Another MCRD Death Blamed on Suicide

A Marine Corps private undergoing training at Camp Pendleton died of a gunshot wound in the head Thursday, the third apparent suicide by a Marine recruit in San Diego County this year.

The death of Pvt. James D. Montgomery Jr., 18, who was in his seventh week of basic training, prompted the commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot to call for a full inquiry into the depot’s suicide-prevention programs.

Montgomery, of Ft. Smith, Ark., apparently shot himself in the head with an M-16 rifle Thursday morning at Camp Pendleton, according to Maj. Jerry Broeckert, an MCRD spokesman. Montgomery was undergoing weapons instruction on Range 314 at the base, Broeckert said.

Scheduled to Graduate

Alone in a two-man tent, Montgomery apparently put the rifle to his head and pulled the trigger about 5:30 a.m. as his unit was beginning to gather for formation, Broeckert said. Montgomery had been scheduled to graduate from boot camp Dec. 30.

Montgomery left a note, the contents of which were not disclosed.

On July 1, an MCRD recruit apparently committed suicide with a gun, and another apparently hanged himself March 16, Broeckert said. They were the first suicides by MCRD recruits since 1981, he said.

On Thursday, Gen. Frank Breth, who recently took command of the MCRD, ordered the formation of a study panel and requested a special appropriation from the Pentagon to help finance its work, Broeckert said.

Trained to Spot Signs

About 18,000 young recruits from across the country enter the Marine Corps each year at the sprawling MCRD on Pacific Highway just north of Lindbergh Field. For most, it is the first time they have lived away from home. They are housed in cavernous barracks and undergo rigorous training overseen by their drill instructors, who are trained to spot the early warning signs of suicide.

The instructors are generally held accountable for suicides and suicide attempts among their charges.

The new panel will reevaluate the drill instructors’ training and come up with proposals for a program to work with the young men’s families, who may be able to tip off Marine Corps officials when problems emerge, Broeckert said. Relatives will be asked to watch for clues to depression in phone calls and letters the recruits send home, he said.

In a statement, Breth expressed his “concern as a command general” and said, “What I intend to do is to take a closer look at removing the means for commiting suicide while still ensuring we’re able to perform our mission.”