In writing this, I admit bias. I have an affinity for the Marine Corps and its Marines; I write in its defense. I began my own career as a Marine more than two decades ago on an unremarkably hot and humid South Carolina night. The yellow footprints of Parris Island or San Diego are permanently imprinted on those who stand upon them. I kicked dirt in 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines and spent evenings on the parade grounds at Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, and Arlington National Cemetery. Even though I serve as a naval officer today, those senior drill instructors are probably right: The soul belongs to the Corps.
With this in mind, I am compelled to do what Marines are taught: We embrace our Core Values—Honor. Courage. Commitment.—and expect the same from those who claim the title, U.S. Marine. And, as fallible beings, applying our Core Values is not always easy. Applying them to others when we perceive their shortcomings can be downright hard. We are told: “Honor, courage, and commitment, the Core Values of the Marines, define how every Marine in the Corps thinks, acts and fights.”
On 25 July 2019, the formation of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (1/5) awaited remarks from the sergeant major. In front, a group of fellow Marines stood before their peers as if to be recognized. Instead of proceeding with commendations, the sergeant major issued the verbal order, “NCIS, arrest these Marines.” Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agents and law enforcement swarmed those in front and, one by one, took custody of the accused. As the accused were searched and hauled away, a Marine reported hearing from the 1/5 leadership, the arrests are “what happens when you break the law.”
Certainly, the charges—ranging from human smuggling to drug trafficking—are appalling. An investigation should proceed in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice and applicable law. But first, Marine leaders decided to film the parading spectacle, claiming “It was something we felt should be done for proper visibility.” This event—the formation, the conduct of the arrests, the supposed “break the law” statement, and the filming—are astonishingly tone-deaf. Worse, they may have violated the rights of the accused; were counterproductive to the investigative process; and flatly inconsistent with our Core Value of “Commitment.”
To Marines and sailors, “Commitment” means fostering respect, striving for positive change, and exhibiting the highest degree of moral character.[5] We must lead through our Core Values, Even when those in our ranks drift on their own. When we treat Marines—those accused and those subjected to witness the detention of their peers—to such scripted theatrics, we weaken our Corps. If the intent was to create an emotional response of shock or fear, those responsible for orchestrating the event likely succeeded. If they intended to show a commitment to excellence in our ranks by reinforcing the expectations of a Marine, they most certainly failed.
Had this been handled consistent with our Core Value of “Commitment,” a deliberate, calculated detainment of each Marine would have occurred without peculiar fanfare. Command leadership would have focused less on filming and staging a formation and more on strategically messaging why fellow Marines are missing from the platoons. If crafted properly, the most junior fire team leader would be able to convey the unit’s situation comparable to the most capable officer on the battalion staff. Instead, the Marines formed up for a firsthand look at their battalion’s best impression of street justice.
Remember: Marines must be decisively lethal. All other missions are secondary. To achieve this, we need Marines to think. We need Marines—from the unit’s commanding officer and sergeant major to the recruit fresh off the Crucible—to be continuous students of self-awareness, ready to rationalize their actions and those around them. When Marines are subjected to events such as this, we reinforce a misconceived mindset of immaturity and dependence on those superior in rank for the most minor facets of guidance. We feed a negative branding of our most endearing Marines: the ‘grunts’.
The battle lines Marines face are increasingly blurred. In March 2003, then-Major General Jim Mattis told his 1st Marine Division that—when we cross the line of departure—“engage your brain before you engage your weapon.”[1] With this public arrest staged for the camera, was this an act of “engage your brain”, as the man revered with the call sign “Chaos” had taught us? Without question, justice should occur; good order and discipline is essential. But, at what cost and through what means do we achieve our objective?
In the 1989 biographic film, Born on the Fourth of July (the story of Ron Kovic, a Marine wounded in 1968 at Cua Viet River while serving with the storied 1st Marine Division), the Marine recruiter (played by Tom Berenger) tells the potential recruits: “Come on now, Don’t be afraid. Don’t forget, a good Marine is a thinking Marine.”[2] We must commit to teaching the “so what” over the mere “what,” ensuring Marines and sailors think strategically but can act tactically. Our Core Values, such as “Commitment,” echo this; our nation demands it. Semper Fidelis.
Endnotes
[1] GEN James Mattis, USMC (ret.), and Francis West, Call Sign Chao (New York: Random House, 2019).
[2] 1989. Born of the Fourth of July. Directed by Oliver Stone.
