Events over the past couple of years have made me angry, and left me wondering whether the US Marine Corps has lost its sense of honor and its 'band of brothers' commitment between Marines. On three occasions I've raised hell about incidents that would have outraged the Marines of yesteryear, but which apparently have become the norm today.
Most recently I asked whether the current Commandant of the Corps would resign over allegations that he interfered in the judicial process affecting some of his subordinates. Far from resigning, the Washington Times reports that the officer who raised the issue is now facing retaliation. Here's an excerpt from the report.
Retired Marine Col. Jane Siegel, who is representing Maj. James Weirick, said superiors have subjected the major to retaliations since it became known that he filed a whistleblower complaint against Gen. James Amos, the commandant and Joint Chiefs of Staff member.
“Headquarters Marine Corps is undercutting a hero,” Col. Siegel said. “He did the right thing, and they are trying to bury it and him.”
. . .
Marine higher-ups responded Tuesday with a series of retaliations against Maj. Weirick, Col. Siegel said.
- Marines escorted Maj. Weirick out of his office and seized his government computer.
- He was transferred to a nonlegal job as a training officer.
- His new commander suggested that he get a mental health evaluation and report for an interview with a Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent, to whom he refused to talk.
- The major was ordered not to communicate with officials, including Gen. Amos, and was denied leave.
- He was told to turn over his licensed personal firearms kept at home, which he did.
- The Corps also is doing a risk assessment to determine whether Maj. Weirick is a danger to himself or the base.
“These steps are all designed for a single purpose and that is to undermine the credibility of Maj. Weirick, the credibility of his complaints to the [Defense Department inspector general] and to push him very close to the very edge of being able to drum him out of the Marine Corps,” Col. Siegel said. “I’ve been practicing military justice exclusively for 40 years, 25 of which were in the Marine Corps, and I have never seen anything quite this destructive carried out by people who I considered to be heroes, the commandant of the Marine Corps.”
Seizing his computer is a way to find out what he has been telling the inspector general during its investigation, she said.
There's more at the link. I urge you to follow the link and read the entire report. I think it's essential reading for anyone who cares about the honor of our armed forces.
I was furious when I'd read it, so I contacted a friend, a USMC field-grade officer, and asked him for his reactions. He told me three things.
- He's no longer sure that it's worth trying to qualify for further promotion, because political correctness now outweighs combat effectiveness as a primary criterion for selection.
- He can no longer in good conscience recommend the Corps as a worthwhile, viable career to his son, and to the children of his friends.
- One of his senior NCO's had just come into his office, shown him a copy of the above article, and told him that he would not be re-enlisting when his current term expired. He was too sickened to see the 'betrayal of trust' being perpetrated by the Marine Corps' top leadership.
I know this man well. He's earned multiple combat decorations and has (as far as I know) a stellar record . . . but he's had it up to here. Speaking as a combat veteran myself, I can't blame him in the least.
It may be too late for General Amos alone to resign. It begins to look as if every General Officer in the Corps needs to get the hell out of the way, so that they can make room for successors who will rebuild its top leadership with less focus on politics and more on warfighting. If they don't, the Corps will no longer be the Corps. It's that simple. If you doubt that, just ask yourself . . . what would Chesty do?
Peter
This is probably deliberate and driven by four years of selective appointments and promotions. Given what's being done to the economy, discrediting the military's character was in the cards. And why not start with the epitome, the USMC. The others will be easier. I mean, drones don't have this sort of problem. Heck, outsource flying the drones to some gamers in China.
ReplyDeleteThis will make appropriations for the military's personnel budget less attractive, and leave more money for the welfare state and rent seekers.
The
This STARTED with the "Clinton Purge" in the 90's The top leadership of ALL of the armed forces are now selected solely on loyalty to "The Leader" and "The Party". I'm only amazed to see that it took so long for most to start seeing it. There is no longer any way to fix this. Government and the military are utterly corrupted. Believing any thing else is self deluded. ---Ray
ReplyDeleteThe perfumed princes Col David Hackworth talked about years ago now hold the top spots. Today he would include perfumed princess.
ReplyDeleteSome people who call it like it is.
http://militarycorruption.com/HOS-johnamos.htm
When I began reading stories about military personnel being prosecuted for killing the enemy in wartime, I did everything that I could to keep my child out of the military.
ReplyDeleteTo have a child killed in combat is horrible, to have him killed in combat and stripped of honor is something else.
The country that I grew up in is dead, its military is back to the dark days of the post Vietnam era...
In December of 1969 I had received my induction notice and to report on January 15.1070 for induction in to the armed forces. My Father a 10 year veteran with serving in the pacific theater from the Aleutions to the Philipines did his best to talk me into going to Canada.
ReplyDeleteThe speech he gave me was almost the exact wording that Sean Penn used to try and talk a solider to take what the Army was offering him in the begging of the "The Thin Red Line" a movie about the cleanup of Guadacanal. One of the many battles he fought on. He received during his war time service 3 Purple Hearts a bronze star and a silver star.
Bottom line at a certian level of command both civian and military they become self serving.consequently they become corrupt as power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Because of this the I believe we must have men and women who will hold the command to task least we risk having a military force that os nothing but a paper tiger.
Enjoy reading your work.
I was hoping the Corps would withstand the political rot which inhabits the upper echelons of the other branches. Obviously not.
ReplyDeleteIt's enough to make a man cry.
Reposted on Pinecam.com
ReplyDeleteChesty would convene a drumhead court, then hang the lot of them.
ReplyDelete