Drill Sergeant Charged With Abusing Recruits

[Rhino]

Marine Drill Sergeant Charged With 225 Counts of Abusing Recruits
Friday, August 24, 2007

SAN DIEGO — A Marine drill instructor has been charged with 225 criminal counts connected to abusing recruits, a Marines spokesman said Thursday.

In one incident, Sgt. Jerrod M. Glass allegedly ordered a recruit to jump head-first into a trash can and then pushed him further into the container, according to court documents cited in The San Diego Union-Tribune. He is also accused of striking recruits with a tent pole and a heavy flashlight.

Two other drill instructors, Sgt. Robert C. Hankins and Sgt. Brian M. Wendel, face special courts-martial in the case, the Marines said. Arraignment dates have not been scheduled for either Marine....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294353,00.html

[BabyBeastie]

First off, the author of the story is incorrect about calling them "Drill Sergeants." That's what someone of a similar MOS in the army is called. In the marines, they are "Drill Instructors." "Drill Sergeant" is not a generic term.

When I went through marine recruit training, they had just implimented a program where the Drill Instructors were not allowed to physically harm the recruits in any way. But even then, you still have recruits who cannot hack the training.

The Marine Corps goes to great lengths to ensure that their training is very tough, yet relatively safe.

All throughout training, company commanders will make many random physical inspections of each recruits body, sometimes twice a week or more, well within the time it would take a bump, scrape or bruise to heal. If a mark of any kind is found, the recruit is asked how he got it.

A few days before graduation, several recruits from each series are hand picked to be interviewed by training battalion and company commanders. They are asked about their training experience and if they have experienced any physical abuse by the Drill Instructors.

Drill Instructors are supposed to be intimidating, but they should never put their hands on a recruit except to adjust clothing or equipment.

In reality, a recruit is more likely to be poisoned, maimed or killed by himself than to be physically harmed by a Drill Instructor. I saw it happen.

[Pennville_Bill]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v481/Pennville_Bill/Other%20Stuff/outstanding.jpg

[Beowulf]

In the Marines, they are Drill instructors but they are known as Drill Sergeants in the Army, at least they were when I went through.

Secondly, is the military starting to become soft? I mean come on!!:flame: Your DI/DS is supposed to be the meanest SOB a recruit ever meets and he/she shouldn't be afraid to be physical if needed. Can't handle a few weeks of headgames? Then get out!

[Wolfcounsel]

That type of training needs to make a comeback. When I was in boot camp we all got the crap beat out of us. Ever see FULL METAL JACKET? That's recruit training. It's hard to remain a candy ass after graduation, that's for sure.

The Military can NOT go soft!

[BabyBeastie]

The Marines haven't gone soft. You're actually more likely to get beat up after bootcamp and becoming a marine.

If you end up going to infantry training, the possibility of getting your ass beat or shot is very good.

Bootcamp has changed a little, but what happens in the fleet hasn't.

[gnome]

All I would say is, if the higher ups give rules that the Drill Instructor disagrees with, should the Drill Instructor be free to violate them?

[Wolfcounsel]

"If you end up going to infantry training, the possibility of getting your ass beat or shot is very good." --BabyBeastie

That's why boot camps cannot afford to get soft. If I were the enemy and you were the good guy lying in wait for me, and I wanted to rile you up and expose yourself, I'd yell something at you like, "Hey, GI! Yo' momma's ass is so fat she can't take it to the streets!" If you turned out to be a candy ass out of boot camp, untoughened or unseasoned, you'd jump up to "kick my ass" and I'd blow your hot head off. You know about that, eh?:evilgrin:

[DoctorDoom]

The pussification of the military continues. What's next? Tea parties and ballroom dancing?

[DesertFox]

Welp, I never personally saw the need for NCO's to be abusive. Hard, yes; intimidating, sure. But to beat up a subordinate isn't good training and it's rotten-ass leadership.

[BabyBeastie]

I'm with Fox on this one.

I can't see why a highly trained combat marine would want to beat up a little 18-year-old recruit, someone who is essentially a slimy civilian, someone who cannot fight back.

Marine recruits learn how to fight against each other with some guidance from their Drill Instructors.

No marine grunts (now and since I was in) go to war straight out of bootcamp because they would be very easy pickins for the enemy. Marine bootcamp graduates are nothing more than raw material, diamonds in the rough. They are hard, but they are not polished.

Grunts go through Infantry Training School at Pendleton or Lejeune. That is where newly minted marine grunts (0311s) go to hone their war fighting skills.

That is where they really learn how to fight. Where they learn how to "stop the breathing and start the bleeding."

My friend has said that ITS was much tougher than bootcamp ever was. He said it was like a "phase 4" of bootcamp. (Marine bootcamp is 3 phases or 12 weeks).

After graduation of ITS, they are assigned to a unit or further specialized training.

[Wolfcounsel]

Never mind the Shellback Initiation Ceremony of the Vietnam era Navy.:evilgrin:

[BabyBeastie]

Never mind the Shellback Initiation Ceremony of the Vietnam era Navy.:evilgrin:I heard about them Shellbacks. I thank God I was never on a boat. LOL

[buckeyepete]

Never mind the Shellback Initiation Ceremony of the Vietnam era Navy.:evilgrin:


I became a "GOLDEN SHELLBACK" back in 1964. (That's where the international date line and the equator intersect.)

Yep, shit happens during those initiations. Our XO wasn't a shellback, so you know what he went through. Our "King Neptune was a rugged assed BM1.

AH, for the good ol' days.............:evilgrin:

[Suzie]

I have seen a few though that are hard and intimidating enough make them wish they would just smack them around a little to get it over with. :lol:

What's funny is to see the new guys when they get to go to the PX as a reward to get a candy bar or something. I have been walking towards my husband in an isle and seen these guys start to go down the same isle then turn around and go the other way as soon as they see him. I guess they are afraid they will do something wrong, and if the Drill sergeant is bad anyone that outranks him must be even worse. :lol:

[The_Sonarman]

Never mind the Shellback Initiation Ceremony of the Vietnam era Navy.:evilgrin:

Oh yes..... crossing the line with a mixed crew of slimey pollywogs and trusty Shellbacks.

I remember crossing the line the first time as a Pollywog, and then years later crossing the line as a trusty Shellback. The ceremonies were tough, and lengthy, both times.

The good old days.....