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Investigations Find Hazing at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

Investigations Find Hazing at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

The Marine Corps’ recruit hazing scandal is not limited to the Corps’ East Coast training depot at Parris Island, South Carolina.

At least two drill instructors at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego have been disciplined since 2014 for hazing recruits, according to redacted copies of the investigations, which Marine Corps Times obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

One drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego received nonjudicial punishment in 2014 after he ordered his recruits into the shower, where he had them crowd together while naked until they were standing, “nuts to butts,” as one recruit told investigators.

Another drill instructor accused of choking recruits was found guilty of violating a lawful order at a July 2016 summary court martial and reduced in rank to corporal, according to the investigation.

The Marine Corps is not releasing either of the drill instructors’ names, said Capt. Matthew Finnerty, a spokesman for the San Diego recruit depot. The drill instructor involved with the shower incidents is still on active-duty but no longer trains recruits; while the drill instructor accused of assaulting recruits has been administratively separated from the Corps.

Both the San Diego and Parris Island recruit depots have made a series of institutional changes to prevent hazing, including doubling the number of officers who supervise recruit training and adding more drill instructors, Finnerty said.

But the incidents show how hard it is for recruits to identify hazing at boot camp and report drill instructors who cross the line.

After an investigation into the shower incidents was launched in April 2014, several recruits told investigators they supported their drill instructor.

“His treatment did not affect me as it is boot camp and the yelling and craziness is something that comes with it,” one recruit wrote on a questionnaire from the Marine Corps’ Criminal Investigative Division.

Another recruit wrote that he was not sure if being ordered into the shower rose to the level of hazing because he was not entirely sure what hazing is.

“I thought we were just supposed to get used to seeing other naked men,” the recruit wrote on the questionnaire.

But other recruits wrote that being forced to crowd together that closely while naked was unacceptable and the drill instructor should not be given a second chance to train recruits.

“It’s against human rights; it’s something that you don’t do,” one recruit told a CID investigator.

With the other case, investigators found that a drill instructor assaulted six recruits between June and July of 2015. One of the recruits told a CID investigator that the drill instructor, a sergeant, grabbed his throat and picked him up so that he had to stand on his toes to breathe, according to the investigation.

The recruit had a fear of being choked before the incident, the investigation says. Afterward, he became paranoid, “unfocused” and “depressed,” but he initially kept quiet about it because he felt something bad would happen or no one would believe him.

“I wasn’t reporting it at the time because I was scared and wanted to keep it all in and continue training,” the recruit told a CID investigator. “I really didn’t want to go to the Crucible because I was afraid of what would happen there if I didn’t do well.”

Five days after the incident, the recruit told another drill instructor that he had been choked and he was later sent to the hospital for a mental evaluation, the investigation says.

His mother filed a report with the recruit depot’s provost marshal’s office after a Navy ensign in the hospital told her: “The incident had been investigated either at or above the command level and that it had been unfounded,” she told a CID investigator.

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Comments

DMcKee Cpl - April 15, 2020

In reply to LCpl Richard E Jenkins 1959-1963.
Platoon 271 and of course like you, we were in the old quanset huts next to the grinder. Senior was SSgt. Harrison, Sgt. Greer the other two DI’s are a fog. Company I’ve forgotten Fi & Fair winds and following seas.

USMC59 - April 15, 2020

In reply to Top Pro USMC ‘64-’84.
I was on operations with Danish troops in Germany on a NATO, and their Jutland Division looked like a bu8nch of hippies. They performed like hippies too. But I served with the Norwegian Army on a Northern Wedding NATO Winter package and those Norskies skiied circles around us and were some of the best troops that I ever saw. No girls in the field, just Norski guys. The Israeli Army is a whole different package. They are on the front lines every day. They don’t treat or train their women like American pussies. No double standards like in Obama’s USA. ISRAELI WOMEN ARE TRAINED LIKE COMBAT SOLDIERS AND ARE LIKE ANY OTHER COMBAT SOLDIER OR MARINE IN THE WORLD.

USMC59 - April 15, 2020

In reply to Steve Radcliffe.
I agree with you Steve Radcliffe. I thought Boot Camp was tough in 1959, especially mentally. But service in the regular Crops made Boot Camp seem like it wasn’t anything.

USMC59 - April 15, 2020

In reply to Randy Wilson = Sgt. U.S. Marine Corps 1967- 1970 = Vietnam 1968-1969.
The problem is that the so-called “modern marine corps,” (pussified) and integrated with women in combat roles, is that it will go to hell in a hand basket, kind of like Obama and Hillary ran the country.

GYsgt. USMC 59.’ - April 15, 2020

In reply to Sgt of Marines, Bob495..
Great points Sgt of Marines, Bob495. I was in PI in 1959 and we didn’t have “human rights.” PC and pussified corps in small case. Not the Corps before pussification.

GySgt E.W. Wilbur USMC Ret 1955-1975 - April 15, 2020

All we her any more is hazing and being yelled at while in Boot Camp. Give me a break I was in Plt 127 2nd Bn MCRD PISC. 1955 Sept to Dec. 1955. We didn’t have anything such as Hazing. We were becoming Marine’s and our DI’s did what ever it took to make us Marines. We would “Duck Walk” around the Squad Bay , Have foot locker drill, sleep with your Girl Friend AKA M-1 Rifle. I am now 80 as of this past Feb. Its didn’t hurt me or any of the other Marines in our Pit. Semper Fi

Glen Roy Perales - April 15, 2020

In reply to Glen Roy Perales.
plt.145 1962.

aardq - April 15, 2020

Boot camp has to be mentally hard to weed out those that might crack under pressure. Better to crack in boot camp than under fire and endanger others. I don’t agree with chocking, but attitude adjustment with the bare hands works wonders, not only to the “adjusted one”, but to all who saw the adjustment and were thankful that it wasn’t them. Never knew that a 5-8, stocky DI could drive a boot out of a GP tent, from the middle, with a single, short jab to the solar plexus. Until it happened to me! I filed that in the “try not to screw up again” file.

aardq - April 15, 2020

In reply to Top Pro USMC ‘64-’84.
If they can hump all the needed gear, and if they successfully trained as 0311, then let them. BUT, if an individual can’t hack it, there should be no lowering of standards or expectations, and they should be reassigned.

Glen Roy Perales - April 14, 2020

In reply to Sgt R.Padgett.
i to got beat up in boot camp usmc san diego in 1962 1st batt. but im very glad my di did a great job with us.it made us kids into men.chu lai viet nam 1966.SEMPER FI .

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