002.

Marine finds out she's trans, goes ballistic, goes to trial

This sad story certainly puts all the bad apples in one basket: gender violence, homo & trans phobia, performance anxiety, vulnerability of prostitutes, too much booze, and, of course, what are U.S. marines doing in the Philippines anyway?

Ex-marine kills familly, self

Bradley Stone, a veteran of the Iraq war, killed his former wife and members of her family, then himself.

Soldier Suicides

A soldier barricaded herself inside an office at Fort Lee, causing a lockdown, and then killed herself. This sad story raises at least a few questions:

Is it soldier-on-soldier murder when the soldier you kill is yourself?

Does it make a difference that the gun she shot herself with wasn't a service weapon, but was available to her through other sources?

And, the obvious one: What brought her to such a state of despair?

Once again, it's being reported as a individual problem, someone who was "upset and outraged," though it's a good bet we'll never know what she was upset about and so, never had to come to terms with what is a systemic problem.

not the crime of the century

Robert Richard, one of the Marines videoed pissing on -- excuse me, "urinating on" -- dead Afghans, has died at 28.  Young, sad. His obit made news because of that act, which I assume is not what anyone wants to be remembered for.

His lawyer called the act, "a temporary lapse of discipline" and not "the crime of the century," both of which are probably true.  And isn't that the problem? Something like that reprehensible behavior was much more common in Iraq and Afghanistan than we want to acknowledge -- and don't have to because most of it didn't end up on YouTube. Contrary to contemporary belief, that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
The dehumanization of "the enemy" is basic to war; the dehumanization of "our guys" is too. Both are tragic. The AP obit ends, "Mr. Richards will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors." Nothing more be said.

not murder, but predatory

Staff Sgt. Angel Sanchez, (clearly misnamed) stands accused of sexual assault against a dozen women soldiers over the past 3 years.  He deployed to Iraq & Afghanistan & got a Bronze Star.  I have no idea if there are any connections there.

former Army linguist convicted of murdering her kids

This isn't exactly what this site is about -- this woman didn't kill "enemy combatants" or other soldiers, but you do wonder what toll her life in the military and as a military spouse may have played.