Bros + [friends],

sent this to [friend] to forward to all of you. I have very little time to write letters. I get through 1 or 2 a week. So, sorry for the delays in responding, I’ll get you all back individually, but figured this would be the best way pass on shit I’d end up copying and pasting to each of you anyway

Days start at 0400 and end at 2000 on the dot. Wake up w a few hours of pitch dark and go to sleep when it’s still light out.

We get out of the “racks” (bunks), get dressed at the same time, “scuzz the house” (fold our towels, align our extra boots/shoes make our racks, sweep the floor while squatting w a hand brush), then go to the chow hall. When we go to chow, like everywhere we go, we march to the drill instructor’s cadence. Every time we fuck something up (a movement, not screaming loud enough, not holding our rifles properly etc) we get the old “you don’t want to yell? Ok, fuck you, run and touch the trees, ok run back the other way, etc” not so fun at 0430

Chow is pretty Good. Looks like it’s US Foods, actually. I see the trucks all over the place and chuckle to myself (on the inside) every time… [...] After chow we go to PT (physical training) This shit is awesome. It absolutely smokes me, which I wasn’t expecting. Some days it’s circuits like: run 1/4 mile, do 20 burpees, run 1/4 mile, do 40 body squats, run 1/4 mile, abs, run, pull-ups, repeat. Yeah, there are plenty of “fat disgusting pieces of shit.” (as the DI’s call them) but all that means is they go slower. If you go at your personal max pace, you’re guaranteed to be dead at the end.

Other PT workout will be crossfit stations w a run at the end, and sometimes it’s just as long (6 mile) march w/ 40 lbs on our backs. Those are whack, though, bc we go slower than [friend] getting up the stairs to [friend]‘s apartment.

We learn a ton of martial arts, which is technically called MCMAP- marine corps martial arts program- bit I call it Karate and ninja training, which my DI’s don’t like one bit.

It started with boring punches and kicks, tiger shulman tae kwon do style, but now we’re learning throws, counters, elbows, stomps, bayonet attacks, bayonet defenses, etc. all of which we do at full speed and intensity on each other. (sometimes w pads but often not) IF the DI’s think we’re going easy on each other, they flip a shit.

The MCMAP shit is incorporated into our PT workouts, one of the best workouts we did was the martial arts conditioning course: 2 min of jab straight hook vs. a recruit w a pad throw a recruit over your shoulder, carry them back and forth btwn 2 cones 30 yards apart somersault (sp?) back and forth 30 yards apartment roundhouse kicks drag a recruit back and forth for 30 yards elbow strikes choke counters knee strikes run 1/2 mile punch blocks/throws crawl (low) in sand for 100 yards body squats run 1/4 mile

After we finished, when we thought we were done for the workout, we did a pull pushup/ab/mountain climber workout. again, the fat kids make it through bc they’ll get to a station and do the exercise like 5 times. But I beast mode it.

We also have done pugil sticks twice (google it.) fun as fuck. Get to wail away on a stranger w DI’s encouraging you to knock their head off. I’ll admit I’ve taken my share of blows, but on more than I’ve lost for sure. Some other fun PT shit has been the “confidence course”- a military-style ropes course, minus the B.S. safety harnesses. Google it. and the “obstacle course” which I think I explained to you all when I did it a while back for OCS. again, google it.

After PT we go back to the squad bay for a “PT shower” which is about 45 seconds under the water each, good enough to turn dirt to mud. Then we get dressed, march to chow, then go to class for the afternoon. Classes are boring as fuck (45 minutes on “honor” or an hour on sexual assault BS) or they’re fuckin’ sweet (combat care, USMC history, medal of honor stories, etc) they’re [name] middle school quality though… if that.

After classes we work on drill— very elementary version of what the dudes in the commercials do, throwing rifles in the air and shit. I can’t stand drill. Shit’s fucking dumb, but it takes up a lot of our time theses days. It’s supposed to “instill discipline” but you can’t tame the beast. I came here to learn how to hook, jab, stab, and shoot. Not walk in straight lines like some synchronized swimming shit. Oh well. [...] Enough about that b.s. Some funny shit:

1) [...]

2) [...]

3) Don’t ask Don’t Tell. Shit may have been repealed, but the USMC sure hasn’t adapted. We’re called faggots 10-50 times a day. “You think that’s yelling? That’s sweet faggot.” “Yeah, you would think that’s a pushup, faggot.” etc. Any time we fuck something up, the DI’s tell us “you stupid fucking thing. That’s more wrong than two boys fucking.” One captain, when giving an ethics class, and talking about how one mistake can change your life/ identity told the entire company “you can be a bridge builder your entire life, but you suck one dick and you’re a cocksucker till you die.” Not much room for bitchassness. Even though only 10% of the corps is infantry, they treat everyone at about like they’ll be going to combat.

4) [Name]. This one younger kid from Philly took a shit ton of flak from the DI’s the first two weeks. So much so that he was saying “aye sir! aye sir!” in his sleep. One day, he got worked by the DI’s and after he was told to go back to the platoon. A DI came up to him and whispered “nobody fucking cares about you, [name], nobody is going to write to you. nobody is going to your fucking graduation.” [Name] broke, and started crying. The DI goes “yeah that’s right bitch,” then wipes the tears off [name] ‘s face licks them from his finger, and goes “yeah bitch”. Shit like that goes down every day except for the crying thing.

5) terrorist recruit. The one indian looking kid in the platoon gets ripped by the DI’s day one they started calling him a terrorist, a cabbie, and a small shop owner. “[Name] are you a fucking terrorist?” “no sir” “well, if you were a terrorist, you wouldn’t admit to it now would you?” “no sir” “so you’re probably a fucking terrorist.” “aye sir” “because you look like a fucking terrorist, why aren’t you driving a fucking cab like the rest of your people?” “this recruit doesn’t know sir.” ” I know though, because you’re a fucking terrorist.” Anytime he gets mail the DI’s don’t say his name and instead go “oh, great, more terrorist mail.” and drop it on the ground like they don’t want to get anthrax, or pretend to listen to it like it’s a timebomb. When he answers questions wrong about our classes, they go, “you know why you don’t know the answer?” “no sir” “because your brain is full of fucking terrorist information, that’s why.” “aye sir”

It’s impossible to remember all the funny shit that happens, it never ends. The DI’s are fucking hilarious every day, but it’s hard to explain, especially in writing. Let’s see… a few kids have gotten pretty fucked up during training . First, a kid in my platoon…got pissed at another recruit and pushed him. the recruit who got pushed, stood up and swung his rifle at my buddy, hitting him in the face w the muzzle. it ended up breaking my buddy’s eye socket, which dropped his eye. He’ll probably need facial surgery. He was put in a medical platoon to heal, which will take 4-6 weeks just to know whether he needs more work. He doesn’t go home and hardly earns any more means to communicate w family/ friends. Just sits there waiting to get better and restart training. the recruit who swung the rifle was taken from the platoon. Word was he could be charged w assault and put in the brig.

Yesterday, (thurs 4-19) we ran the obstacle course. A kid about 5 people behind me jumped from an obstacle awkwardly and broke his leg like that dude from [town] ([friend] sent me a pic) I didn’t see the kid go down, but it was gruesome apparently. We waited for the parameds, then went right on training. Heard from a recruit in the kid’s platoon that he snapped his femur. Nasty. Not what I heard at first. But that’s way way worse. Another kid didn’t hold his rifle properly during the bayonet assault course hit a tire, lost control, couldn’t hold the rifle, and it bounced back and knocked his two front teeth out. Sucks to suck. [...]

We have this shit called “incentive training” or IT which is fast and furious, impromptu workouts w/ one drill instructors when we fuck up for anything. They’re like 10-15 minutes of pushups cruces, mountain-climbers, high knees, planks, jumping jacks, and burpees. They’ll wreck anyone. If you put out, which you have to do, end up unable to hold yourself up, no matter what shape you’re in. [...]

Sometimes, on days when we already have hard PT, I’ll have another 4 IT sessions. Beast mode. Gotta say I love it. Someone jacks up a drill movement we get IT. Someone talks in formation, IT. I moved my neck in formation once and got IT but that’s rare.

[...]

There are a number of kids who are “failing to adapt” but they’re coming around. I don’t have much to do w/ them though (other than getting IT’d for them and yelling at them as squad leader) There are leaders and followers, fat kids and beasts, smart kids and dumb fucks, guys who are squared away and guys who are “soup sandwiches”, understandable w 55 guys.

[There] is a black kid from [southern state] named [name]. He’s the definition of slave genetics. I call him Django. He’s dumb as rocks, but a PT animal. He keeps me motivated during PT, I teach him how to speak english better than a combo the old guy in “duck dynasty” and Big Black from “Rob and Big”.

Since most of you asked, I haven’t fired my rifle yet. We go everywhere with them and I sleep w my head between two of them. But we aren’t at “firing week” – it’s in two weeks. Then, we’ll pour rounds down range. While we haven’t shot, other platoons are on the range every day from sun up to sun down so there’s a maelstrom of gunfire blasting around the base all day. Pretty awesome sound.

No, we don’t even stand near female recruits. I wouldn’t want to anyway… they smell worse than we do. Only 3-4 per platoon are even attractive. We see them at church (which is required, basically) and rarely at the chow hall. That’s it.

Anyway, I gotta get a lift in before lights. If this didn’t come across, I love it down here. None of my big concerns became realities. I get to learn badass shit, workout constantly, and am rewarded for being as intense as physically/mentally as possible for 16 hours a day. Life’s good, hardly ever been as satisfied when I go to bed as I am now.

Thank you all for your letters. They mean a lot to me and keep me more motivated than you think. Sorry again for the lack of personal response, but I really get no time to write… I hope your’e all well. Take a shot for me when you’re closing tabs at 0400… I’ll be waking up to a barrage of hateful, hateful yelling.

All love… and as we say 100x a day… Kill!

[Name]

Article source: http://gawker.com/dont-ask-dont-tell-faggot-inside-marine-corps-boot-509032688

As Hagel underscored at his press conference with the Japanese Minister of Defense:

Earlier this month, the United States and Japan jointly announced a base consolidation plan on Okinawa. Its implementation, in concert with moving ahead on the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) will ensure that we maintain the right mix of capabilities on Okinawa, Guam and elsewhere in the region, as we reduce our footprint on Okinawa and strengthen this alliance for the future. 

In addition, we confirmed the deployment of a second squadron of MV-22 Ospreys to Japan, which will take place this summer and increase our capabilities in the region.

Hagel is re-enforcing the importance of the Ospreys at a key time in the roll out of the capability by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in the Pacific. The Ospreys are being deployed first to the USMC First Air Wing on Okinawa and then with the 31^st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the only permanently forward deployed Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) in the Corps.

The USMC is really at the center of the pivot to the Pacific. The USMC is not only redeploying in the region but enhancing its role as a rotational force as well. As Col. John Merna, the Commanding Officer of the 31^st MEU put it in a recent interview with Second Line of Defense (SLD):

In one sense, the Marines are going back to the force levels we had in the region prior to 9/11.  So it is simply a restoration rather than a build up or buildout.

But the way the force is being configured is very different. We are emphasizing building out a rotational force, notably in Australia, but elsewhere as well.

The USMC is itself “pivoting” in the Pivot to the Pacific.  USMC forces in Okinawa are moving partly to Guam and the Marines are shaping a new working relationship with the Australians in Western Australia.  In fact, they are the lead force in re-shaping the U.S. presence in the Pacific over the next few years.

The Marine Corps in the Pacific faces a myriad of challenges.  They have been directed through International Agreements, spanning two different U.S. administrations, to execute force-positioning moves.  This is political, but it’s not partisan.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense has mandated that at least 22,000 Marines in PACOM remain west of the international dateline in the distributed Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Laydown and he, Congress, and the American people are not interested in a non-functional concept for a USMC force.

Beyond what is directed, the Marines need to maintain a ready-force in the face of existing training area encroachments, plus they require training areas near the new force laydown locations.

Article source: http://thediplomat.com/2013/05/24/the-us-marine-corps-in-the-pivot-to-the-pacific/

They are seldom successful. The problem is global, according to exchange officials.

“Shading concerns over the MCCUU occur at all commands,” said Anita Roberson, the branch head for merchandising for Semper Fit and the Exchange Services Division.

Complaints have been rolling in since 2009. One Marine Corps Times reader, an East Coast logistician, wrote that he was unable to assemble an acceptable uniform after visiting three installations including Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.

“I tried different sizes, pulled from the top and bottom of the stack, and the colors are significantly different between the blouses and the trousers,” he wrote in an email. “I spoke to numerous people working there and was informed that this has been an ongoing problem for quite a while.”

Out of desperation, some Marines have even tried repeatedly washing a darker article of clothing to make it match the lighter, he said.

The problem likely affects issued clothing as well because all MarPat uniforms — whether sold in the exchanges or issued directly to Marines by their command —are procured through Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support.

“Based on feedback on the issue from our customers, the MCX has had numerous meetings with [Marine Corps Systems Command], [Installations and Logistics], and DLA Troop Suport, beginning in 2009,” Roberson said.

MARCORSYSCOM did not answer detailed questions about the problem; spokeswoman Barb Hamby said the command has received reports on the issue and is “actively investigating.”?

Article source: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20130523/NEWS/305230015/Corps-wide-mismatched-uniform-problem-frustrates-Marines

By Lance Cpl. Brandon C. Suhr
| Marine Corps Installations Pacific | May 24, 2013

Lance Cpl. Bennett M. Russ smashes parts of a building frame, demilitarizing a simulated forward operating base, during a field training exercise May 17 at the Central Training Area near Camp Hansen. Marines conducted the training May 15-17 in preparation for their upcoming deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Photo by Lance Cpl. Brandon C. Suhr (Photo by Lance Cpl. Brandon C. Suhr)

CENTRAL TRAINING AREA, OKINAWA, Japan —
Many Marines have served valiantly during combat operations in Afghanistan. The lessons learned are continuously passed from one generation of Marines to the next, laying the foundation for less experienced Marines to deploy to Afghanistan, complete the mission, and return home safely.
Marines with Company F, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, completed a field training exercise May 15-17 on Camps Hansen and Schwab, and the Central Training Area in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
“This training benefits the Marines out here because it gets all of them working together, driving the vehicles, and being able to shoot, move and communicate,” said 1st Lt. Robert M. Best, the executive officer of Company F, 9th ESB, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “The purpose of this training is to assess and evaluate this company’s preparation over the past couple months.”
The training consisted of familiarizing Marines with the M240B medium machine gun, applying proper convoy tactics, demilitarizing forward operating bases, and improvised explosive device detection training, according to Cpl. Sal J. Flores Jr., an engineer equipment operator with the company. It also gives the noncommissioned officers another opportunity to lead Marines before entering a combat zone.
“Some of the Marines who have previously deployed used this exercise to enhance their military occupational specialty abilities and set the example as Marine NCOs by passing on what they have learned from prior deployments,” said Flores.
The exercise also ensured that all Marines experienced the same level of training, which will allow them to operate more efficiently when they deploy because of a shared understanding of all the required mission sets.
“We started preparing for this deployment a couple months ago, and this three-day field exercise was definitely beneficial for us,” said Pfc. Lukkas A. Lambert, a combat engineer with the company. “It was more hands-on training … the rainy weather was a test for us, but I think we all passed.”
Although the weather conditions were harsh at times, the Marines made the best of it by focusing harder on the training events, especially when they executed the IED detection training.
“There were three different lanes that the Marines observed during the detection training portion,” said Best. “They responded well with the patrolling and sending up reports of any simulated IEDs that were found as they went through the event.”
Coupling the IED detection and FOB demilitarization training, the Marines felt prepared to complete any mission during their upcoming deployment.
“I don’t know what other training we could do to better prepare us for this deployment,” said Lambert. “We’re tearing down a simulated forward operating base, which is what we’re going to be doing once we’re there.”
As the training ended, the Marines of Company F walked away with a better understanding of their future mission.
“At the end of the exercise, I felt confident in saying the Marines are fully prepared for this deployment,” said Best. “The new and old Marines with the company will perform well during our deployment.”

3rd Marine Logistics Group

3rd MLG

9th Engineer Support Battalion

9th ESB

Afghanistan

Brandon C. Suhr

Camp Hansen

Camp Schwab

Company F.

Fox Company

Gun Position 402

III Marine Expeditionary Force

III MEF

Japan

Lukkas A. Lambert

M-240B medium machine gun

Marine Corps

Marine Corps Installations Pacific

Marines

MCIPAC

military

OEF

Okinawa Marine

Operation Enduring Freedom

pre-deployment

Robert M. Best

Sal J. Flores Jr.

service members

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Article source: http://www.mcipac.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/1144/Article/143519/9th-engineer-support-battalion-prepares-for-deployment-to-afghanistan.aspx

Not only was Fernandez overall winner at 1 hour, 11 minutes and 5 seconds, he was also the top finisher of more than 2,600 military members from all services to complete the race.

Marine Corps Reserve Capt. Amanda Burke, an Individual Mobilization Augmentee from Quantico’s Marine Corps Systems Command, was the top female military military finisher — and the second female overall, crossing the finish line in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 12 seconds.

But it was actor Sean Astin, star of the movies “Rudy” and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, who stole the show.

Wearing the ceremonial race bib No. 1, he fired the starter’s pistol to kick off the race. Then, he jumped into the fray and ran the 13.1-mile course, finishing in 2 hours and 11 minutes and 58 seconds.

Being the featured star in a military sponsored event, he said was an honor for him as it gave him a chance to spend some time with members of the military.

“I was trained early on to look a Marine, soldier, sailor or airman in the eye and thank them for their service and mean it,” Astin said. “I’m a very patriotic American and this gives me a chance to prove it.”

What he wasn’t expecting was for the race to renew patriotism.

“This is very special — a military event in a historic place and I won’t forget it — standing in the middle of the street and the [national and Marine Corps] colors are presented and there’s a cannon being set off by a unit of Marines and you’re singing the national anthem with them — it reawakens in you a spirit of pride in our country and those who serve her.”

On the course, Fernandez took the lead early in the half marathon and didn’t let go. A 2009 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, he has been a competitive runner for years and even finished third last year in the 26.2-mile Marine Corps Marathon. He’s currently the operations officer for the Coast Guard Ceremonial Guard in Washington, D.C.

Though well in command of the race, Fernandez said he never felt alone as the city turned out in what was sometimes light rain to cheer the runners on. He was also buoyed by those running the 5K and 10K races on the same course. Those races started at separate points along the course though all finished at the same point near the Fredericksburg Exposition Center.

Active-duty Marines took top overall honors in both of the the shorter races, with Christopher White taking the 5K with a time of 17 minutes and 44 seconds, and Jack Sutter winning the 10K in 37 minutes and 5 seconds.

“Having three races on the same course wasn’t an issue at all and it really helped me not feel so alone out there,” Fernandez said. “This is really a beautiful course, to run, but it’s got some tough hills as well.”

For Burke, the top military honor was a surprise.

“It is really one of the best courses I’ve ran and I felt really good the whole way,” she said. “But I really didn’t expect to finish as well as I did.”

Astin, meanwhile didn’t run his fastest half marathon, but that didn’t seem to bother him as he graciously posed for pictures with many runners and their families around the finish line after the race.

Being among service members, Astin said, reminds him of what’s important.

“I’m a 42-year old man now and I look around and see these young Marines, in their early- to mid-20s, many of whom have already deployed overseas four times, and you just are in awe of them,” he said.

“Regardless of what you think about what we’re doing around the world, at some time or other we depend on these people to protect our freedom, our way of life by doing a tough job that most people would hesitate to do.”

Article source: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20130519/NEWS/305190015/Coast-Guard-officer-wins-Marine-Corps-Historic-Half-Marathon

The complaint, filed by Marine Maj. James Weirick, an attorney assigned to Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, Va., alleges Commandant Gen. Jim Amos, or others acting on his behalf, deliberately sought to manipulate the legal process, effectively stacking the deck against the scout snipers in the video.

Weirick’s complaint, a copy of which was obtained by Marine Corps Times, also alleges Amos showed preferential treatment to ensure the promotion of then-Maj. James B. Conway, the son of Amos’ predecessor as commandant, retired Gen. James T. Conway. Conway was executive officer of the scout snipers’ unit, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines.

According to the complaint, Conway was initially placed on administrative hold once the video became public in January 2012. But while the unit’s commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Dixon, remained on administrative hold, Conway’s hold was released last year, after the case was discussed during an executive offsite meeting of the Corps’ top leaders, according to emails obtained by Marine Corps Times.

He was allowed to move from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in July 2012, and eventually took a coveted assignment as a battalion commander. Dixon remains on hold today, nearly a year later.

The complaint complicates an already sticky situation for Amos and the Corps, and will likely figure in the court-martial proceedings pending for two North Carolina-based Marines charged in connection to the urination video: Capt. James Clement and Sgt. Robert Richards.

At least six other Marines have been disciplined for their roles in the July 2011 urination incident, which exploded in a firestorm of controversy, at home and around the world, when it went viral on YouTube.Among the strongest reactions came from Amos himself, who launched into a tour around the Corps to deliver his “Heritage Brief,” in which he condemned the acts in the video, stressed the importance of ethical behavior and accountability, and pressed for aggressive responses to misbehavior.

The brief later became fodder for dozens of defense motions in all sorts of criminal cases, as defense attorneys charged it amounted to command influence in their clients’ cases.

Spokesmen for the IG, Lynne Halbrooks, and the commandant declined to comment on the complaint.

But a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon provided a brief statement in response to questions.

“It would be inappropriate for the Marine Corps to comment on allegations specifically related to ongoing DoD IG complaints or investigations,” the statement reads. “There are DoD prohibitions on providing anyone with the status and/or action(s) taken on any allegation.”

Swapping generals

Trouble began Feb. 10, 2012, one month after the urination video surfaced, Weirick alleges. Amos, unsatisfied with the approach taken by the three-star general overseeing the urination case, made a change, the complaint says.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, who at the time was commanding Marine Corps Forces Central Command, initially had control of the case. This was logical, as MARCENT oversees operations in Afghanistan and routinely serves as the convening authority in judicial matters tied to the war zone.

According to Guy Womack, the civilian defense attorney representing Sgt. Richards, Waldhauser was preparing to meet with his client when Amos made the switch.

Waldhauser intended to offer Richards nonjudicial punishment, Womack said.

Said Rachael Richards, the sergeant’s wife: “We had everything lined up to fly out on Valentine’s Day to meet with the general to receive his punishment. Then everything changed, and the Heritage Brief started soon after.”

Weirick’s complaint contends that once Amos learned Waldhauser intended to impose only modest punishments, the commandant reassigned the case to Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, Weirick’s commanding general.

A day before that change, a photo emerged showing other scout snipers in Afghanistan, some scruffy and in violation of uniform standards, posing with a Nazi “SS” flag. That incensed the commandant, who issued an apology “on behalf of the Marine Corps and all Marines.”

Soon after, Amos delivered his Heritage Brief for the first of 27 times, addressing thousands of officers and staff noncommissioned officers all around the world over the next several months.His presentation included images from the urination video — which Weirick’s complaint cites as an unfair use of evidence from an ongoing criminal trial — and references to his personal opinion about the case. According to Weirick’s complaint, the commandant said it was “behavior unbecoming a Marine.”

That, the complaint alleges, “makes it almost impossible for any of the accused to receive a fair trial.”

Womack, Richards’ defense attorney, also contends it was inappropriate to move the case from Waldhauser to Mills.

“The commandant had no business and no right to interfere,” he argues. “If the general for MARCENT can be trusted to fight a war for the Marine Corps — the most important job in the Corps right now — certainly the commandant can trust him to handle an NJP.”

Classified material

The IG complaint alleges the commandant’s legal advisers sought to classify evidence assembled in the investigation in an effort to “prevent or delay the disclosure of information before court-martial, to conceal violations of law, and prevent embarrassment to the United States Marine Corps.”

The complaint alleges that the commandant’s legal team ignored the recommendations of Weirick, his supervisor and four civilian security specialists employed by the Corps, whom the complaint describes as experts on classification matters.

Citing the same issues, Weirick also filed a report last month to the Department of the Navy Central Adjudication Facility, part of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service responsible for determining eligibility for security clearance. In it, he requests the agency determine whether the commandant’s lawyers, Col. Joseph Bowe, and civilians Robert Hogue and Peter Delorier, still merit their security clearances, and whether “they still possess the requisite reliability and trustworthiness such that entrusting them with access to classified information is clearly consistent with the interests of national security.”

In the report, Weirick alleges that on Feb. 27, 2012, Mills and his team were directed to classify the urination video along with several other videos showing Marines behaving inappropriately during that deployment. “Col. Bowe iterated that the investigation was to be classified and that this direction was coming directly from Gen. [Joseph] Dunford, then Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.”

At the time, the report states, Weirick protested on several grounds: The videos were “freely exchanged” among Marines, making it impossible to account for all the duplicates; Mills lacked the authority to classify the materials because, as the head of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, he is not an “original classification authority” — meaning he can’t order the material classified even if he wanted to; and finally, that the videos posed no direct harm to national security.

That last point is debatable. U.S. forces in Afghanistan were on high alert that week in the wake of deadly protests provoked by reports that personnel at Bagram Air Base had inadvertently burned copies of the Koran, Islam’s holy book, and other religious materials. Riots throughout the country left hundreds wounded or dead, including at least four U.S. troops. So offensive materials in the wrong hands could have been viewed as potentially dangerous.

Mills’ legal team approached Marine Corps Systems Command, the only post at Quantico with classification authority, but officials there said they would be uncomfortable getting involved, according to Weirick’s report.

Two days later, Weirick’s supervisor, then-Lt. Col. Jesse Gruter, informed Bowe that Mills was willing to keep the material “unclassified/for-official-use-only,” the report says.

“But we understand that’s not our determination to make,” Gruter told Bowe in an email included in Weirick’s report. “If CMC directs that it be classified, we will forward the investigation.”

That was inconsequential. Lt. Gen. Richard Tryon, deputy commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations at the Pentagon, had already signed a memorandum classifying the videos and investigation. Emails exchanged between the Corps’ civilian security specialists disputed Tryon’s decision on the grounds that it offered no reason for the classification, as required.

Weirick’s objections, and those of the civilian security specialists, went unanswered, the report says.

Then, last June, Weirick petitioned a classification authority outside the Marine Corps. Army Maj. Gen. Karl Horst, chief of staff at U.S. Central Command, reviewed the investigation and the videos and “properly declassified” them, Weirick’s report claims.

“This was, in no way, an unintentional misclassification or simple mistake,” Weirick’s report alleges. “This was a coordinated effort to circumvent the proper classification procedures. … These individuals purposefully avoided any input or advice from security personnel in order to wrongfully classify this information.”

Womack called the classification issue a “minor impediment.” It slowed, but did not stop, him from accessing the information he needs to formulate a defense for Richards, he said. As a retired Marine officer, Womack said he has top secret clearance — even now as a civilian. He had to wait for his clearance to be reinstated, he said.

The urination video and several others were shown during Richards’ Article 32 hearing at Camp Lejeune in March. They included footage of the scout snipers riding on top of tanks with the bodies of the three men on whom they had urinated earlier, Richards throwing a grenade over a 10-foot-wall and a grenade launcher that appeared to have accidentally discharged due to malfunction.

The former commandant’s son

Weirick also alleges in his complaint that Amos “may also have engaged in selective prosecution” in the case, pointing out that Conway was promoted to his current rank and allowed to take a new assignment while other officers in the unit remain in limbo.

James B. Conway, then a major, reported for duty as the XO in June 2010. He served under Dixon during the unit’s deployment from February to August 2011. Conway received a Bronze Star for meritorious service in Afghanistan. His award citation credits him with performing “all duties of the Executive Officer in a superior fashion,” and overseeing operations in Musa Qala district while Dixon focused on neighboring Now Zad, where 3/2 Marines also operated.

“His greatest contribution was his ability to act as the Battalion Commander for extended periods and assume command and control of the Musa Qal’eh [Musa Qala] District, which encompasses two-thirds of the battalion’s combat power,” the citation said of Conway. “The result allowed the Battalion Commander to focus on the failing governance of Now Zad District in order to improve Afghan performance, preparing it for transition to full Afghan control.”

The urination video was shot in Sandala, a village in Musa Qala district, Marines testified during Richards’ Article 32 court hearing in March.

The video was recorded on July 27, 2011, and appeared online and went viral in January 2012, about two months after Conway received the Bronze Star.

Dozens of Marines in the battalion had their promotions and follow-on assignments put on hold as the investigation unfolded last year, according to emails between general officers obtained, independent of Weirick’s complaint, by Marine Corps Times. Six members of 3/2’s leadership were initially put on hold, including Dixon, Conway and Sgt. Maj. Dennis Downing, the unit’s top enlisted Marine.

Marine Corps Times also obtained a May 31, 2012, position paper sent to Amos by Gen. John “Jay” Paxton, then the three-star commander of Camp Lejeune’s II Marine Expeditionary Force, saying all six leaders put on hold were questioned at length as part of the investigation. There was no evidence any of them knew about the violations of the law of armed conflict of which the scout snipers were accused, Paxton said.

Paxton’s position paper, which was sent to Amos, Dunford and a host of other generals, says it was recommended that Conway and 1st Lt. Edward Leslie, commander of the battalion’s 81mm mortar platoon, be released of all holds.

The email to which Paxton’s position paper was attached, also dated May 31, 2012, and obtained by Marine Corps Times, says the Corps’ top general officers discussed how the 3/2 cases should be handled last year during the Executive Offsite, a quarterly meeting that includes three- and four-star generals and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Mike Barrett. They recommended unanimously to “grant well supported exceptions” to Conway and Leslie.

In the email, Paxton told the commandant “your guidance after the EOS was clear and it was communicated and was being executed.” The note appears to indicate that there was some confusion about the decision to go forward with Conway’s promotion, and cites the release of a “tentative” promotion list.

“In no way was there ever intent to deviate from your guidance or present a fait accompli on any individual or case. … Per the recommendations proffered in the attachment please know that all of us are united and convinced that these [courses of action] are best for our Corps as an institution, for you as our Commandant, and for all individuals in the proper execution of due diligence and justice.”

As for Conway and Leslie, the position paper asserts: “There are neither facts, evidence, nor opinions that these two officers were aware of the urination incident nor the photography of it,” wrote Paxton, who received his fourth star and became the Corps’ assistant commandant in December. “In addition, the scope of their responsibilities, geographic location and battlefield circulation did not put them in contact with or have influence over the Scout Sniper Team.”

In contrast, the legal status of four other leaders, including Dixon, was to be kept on hold until the trials and administrative actions against other Marines played out, Paxton’s paper said.

The position paper included a “Summary of CMC Action,” referring to the commandant of the Marine Corps, and detailing how each case would be handled and leaving space for the commandant to approve, disapprove, and/or comment on each of three recommended actions.

However, a few days later, the commandant’s top uniformed attorney, Maj. Gen. Vaughn Ary, responded, saying that the commandant’s intent was not to make himself part of the decision process, but to leave the necessary actions to Paxton and Mills.

Paxton responded: “No sweat; we’ll work through it. Think I’m very clear on CMC intent.”

Dixon had been selected for colonel and to participate in an academic program at the Justice Department in Washington, but both moves have remained on hold pending conclusion of judicial proceedings.

Emails to Lt. Col. Conway were not returned. He served as the training officer for Lejeune’s 2nd Marine Division after returning from Afghanistan, and became the future operations officer for 3rd Marine Regiment, in Hawaii, in July 2012. He now commands 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, an infantry unit based there.

A spokesman for his father said Gen. Conway had not spoken to his son about the matter and declined to comment.

Other legal questions

Weirick is not the first to raise questions about whether the commandant’s firm hand with Marines has breached the law. As Marine Corps Times and other media outlets reported in October, at least four military judges have ruled Amos committed apparent unlawful command influence by nature of his tough talk in the Heritage Brief.

In blasting bad behavior by Marines and urging others to hold those involved accountable, the judges ruled, he potentially violated the rights of those charged with crimes by pressuring jury pools to find Marines guilty.

The judges in those four cases did not find that the commandant committed actual unlawful command influence, which could have led to the cases’ dismissal. They instead offered defense attorneys remedies to mitigate the damage, such as allowing for extended questioning and additional dismissals of jurors who are seen as potentially biased.

To date, nearly 80 claims of unlawful command influence have been made since Amos’ Heritage Briefs, but none has resulted in a case’s dismissal, said an official at Marine Corps headquarters who asked not to be named.

A spokesman for the commandant, Lt. Col. Joseph Plenzler, told Marine Corps Times in October that Amos’ intent with the Heritage Brief was to “change behavior,” Plenzler said, “not to influence the outcomes of any particular courts-martial.”

Weirick’s complaint underscores once more the fine line Amos and other leaders walk in trying to balance responsibility to lead against the strict rules in place to keep the military justice system fair.

Weirick declined to be interviewed, but provided a short statement by email.

“Everything in my complaints is true,” he said. “I iterate my oath that all the statements are true to the best of my recollection.”

Article source: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20130519/NEWS/305190016/Marine-Corps-commandant-legal-staff-targeted-IG-complaint

WASHINGTON –  The Military Bowl is moving this season from RFK Stadium in Washington to Navy-Marine Corp Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

The Military Bowl will match a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference against one from Conference USA and will be played Dec. 27. ESPN will broadcast the afternoon game.

The bowl has been at RFK since its inception in 2008, and the switch is only for this upcoming season. But Annapolis is likely to become the permanent home, with bowl organizers negotiating contracts with conference partners for 2014 and beyond.

Navy-Marine Corp Stadium was renovated in 2004 and holds 34,000. RFK Stadium seats more than 50,000 for football. The Military Bowl’s average attendance has been about 27,000. Last season San Jose State and Bowling Green drew only 17,835.

The game is sponsored by Northrop Grumman.

Article source: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/05/20/military-bowl-moving-from-rfk-to-navy-marine-corp-stadium-for-2013/

Marine Sgt. Daniel Gurr was killed this week in Malozai,
Afghanistan, while on patrol. Tracy Beede, his mother, said
military officials told her that her son was clearing a village
when he was killed by enemy fire.

“That knock on the door was awful,” she said when the family was
told Friday.

Gurr liked to play soccer and was a student body officer at
Uintah High School. Family and friends said he knew early in his
life that he wanted to be a military man.

“The only thing I can say is that he was doing what he loved to
do. He wanted to be a Marine ever since he was 9 or 10,” said David
Gurr, Daniel’s father.

John Laursen, a Uintah County undersheriff and family friend,
teased that Gurr was born with combat boots, a helmet and a Ka-Bar
knife between his teeth.

Beede said when Gurr turned 17, he “begged and begged” for
permission to enlist because he was too young to do so without.
Within days of his 2008 high school graduation, he left for basic
training.

“He always wanted to pay back, as he put it, his freedom,” she
said. “He wanted to give other people the opportunities he had.
People need to know the opportunities they get in this world come
from the sacrifices of others, and that’s how Daniel looked at
it.”

Funeral arrangements were pending.

Article source: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/military/utah-marine-killed-in-afghanistan/article_9b1d1dd2-78e2-5744-995d-175294a93f0a.html

The U.S. Marine Corps wants to know why.

Though the Corps has previously studied suicides and attempted suicides, it is launching a project this year to examine the complex reasons that Marines are dying by their own hand.

A team of researchers, including a professor at Marian University in Fond du Lac, will interview relatives and friends of active-duty Marines who died by suicide between 2010 and 2012. Their reports for the Marine Corps Suicide Prevention Psychological Autopsy Project will be used to identify suicide risk factors or trends that might be unique to Marines.

The reasons for suicide are often complex and can’t be shoehorned into a simple explanation. But multiple deployments in more than a decade of war have taken a toll on military members and their families. And many are reluctant to ask for help because it could be considered a sign of weakness that could derail their military careers.

Other military branches also are coping with an increase in suicides.

In March, Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, the Army’s deputy chief of staff, told a House subcommittee that the Army is expanding confidential services for behavioral health care.

“While physical injuries may be easier to see, invisible wounds such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress take a significant toll on our soldiers,” Bromberg said.

Last year the Army reported that more soldiers died by suicide than by enemy attack – 182 by suicide and 176 in combat. The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers is collecting information on Army suicides.

The Marines have started programs to encourage people who are suffering from depression, stress, anxiety and moral injury to seek help, including Never Leave a Marine Behind, an annual training program to recognize the warning signs of suicide. The psychological autopsy study results may lead to better training.

“Over the last several years, the Marines have made a lot of progress in changing attitudes so Marines are more likely to come forward. They know that to become a fit Marine is to continue to work on their psychological fitness,” said Navy Cmdr. Andrew L. Martin, who works in community counseling and prevention for Marine and Family Programs.

The number of Marine suicides began increasing several years ago, from 33 in 2007 to 42 in 2008 and 52 in 2009 before falling back to 37 in 2010 and 32 in 2011. Last year 48 active duty Marines died by suicide, including six suspected suicides that have yet to be confirmed.

Marian professor helping

Letters have been sent to next of kin asking if they want to be part of the study. However, because military families tend to be more mobile than the civilian population, researchers are getting envelopes returned as undeliverable, said Joan Fischer, research analyst in the Marine Suicide Prevention Program.

“At the same time it’s really heartwarming how many folks have responded just from a letter in the mail. This is something we see quite a bit in military research, that families have a high participation rate,” Martin said. “The No. 1 reason they give for participating is because the project will help other military members and families.”

The American Association of Suicidology trains researchers to conduct psychological autopsies. Among them is Janet McCord, associate professor of thanatology in Marian University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions.

While medical autopsies determine how someone died, psychological autopsies are done “to broadly address the questions why, why now and why this way,” McCord said in an interview on campus.

McCord and other researchers will meet with families of Marines in informal interviews to build a narrative of the deceased. They’ll ask who else they should talk to, which could include friends, Marine buddies or acquaintances. When scheduling interviews, they avoid anniversaries of births and deaths.

Families and friends of those who kill themselves often feel a great deal of guilt. But McCord said many are willing to talk about their loved one to answer the question that haunts most – why?

“People are often ready to talk. In some cases, it can be healing,” said McCord, who wrote her PhD dissertation about Holocaust survivors who became writers and later died by suicide.

Study looks for trends

Of the 117 Marines who died by suicide between 2010 and 2012, researchers are hoping to get a group of at least 30 to 40 for the study, said Lanny Berman, executive director of the American Association of Suicidology.

“We’ll look for parallel findings – what might stand out. It might be 60% showed signs of substance abuse or it might show 40% talked about suicide and nobody noticed,” Berman said. “Things that would lead us to say we have enough information about a significant proportion of these people and we have to be more attentive to substance abuse, or educating fellow Marines as to what to do if somebody talks about suicide.

“It might be other symptoms like insomnia, which is increasingly identified among young people. It may mean any number of things they’re struggling with that could be a factor in suicides.”

McCord and other researchers will compile their information into reports sent to the American Association of Suicidology. Each case will be numbered and all identifying information will be blocked out; when the final report is finished, information released to the public will be reported as a group with no specifics on individuals.

Where to get help

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, staffed 24 hours, is (800) 273-8255. Also, the DSTRESS Line – (877) 476-7734 – provides stress counseling to Marines, sailors and family members.

Article source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/marine-corps-studying-spike-in-suicides-cl9u655-207147911.html

SOUTH BELOIT — Marine Corps Private Victoria S. Vargas, daughter of Mary R. Vargas of South Beloit, earned the title of United States Marine after graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.

For 13 weeks, Vargas trained in close-order drills, marksmanship, physical fitness, martial arts, swimming, military history, customs and courtesies.

One-week prior to graduation, she endured The Crucible, a 54-hour final test of the recruits’ minds and bodies.

Article source: http://www.rrstar.com/communitycontent/features/x914253339/Victoria-Vargas-graduates-from-U-S-Marine-Corp