Drowning scene described as ‘out of control’

[USMCRET6391]

SAN DIEGO — Minutes before he died, an exhausted and scared Marine begged a swimming course instructor not to drag him into deeper water, several Marines testified at a military hearing.

Staff Sgt. Andrew Gonzales died last August during a water survival course at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot swimming pool.

Witnesses at the so-called Article 32 hearing Thursday described an “out of control” swimming course that was more a “rite of passage” than training.

Staff Sgt. David J. Roughan held onto Gonzales despite his protests and soon afterward, Gonzales’ body was pulled from the swim tank. He died a short time later.

Roughan and Staff Sgt. Fernando Galvan have been charged with manslaughter, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty. If convicted of all charges, they could face 20-year sentences.

Capt. Vincent M. Guida and Staff Sgt. Duane D. Dishon also have been charged with dereliction of duty in Gonzales’ death.

During the hearing, one Marine said the swim training was more threatening than combat.

“I have never been as scared in my life,” said Staff Sgt. Ben Holmes, an Iraq combat veteran. “I never felt that my life was in such jeopardy” as when he was in the pool.

Staff Sgt. Robert W. Mayfield said instructors routinely held students underwater as part of the training.

“I think it’s like a rite-of-passage thing,” Mayfield said. “I did not think it had a legitimate training goal.”

Roughan was described in testimony as being aggressive and known for holding students underwater.

“I thought it was out of control,” said Gunnery Sgt. Eric Alston. “I don’t see the reasoning why (the swim training) is taken to the extreme that it was.”

Just before he drowned, Gonzales apparently went under and when he surfaced and gasped for air, Galvan allegedly splashed water in his face.

The Marine Corps in a report released in January said that poolside equipment that might have saved Gonzales’ life wasn’t used. The report also found that no lifeguards were focused on watching for Marines in peril.

Gonzales’ widow, Michelle, attended the hearing.

“I am glad that the public is going to learn what goes on here,” she said. “I think my husband’s death was a product of the system. The nature of the Corps is to ‘suck it up.’ They just went too far.”

Lt. Col. Paul Starita will hear testimony and then make a recommendation to the base’s commanding officer, Brig. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr. on what charges, if any, should be taken to court-martial.

Testimony was expected to conclude Friday. The hearings for Guida and Dishon have not been scheduled.

[AmericanGirl]

Its a sad situation and I hope they resolve it and learn something from it.


I am just curious... isnt the point of the water training to learn not to panic?

[Panzerman]

Weak bitches. They're taking us all down with them :|

[Vulture6]

By weak ones, I take it that you're referring to those who were supposed to be running, supervising, and overseeing the training -- too weak to do their jobs properly, too weak to step in and stop something that was wrong and going against orders, and too weak to have the discipline and guts to step in and stop a couple of staff sergeants who were out of control.

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by Panzerman

Weak bitches. They're taking us all down with them :|

Sorry panzer unles you are talking about the instructors, yer way off base here. There is a huge difference between training and sadistic harrasment. I was DI for 3 years and I saw this stuff happen all the time (worst case was a recruit dying in the pugil stick pit because the officer in charge of the training kept running opponents at him) and I dont condone any of it. Vulture hit it right on the head.............who the hell was supervising these assholes? Any one dragging the Corps through the mud , it was the instructors.

[Grimmy]

This is a Staff Sgt that died?

What were they training for? WSSI...is that part of the recon quals?

I graduated WSI out of boot but I think I remember WSSI being job specific training.

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by AmericanGirl

Its a sad situation and I hope they resolve it and learn something from it. I am just curious... isnt the point of the water training to learn not to panic?

The idea is to learn how to survive in the water if yer ship goes down etc. It's hard not to panic when you are exhausted and some dick head is holding you under water.

[USMCRET6391]

if you want a more detailed explanation of what they were doing go to this thread

Marine's Drowning Death Is Detailed