What is going on at Camp Lejeune lately? First we had idiots planning to blow stuff up all over the base. That was bad enough, but the fools sabotaging parachutes at 2d Landing Support Battalion were even worse. I didn't even blog it when the story first broke. I guess I was in disbelief, thinking that it couldn't have happened that way. I wanted to believe the sabatoge was external. Of course, I knew it wasn't, but I wanted to believe otherwise. I couldn't reconcile the reality with my perception of the Marines in that battalion. I'd known too many of them during my time. They had a certain air about them, and it wasn't just because they had that cool red patch on their covers and trousers. These 2d LSBn Marines were complete professionals.
Maybe I'm getting to be like an older person, who always remembers his era as the time when people acted with responsibility and decorum. Or maybe things have just gotten worse. I just don't know. Either way, no one was planning to blow up the base or sabotaging parachutes (that I know about) while I was stationed there. I don't understand it. Channel 17 has the details:
A Marine admitted he cut the lines of parachutes that had been packed for a training jump, saying Wednesday he knew he was jeopardizing the lives of the men who would use them.
Three Marines were hurt as a result. One testified that he suffers constant pain from the injury he suffered last September and was unable to join his unit when it went to Iraq this year.
Lance Cpl. Antoine D. Boykins, 21, of Baltimore pleaded guilty to nine counts of reckless endangerment, four counts of aggravated assault and one count of destruction of government property.
He should consider himself lucky. He should be going to jail for attempted murder. A plea bargain spared him that.
Cpl. Clayton A. Chaffin, 28, from Franklin, Ohio, is charged with 31 counts including reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, conspiracy and drug charges. Charges against a third Marine were dismissed in April.
The same goes for Chaffin. Why didn't he get attempted murder? Yeah, I know these guys didn't cut the lines on the reserve chutes, but reserves are notorious for failing to open. Someone could very easily have been killed. As it is, they've ruined the career of one warrant officer and left him with permanent injuries.
Once they've been dishonorably discharged they don't get to call themselves former Marines. They'll be ex-Marines. Hopefully, they'll have several decades to ponder that concept for themselves. Anyone who has worn that uniform understands the distinction.