Discharge Urged in Marine ‘Blood-Pinning’ Hazing

Maj. Gen. Patrick Howard, base commander at Camp Lejeune, has recommended that two platoon leaders be discharged from the Marine Corps because gold wings were pounded into the chests of paratroopers in a “blood-pinning” hazing.

The corps commandant, Gen. Charles Krulak, will make the final decision, base spokesman Maj. Steve Little said Thursday.

Howard’s recommendations on the 1991 hazing, which was reported on in a broadcast in January by “Dateline NBC,” also resulted in written reprimands for the two leaders and for three other Marines. The six remaining Marines in the platoon who are still on active duty received verbal counseling.

Howard’s investigation found that no one above the platoon’s senior commander knew about the incident, in which 30 Marines participated.

Marines who earned their gold wings for 10 successful jumps had the wings pounded into their chests by superiors; paratroopers could be seen on the tape screaming as blood trickled from their cuts.

The names of the participants have not been disclosed.

Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said that he was “disturbed and disgusted” by the tape and that the military must not tolerate such hazing.

There was no formal policy defining or banning hazing in 1991. But Howard called the acts so extreme that every Marine leader should have realized that it was wrong.

“Accordingly, I determined that every leader who was aware but did not stop the incident and every Marine who participated should be held accountable,” Howard said. “Leaders must be held responsible. Therefore, they received the most severe sanctions authorized.”

Howard recommended dismissals for the platoon’s commander--now a captain--and the platoon sergeant, now a master gunnery sergeant. Details on the incident also will be placed in their military records. They also received written and personal counseling.