Marine Commits Suicide Following Hazing

NBC Bay Area ^ | Tuesday, Aug 23, 2011 | Scott McGrew

[muawiyah]

Blood sugar irregularities as well as blood pressure problems can do that ~ we are talking about younger men in this situation so it’s likely any problem like that simply wasn’t caught by the medics.

[PiperShade]

“Hazing” hell !! Sleeping on guard duty is a case of “deriliction of duty” and subject to a general court or “such less punnishment as his commander may reccommend.

From the way the story reads it appears his fellow squaddies tried to deal with a serious infraction without resorting to steps that would/could have resulted in a “DD”.

But the sniveling twerp showed them !! >PS

[achilles2000]

Who said he should be subject to summary execution? You wrote something foolish and now you are making things up. The soldier committed suicide. He was his own judge, jury, and executioner.

The issue is whether we ought to feel terribly sorry for this sleeping-on-guard-duty-in-a-combat-zone recidivist. If there is anything to criticize, it is that after the first incident he wasn’t court-martialled and sent to Leavenworth. He repeatedly betrayed every last man in his unit in a way that could have gotten them all killed. The Marines that “hazed” him were justifiably P.O.ed.

[driftdiver]

Perhaps he just needed a babysitter.

[muawiyah]

I was trained to participate in an Infantry platoon.

Even in this case here not everyone was asleep ~ that just doesn't happen.

[SgtBob]

What you don’t understand is a fairly given “blanket party” does wonders for self discipline.

[driftdiver]

Yes its ok for some of them to fall asleep, after all someone else is awake and will notice the terrorists sneaking into the camp. No big deal

[momtothree]

“Who ordered the “Code Red”?

You can’t handle the truth, dfwgator!

[fr_freak]

Even in this case here not everyone was asleep ~ that just doesn't happen.

I have no idea what you are trying to say here. Most of the platoon was sleeping. The rest, most likely anywhere from several to ten or so guys, were on guard duty at various spots along the perimeter, with an NCO doing a roving check on those spots throughout. The NCO probably caught him, or his relief caught him.

[miss marmelstein]

Well, it’s a little bit clearer. Basically, what you’re saying is that soldiers do not want to be perceived as complainers or whiners(sort of like hitting the abuse button here) and so usually take care of the problem themselves. And in the old days that was fairly accepted.

[fabian]

Better him than the whole platoon...what a dumb and mean remark. Obviously, the thing to do is replace the soldier with one that can do the job! Not beat him up and humiliate him...which did not correct the problem..but just wound up with one over reacted and dead marine! What a waste. I hope he is in heaven now.

[WePledge]

I had a similar experience except the sleeping Korean was beheaded by an infiltrator. We found him the next morning with his head on upside down and backwards. I had trouble falling asleep anywhere for about 6 mos. afterward.

[muawiyah]

One more time, the rules require a trial. With the information we have in the article it's clear to some of us (with relevant life's experience) that the kid was suffering from clinical depression ~ whether that was from disease, drugs, diet, or other neurological or mental problem we don't know, but before he would have gone on trial military doctors would have found out pretty darned quick.

The officers who left this determination up to the enlisted personnel should be removed before they get someone hurt.

[muawiyah]

Your post # 43 sure looks like you were going out of your way to do an execution as the first order of business.

None of those punishments are relevant until a trial is held.

[muawiyah]

There's an awful lot you seem to not know about military life. I was in the Infantry. I understand guard duty. All I said is the whole platoon would not ever be asleep. And lo and behold they weren't!

You can't have it both ways ~ everybody asleep but the sleeper ~ just doesn't happen.

[RitchieAprile]

repeated blanket parties should indicate to the sgts that
the kid had a problem that peer pressure was unable to address, and he should have been evacuated to a medical facility. very definite failure of the leadership.

[muawiyah]

“blanket parties” are, in general, a serious violation of orders.

[fr_freak]

There's an awful lot you seem to not know about military life. I was in the Infantry. I understand guard duty. All I said is the whole platoon would not ever be asleep. And lo and behold they weren't!

Actually, I was in the infantry, and I spent time in a combat zone. I don't know why you keep bringing up this nonsense about "the whole platoon would never be asleep". Who ever said they were? You seem to be making stuff up as you go.

[calex59]

Well, I may sound hard hearted by saying this, but if he was falling asleep on guard duty, in a combat zone, he was bound to get some good Marine(s) killed some day soon. Better him than some other guys because he doped off.

BTW, if they had proof he was sleeping on guard why didn't his superiors court martial him and have him shipped out?

[hal ogen]

He decided to kill himself. He is responsible for that. He had many other options (starting with not falling asleep on guard duty). Obviously, he had some sort of personality instability.