Monday, April 06, 2015

A Movie on the USMC that Needs to be Made

We all owe Andrew deGrandpre and MilitaryTimes a respectful nod for their 5-part series on TASK FORCE VIOLENT that I posted on here after Part-1.

Part-5 is out, and take some time today to follow the link and read the series. This story shows our Marines at their finest, but our Navy-Marine Corp nomenklatura in a way only those who have been on the receiving end of this kind of behavior would understand.

If noting else, more people need to know this story to see an example of leadership as it is expected, not expected by your Chain of Command, not by your men per se; but morally.

There really is nothing more to say than, read this.
Widespread media coverage depicted them as out-of-control cowboys. The public scrutiny was embarrassing. The prospect of going to prison was terrifying. And their 10-month legal battle was relentlessly stressful. One enlisted Marine, a Mexican national, was convinced his mother would be deported. Others recalled their superiors telling them "it doesn't look good for you boys."

Collectively, the fallout left them physically sick, psychologically broken and deeply embittered toward the leaders they blame for causing and perpetuating their anguish and shame, including men who've earned generals' stars. For some like Galvin, there have been lasting professional setbacks, too.

But the betrayal from within, that shattered their trust in the institution. It defied the core values instilled in these men from the moment they joined the Corps: honor, courage, commitment. "This still haunts us," one of those Marines explained, "because no one has publicly acknowledged we did the right thing that day. We did our jobs — and we were crucified for it."

Galvin has been on a mission to restore honor for Fox Company, one that consumes him even when some suggest he should move on with a new life. But he's not wired that way. He believes he owes it to his men to secure the full and public vindication they've never had.


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