Marine Corps Bootcamp Accident

[Gander]

Time for a rant. Has anyone seen this story? http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.as...3&nav=0RaMWWbo

So I turn on the morning news and now NBC is running with the story. They seen to imply that the fact that the drill instructor grabbed his shirt collar that he is somehow responsible for this guy drowning. Why on earth did he sign up for the MARINES when he wasn’t a good swimmer. Does the term MARINE sorta imply that we are all about the water. Trust me, they give you plenty of opportunity to bail out at any time before you sign a contract. Once you sign up though, that’s it. For good reason, they don’t make it easy to quit. These guys deal with wimps all day that would rather just wus out and go home with their momas. They guys take their job very seriously. They are training civilian slime bags to become Marines. Marines fight wars and kill people. We don’t just let guys in because they want to become Marines. You earn your way into the Marines. So the Media can back the F*ck off and let these guys train the way they see fit. Which, by the way has worked fine for 230 years now thanks. We don’t tell you how to report damn news, so don’t tell us how to train our boys to become Marines. Granted we don’t need to inflict bodily harm, but you do need to get a little physical to make a point. Our enemies won’t be so kind. Now the parents are talking about suing the Marine Corps. I’m very sorry about their loss, but suing the organization that protects your freedoms will not bring back this kid. They take many precautions to ensure nobody gets hurt, but accidents are bound to happen sooner or later. It’s unfortunate but accidents are a reality.

[Ticro]

Just a couple of comments. First of all, if he joined just to get the "free" scholarship he should have picked another branch of service like the Air Force. Less intense training and less front line combat. The scholarship ain't free, they do expect a little in return. Secondly, when I arrived at Parris Island the only thing I, and everyone else there I talked to, wanted at the time was to come home also. I, too, felt like I'd made a mistake. I stuck it out though and found it to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. Never did use the "scholarship" though.

[Sasha and Abby]

It seems that many individuals want to join the armed services... until there is a chance that they will be deployed/thrown into a war/shot at. If that sort of thing does not appeal to you, find another career.

[Moatsy]

over 50% of the humans on this earth can not swim 25 yards... I have no doubt that the corps has safety precautions...
WIS is just looking to make a buck...

[Fish]

Unbelievable. "He said he wanted out, that he'd made a mistake. He said he didn't care about the money or the scholarship. He just wanted to go home and we were trying to get him home." Like father like son...affable and pathetic. He should have kept his old job.


Wendy's Employee of the Month

[Gander]

Incredible, I was at lunch and while watching the news they ran the story like this. See this young man in the video. They go to explain what was going on, then the media chick says, “24 hours later he was found dead”. He was not found dead. He drown during the swim qual. They are making it seem that the drill instructor did it. They are very clever in garnering sympathy for the kid. The whole purpose of roughing him up was attempt by the drill instructor to get him to perform. Fear makes people perform, that is what it was all about. The reason he got an elbow is because he disrespected the drill instructor by invading his space. No one knows what happened in the pool when he drown. They got the video clip and that is how the breathed life into this story. Everyone knows the media hates our military. When will they stop castigating the guys that protect their freedoms. I think it’s time to get the damn media away from our troops. Between this and that damn video clip a few months ago when that Marine filled that Iraqi guy full of lead, I think it’s time.

[Gander]

Here is how pMSNBC is covering it. Now they are saying the drill instructor struck him.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6988854/

[Ticro]

I found out after boot camp that one of the reasons for the "physical" contact was to let you see that you could take pain and still function. If he can't take a forearm from a guy who is on his side what would he have done when faced with a real enemy wanting to kill him.

[bummer]

Ok, this pisses me off. That instructor is not strinking him in the video. One of the first things that you are told upon arriving in the receiving barracks at Parris Island is not to violate a Drill Instructor's personal space! If the DI feels that the violation is inadvertant you will receive a forearm to the chest or shoulder which serves as a defensive tactic for the DI as well as an attention getter for the recruit. Furthermore, if he wanted to quit, all he had to was to refuse to do what they told him. I had a few in my platoon that went RFT (refused further training) and the DI's made several attempts to talk to them privately and convince them they had what it took to become a Marine. But you can actually quit, they just make it very hard for you to do so or else half would when it got tough.
Ticro and I can tell you exactly what it's like.
(But he's an old cremudgen that whines about the "Old Corps" all the time. [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[Wing Nut]

I work several DI's part time in the const field, they don't talk much about bidness, but they are very limited as to what they can do verbally and physically to a recruit.

[UpstateAngler]

Very well said, Gander.

[BSDBasher]

Himmler-

I'm not here to defend the kid or question the corps... However, deriding this kid and his family as affable and pathetic, then demeaning him as nothing better than a burger flipper (which he may or not be), shows a lack of compassion to those feeling the grief of this young mans death. He may be worthless, but who are you to judge?

[Mergie Master]

When a friend of mine was in boot there his DI threw a bayonnet at his foot for screwing up. He really didn't throw it *at* his foot but intended to stick it in the ground near his foot and make him jump. James didn't jump and the bayonnet went through the toe of his boot. It didn't touch his toes but stuck between them. James said it scared the crap out of him but he refused to show it. Said the DI turned white as a sheet, and mumbled "did that get your toes, or you ok?" James said he told him it didn't touch him and said later out of hearing of the rest of the recruits the DI apologized. So accidents happen, the DIs have to push the envelope sometimes to make this stuff as real as possible and to get the point across that this is a serious business and not a high school dance!

All of this bullying, pushing, shoving, scaring, the whole show will culminate one day in a fire fight when these Marines will meet death face to face and not flinch but will use the courage and toughness they have aquired through all the tough training to overcome an enemy!!

[*Crippler*]

I agree with everything said but how do you let a kid drown in a swimming pool? Should someone be held responsible?

[Gander]

No problem, but let the investigation takes it's course before you come to any conclusions. The media is leading you the believe he was intentially drown the DI's.

[Mergie Master]

Originally posted by Gander:
The media

There in lies the whole problem! As was mentioned the media hates the military and they're "trying" the DI in the their reporting. That's as wrong as it gets. No journalist just reports anymore, they all seem to have an agenda.

Like Gander said let the investgation run it's course and get to the bottom of this. Someone could well have screwed up, but I would bet any amount of money no one in the Corps intentionally drowned this kid. If someone is guilty of some sort of negligence you can bet they will pay for it!