Completely agree: the Marine Corps has been overwhelmed with political correctness and moral cowardice for many years. Remember the unseemly and disgraceful race to promote the "first female three-star"? General Mutter was an incompetent, yet the Corps raced the other services to be first for whatever political capital that bought us. This action against a Sergeant is the latest example of swatting a fly with a sledgehammer, just to make their masters happy and guarantee their security in promotion and plump retirements. The latest Commandant is a smarmy politico and an embarrassment.
We have been caught up in the whole "promote the tall, good-looking guys who never get in trouble" syndrome while ridding ourselves of the characters and troublemakers who built the couragous reputation of the Corps. Chesty wouldn't have lasted through Second Lieutenant in today's Marine Corps.
Absolutely. In fact, over-reaction on minor admin matters during wartime is debiliting to morale in that it lessens respect for the wisdom of higher command.
ridding ourselves of the characters and troublemakers who built the couragous reputation of the Corps
Excellent point. There's a time and a place for the odd, the unexpected, the unique. If all you've got are company men, then all you're going to get is company ideas and answers.