Marines probe boot camp drowning

Drill instructor caught on tape striking 19-year-old
An autopsy revealed 19-year-old Jason Tharp drowned last week during water survival training at the Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C.

A Video shot on Feb. 7, the day before Tharp's death, by NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, S.C., shows Tharp, visibly shaken and almost terrified, taking a forearm shot from a Marine drill instructor.

In the Marines only five weeks, Tharp had written seven letters home telling his family he wanted out. His father, John Tharp, claims Jason had been singled out by drill instructors because he couldn't keep up with the rigorous basic training.

"I don’t know how they could treat my son the way we saw on that video," says Tharp. "He never hurt nobody. He'd do anything anybody asked him."

During last week's training, Tharp, seen on the WIS-TV video, at first refused to get into the water.

"He's just afraid because he is not able to do the swim correctly right now, and he just wants to leave and go home," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Davis on the Feb. 7 videotape.

After 20 minutes of trying to coax Tharp into the pool, the drill instructor turned physical in apparent violation of Marine Corps regulations — striking Tharp across the chest.

"That right there, where this Marine grabs the recruit, this is not how you treat recruits," said Eugene Fidell, the president of the National Institute of Military Justice, when NBC News showed him the video. "I mean, this is a wrongful touching. Basically, it's an assault."

Marine Corps officials say Tharp voluntarily entered the pool the next day, where he drowned during a 25-meter swim. Officials also say there's no early evidence of any misconduct by Marine instructors at the time Jason drowned, but the conduct caught on camera the day before raises questions about exactly what happened in that pool.

Jason's father is considering a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Marines.

"We just want justice for Jason," says Tharp. "To get some kind of bill passed to where this won't happen to another family."

The Navy and Marines are investigating Jason's death and the conduct of the drill instructors who were supposed to protect him.

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

[USMCRET6391]

Here we go again, some fool gives us another black eye.....and in front of a TV camera no less.

[USMC0861]

10% ers come in all shapes, forms and ranks. Some even make it to the drill field. It just sucks that all Marines get painted with the same brush when one pulls a bone head stunt like this.

[USMCRET6391]

I saw the vidoes of the incident this morning on the news. What the Drill Instructor did, while a violation of the SOP for training recruits, wasnt all that bad given what can go on in Recruit Training, an elbow to the chest and a grab. I dont think it contributed to the drowning, but it is on tape and he's going to be crucified because of it.

[USMC0861]

Yeah I saw that too Top. Doesn't look like a big abuse issue but you know they're gonna pull his belt at the very least.

Wonder if the WSSI's are gonna take anyheat. I mean after all it's their evalution.

[Ram0528]

Its the military not the boyscouts.

Its to bad that he died but I wouldnt blame the DIs. They were just trying to do there job.

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by USMC0861

Yeah I saw that too Top. Doesn't look like a big abuse issue but you know they're gonna pull his belt at the very least.

Wonder if the WSSI's are gonna take anyheat. I mean after all it's their evalution.

I was wondering the same thing. They are going to blame this on the Drill Instructor because of what was shown on the tape, but where the WSSI's who were supposed to be monitorng the pool for Recruits in distress?

Originally Posted by Ram0528

Its the military not the boyscouts.

No comment here Ram, I was a Drill Instructor for 3 years living under almost constant stress because of the possibility that some Recruit was going to cry maltreatment to get out of the Corps. What a good Drill Insturctor quickly learns is how far he can push his recruits without it turning into abuse. Most recruits will take a slap or two if they know they deserve it, however, given his history of crying to get out, this is one recruit that I wouldnt have laid a hand on to help get him off the ground. The other thing that bothers me is that the elbow was a "cheap shot" that the instructor thought was probably pretty minor. This leads me to believe that the Drill Instructor was probably doing much worse when there was no one else around.

Top

[USMC0861]

Someone dropped the ball as far as the WSSI's go. If memory serves after 21 years they were quick to throw the floatation devices and have the safety swimmers pull recruits in.

The DI was out of line given this kids background. IMO if he wanted out so bad they shoulda sent him to CC and ELD 'd his ass as failure to adapt.

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by USMC0861

Someone dropped the ball as far as the WSSI's go. If memory serves after 21 years they were quick to throw the floatation devices and have the safety swimmers pull recruits in.

The DI was out of line given this kids background. IMO if he wanted out so bad they shoulda sent him to CC and ELD 'd his ass as failure to adapt.

LOL you are showing your age 0861, I dont think they have CC or Motivation Platoons anymore.

[USMC0861]

Thanks Top. Now I feel old. I was refering to Causalty Company the last stop for the ner gonnabe's before they get sent back to mommy. But Corrective Custody Plt. is an Idea too.

[ASUMarine]

I saw the video and actually the Drill Instructor striking the recruit wasn't a violation pf regulations. The recruit was within an arms distance of the Drill Instructor there for the Drill Instructor had the right to strike him and even put him to the ground. This whole thing is a huge load of crap. They say he was singled out for not being able to keep up with the training, no shit!! thats how it is supposed to work.

[USMC0861]

The fact of the matter whether what the DI did was within regulations. (And IMHO I agree with Top it was a cheap shot and showed bad judgement) is this. If you lay hands on a Recruit or Junior Marine in front of cameras expect to get disked a miss.

Singled out cause he was marginal. Sure thats how it works every Plt has one. It takes alot to earn the title and maybe this kid didn't have. In that case he shoulda been recycled or binned all together.

Is the DI reponsible for the recruits death. No I think that falls on the WSSI's thats their pool their evalution and their watch.