Posted on 12/11/2007 8:14:01 AM PST by RDTF
SAN DIEGO – A former drill instructor convicted of maltreating recruits testified yeterday that he modeled his behavior on the conduct of his counterparts at the Marine Corps' boot camp in San Diego.
Last month, a military jury sentenced Sgt. Jerrod Glass to six months in the brig and demoted him to the lowest enlisted rank. Two drill instructors who worked with him to oversee Platoon 2167, Sgts. Brian Wendel and Robert Hankins, have been charged in the same case.
Wendel's trial began yesterday at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He is charged with 17 counts of misconduct involving seven charges, including assault, maltreatment, violation of orders and destruction of property.
Before the jury panel was seated, Glass testified he saw Wendel and other drill instructors “tap” recruits in the face with flashlights and push them through doors. He said such actions, which allegedly took place between October 2006 and February 2007, violated standard operating procedures that restrict drill instructors' rights to touch recruits.
“I know the letter of the law from the SOPs,” Glass testified. “But I know from my experience . . . that it's not always the way things are done.”
Glass also said Wendel and other drill instructors skirted rules limiting “incentive training” – a Marine term for punishing recruits with push-ups and other exercises – to eight minutes. They did so, Glass said, by stringing together punishments or conducting longer sessions indoors, where supervising officers would be unlikely to see them.
-snip-
The jury in Wendel's case, though, won't hear most of Glass' allegations. The military judge, Maj. Brian Kasprzyk, granted the defense's request to bar the testimony because none of the charges against Wendel deal with the accusations Glass made. Kasprzyk said hearing the testimony might prejudice jurors.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
At first glance it looks like PC creeping in. But a drill instructor isn’t just this harsh bully figure, the flip side is that the health and safety of the recruits are absolutely his responsibility. I have no sympathy if he violated that responsibility.
We knew we were in trouble then!
However, the first time I was shot at in Vietnam, my reflexes, trained by all the "mistreatment" from my DIs, put me on the ground BEFORE my ears interpreted the sound of the shots. I was ready to sign my next paycheck over to my DIs.
"He who sweats much in peace bleeds least in war!"
We told our marine son about this and he replied, I didn’t know there was any way it was illegal to abuse a marine.
I don't know too much about the specifics of this case, but I do know that the military is trying to re-calibrate basic training in ways to cut down wash-outs due to preventable injuries. Sports medicine has made major advances in the past 20 years, and the military would be foolhardy not to take advantage of those lessons.
12 years ago, in Navy boot camp, we experianced the phenomenon of “making it rain”. This meant wearing most of our uniforms all at once, i.e. tshirts, dungarees, sweatsuit, sweater, gloves, hat, etc. Then we exercised until condensation began to form on the ceiling and windows.
Good times.
Sweet great lakes rain!
I’ve heard stories about that...
Well said!
Sports Medicine Ping
I get your drift, but a recruit is not a Marine
Oh no!!
Say it isn’t true...
God help this formerly great nation.
The scumbag lawyers are intent on helping their Democrat party destroy the country. If only we had a Commander-in-Chief with a clue and the stones to address some of this over-lawyered military crap.
That being said, no matter how ridiculous particular rules may seem, a Non-Commissioned Officer can not be excused from intentionally disregarding them. NCO's- and especially drill instructors- are supposed to serve as an example of military discipline.
An NCO who expects obedience and attention to detail, while openly flouting military regulations himself, is standing on shaky ground. In my experience, hypocrisy of this kind is often a sure fire way to create brooding resentment and low morale among the lower ranks.
Before everyone starts losing their minds and pulling out the “Old Corps” cliches just remember one thing, these so so called new soft Marines upheld the reputation of the Corps at Fallujia, on the march to Baghdad, in Afgahanistan, and continue to do so now. These fine young Marnes are just as damn tough as the Marines at Tarawa, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Resivior, and Khe San. These kids are no different now than they were in Chesty’s day. The Old Corps, New Corps argument is hogwash.
Semper Fi
Spot on!
Semper Fidelis,
fontman
Well J**** C*****... This is the MARINE CORPS these wimps are joining, not a country club! If they don’t want hardship, physical and mental challenges, and yes, pain, then GO THE H*** SOMEWHERE ELSE! When I, as a US citizen, “send in the Marines” I want to be sending in the meanest, most focused, and most capable bunch of bad-a**** this world has ever seen. I do not want to be sending in a bunch of PC panty-waists that are afraid to get some cuts, bruises, and break a sweat. Where is it going to end? “Gee Sarg, can I get another latte from the mess?” The wimps bringing the charges had better stay away from any real Marines, then again, maybe they need some remedial education...
The root of the problem at the Depot.
"..a PC Marine Corp?"
Looks like it already is.
I would seem abusing a recruit would be truth in advertising. LOL!
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