[Non-Sequitur]

How can you defend or uphold it without "interpreting it?" Letting others tell you what it means is just another form of "I was just obeying orders".

Obeying the orders of my commanding officer is what I was expected to do. LCOL Lakin is no different.

[El Gato]

the orders of my commanding officer is what I was expected to do

So were the guards at Trelinka, Oswiecum and other such places. So were the Japanese soliders who conducted the Battan march.

Again, "I was just following orders" doesn't cut it. Especially not for officers.