[Joe 6-pack]

"I prefer to think that, when he gave the order to destroy it, the NCO was considering the impact of the video on the families of the victims and its potential for exploitation as jihadi propaganda."

I suspect that would be the most likely motive as well...The troop should have downloaded a copy and turned the phone over to CID.

[StonyBurk]

Most of my fellow enlisted back 69-77 were trained to obey
orders from their superiors first—and ask questions later.
What the em should have done— or might have done as rear view
mirror speculation is mental exercise and fun but not much help.