Combat stresses led to dishonorable acts

Earlier this month, a CSC student and former Marine asked me if I had heard about the four USMC Snipers who had been filmed urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban insurgents.

I was unaware of the situation and the news brought an immediate rush of shame and disgrace. I thought if this news was true then these individuals were not acting like Marines when they committed such misconduct.

This incident highlights the impacts of combat stress and the need for moral leaders. U.S. military members often turn to humor as a means to alleviate stress. Although I am in no way defending their actions. It seems like urinating on the dead bodies of insurgents may have been a case of a joke carried too far.

To my knowledge, this case has not been determined to be a violation of the laws of war but it is certainly a violation of the Universal Code of Military Justice. In an organization that prides itself on slogans like “death before dishonor,” I’m positive that these Marines will be disciplined for their misconduct.

Even with the high moral standards placed on our military members, there are cases where service members act contrary to the values of the U.S. The military is larger than any other organization in America, and just like any other institution, and even with rigorous screening processes, there are those that join the military that lack the values and morals to carry out such an important mission.

It is truly regrettable that the actions of a handful of Marines will have such a negative impact on the mission. I can guarantee you that this film is being used around the world to encourage extremists.

This disgraceful action will lead to the loss of life and further injury to U.S. personnel. A single negative act can erase hundreds of thousands of positive impacts the military is making overseas.

This action also brings to light the extreme level of discipline required to be a modern war-fighter. We authorize our military to use any legal means to destroy their enemy. This could include turning them into nothing more than a pink mist through high-explosive artillery rounds, blowing their bodies apart with grenades, shooting them in the hip or stomach which might translate into long and painful deaths, and even crushing their heads with the butt of a rifle.

Now imagine the discipline required to flip the mindset from engaging the enemy through extreme violence to not wanting to continue to attack the bodies after the enemy has died. Military members are given permission to do all manner of violent acts on living individuals that would never be allowed against lifeless bodies.

Incidents like this also highlight our cultural enjoyment in the failures of honorable men and women. Thousands of positive actions of the military are not reported on a daily bases. The death of six Marines in a helicopter crash failed to get anywhere near the publicity the actions that brought discredit to the Marines.

When is the last time you were told about the number of missing American soldiers and contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan?

In an era where a tiny percentage of Americans are doing such good around the world by serving in the military, the media dedicates far more time and resources in exposing their faults than reporting their strengths and accomplishments.

For those who find the actions of these Marines unacceptable, I agree with that sentiment. But this should be a time to help these people and others to prevent things like this.

If you find fault in the actions in these Marines, I would say that you should try to do your part to stop further incidents from occurring.

So many of those who are abroad need to know that while there tremendous pressure and stress—we at home will do what we can to help them out and prevent similar issues in the future.