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Letters

Undermining discipline

Leave it to the Army to downplay the obvious.

In the article “Ramped-up recruiting: Waivers allow more felons to become Marines” [May 5], Army Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington said, “We’re not talking about hardened criminals” in regard to the number of felons being allowed to enlist in the military.

When you look at the number of felons that have been allowed to sign up for the Marine Corps, though, one cannot help but notice the increase in the number of waivers granted in fiscal 2007 to recruits convicted of manslaughter (up from none to one), armed robbery (up from seven to 19), carrying a weapon on school grounds (up from five to 11) and assault with a dangerous weapon (up from 35 to 44).

While the article goes on to lessen the seriousness of these crimes, the number of issues the Corps is dealing with says loud and clear that these behavioral issues are carrying through from juvenile life to adulthood and our ranks.

Is it any wonder senior leaders are beating their fists on their desks in regard to the number of disciplinary infractions we see? Domestic assaults and traffic violations are on the rise, and general respect for the Corps and its leadership is suffering, yet many point the finger at the very leadership that is supposed to indoctrinate these criminals into the Marine Corps’ conservative lifestyle.

If the Corps ever had a reason to bring back the Correctional Custody Unit, it would seem that now is the time, since it is a program that perhaps can be run by civilian law enforcement personnel, much like our military police force.

We as Marines are so focused on physical fitness that we are considering a fitness academy, but our discipline, pride, respect and honor for being a Marine is suffering. When a Marine can stand cross-armed in front of a base commander while being corrected [“Dressed down: Lejeune commander goes off over uniform violations, leadership responsibilities,” Dec. 24] or one Marine can allegedly kill another Marine and try to hide the fact in his own backyard [“A tragic end: Authorities suspect corporal involved in pregnant Marine’s disappearance and death,” Jan. 21] it is not hard to see that we as a Corps need to tighten our collective disciplinary belt.

Commandant Gen. James Conway is more than right when he says we are becoming another Army. But it is not just because of the type of deployments and missions we are doing — it goes a lot deeper than that.

1st Sgt. Robert Knox

Camp Pendleton, Calif.

I read the article “Ramped-up recruiting,” which reported that in fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2007, 557 waivers were issued that allowed convicted felons to become Marines.

The comment, “We’re not talking about hardened criminals,” needs examination.

Be reminded, the people who received these waivers are, in fact, convicted criminals.

Their convictions have nothing to do with “silly pranks.”

For them to have been charged and convicted, each had to have known the nature of their act and to have known the consequences thereof. If one read the criminal complaints involving these felons, they’d probably find such terms as “knowingly,” “willfully,” “deliberately,” “with intent to ...” included.

Let me be quite frank.

Those crimes involving arson, burglary, breaking and entering, manslaughter, rape, and robbery are serious crimes committed against the person and/or property of another.

For the most part, they are predatory acts in which the perpetrator and victim are unknown to each other, with the possible exception of some of the instances involving rape and sexual abuse.

Under common law, these crimes are categorized as being “malum en se,” meaning such acts are wrong in themselves. They violate the natural, moral, or public principles of a civilized society. From my perspective, they also violate the natural, moral and disciplined principles otherwise contained in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

If I’m wrong in my negative assessment of this program, I’ll be the first to admit it.

However, my 60-year background, education, experience and formal training in the area of criminal justice — including 33 years of military service — does not provide me with much hope for the Marine Corps’ success with granting waivers to previously convicted felons.

Sgt. Maj. Robert N. Pemberton, Sr. (ret.)

Glen Cove, N.Y.

Ad campaign offensive

The Marine Corps’ new recruiting ad campaign shows a female Marine in a combat pose instructing a larger group, with a tagline saying, “There are no female Marines. Only Marines” [“Corps sets sights on female recruits,” May 5].

It is offensive and counterproductive on two levels.

First, the Corps’ inclusion of women in the appearance, if not the reality, of the combat arena sends mixed signals to our society concerning the issue of violence and women. It threatens to debase our culture by asserting the radical feminist notion that the protection of the “fairer sex” — our mothers, daughters, sisters and sweethearts — is no longer an approved moral standard for a civilized, Christian fighting man. Chivalry is dead.

Second, the appearance of the “weaker sex” outfitted and participating in combat arms degrades the impression our enemies have that the Marine Corps is a formidable fighting force — even without technological advantages. Experienced fighting men know that the average man has three times the upper-body strength, can carry a heavier load faster and farther, and can outfight, in hand-to hand-combat, the average woman.

There is no denying the double standard the Corps uses in evaluating the physical performance of men and women in order to administratively cover up the disparity. This ad campaign will not enhance the status of female Marines in the eyes of their fellow male Marines, let alone members of al-Qaida.

Maj. Greg Sheehan (ret.)

Altoona, Pa.