Final report on drowning of Parris Island recruit Jason Tharp released

[maddezmom]

Beaufort) June 28, 2005 - A hearing similar to a civilian grand jury investigation will be held in the death of a Marine recruit who drowned in the pool at the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot in February.
19-year-old Jason Robert Tharp of Sutton, West Virginia, drowned during water survival training.

The base announced Tuesday that a Judge Advocate General investigation found that Tharp's death was preventable and that violations of the standing operating procedures contributed to the circumstances of the recruit's death. Specifically, the report indicated that the water survival instructor conducting one-on-one training with Pvt. Tharp failed to recognize or ignored indications that he was too tired or incapable of continuing the swim training and thereby failed to prevent an unsafe situation from occurring.

The Article 32 hearing could result in the instructor facing a trial by court martial. An investigation conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) found no evidence of criminal conduct or intentional wrongdoing in connection with the drowning.

more:http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3529920&nav=0RaPbX4U

[atreides1]

1. The Question: Will There be any Punishment

Will the Marines really do anything or are they just going through the motions like they did with the Marine who killed an unarmed wounded Iraqi in a Mosque in Fallujah, or the platoon leader who shot
two unarmed Iraqis because he felt threatened.

[comradebillyboy]

3. he was not an iraqi, so yes

the corps mostly disapproves of drill instructors killing recruits and will most likely punish the trainer.

[AndyTiedye]

5. The Problem in Jason's Case is They Were Shown Abusing Him on TV!

One of Jason Tharp's DI's was abusing him right in front of a camera
crew that was filming for the evening news the night before.
Then the very next day he turns up drowned. They couldn't hush this
one up completely.
There's probably still a copy of the video around, it has circulated
extensively on the net.

The corps doesn't disapprove all that much if a few of the weaker
recruits die in "training accidents". I suppose they figure that
it motivates the other recruits. Of course it hasn't exactly done
wonders for recruiting.

[saigon68]

2. THE FEW ---THE PROUD --- THE DEAD

R. I. P.

[Supersedeas]

4. Rummi's got a War for ya...and Rummi's got some training for ya too

Recruiters--what do they have?

A Frat Boy in Chief commemorative Presidential portrait for ya, maybe.

[AndyTiedye]

6. They Are Setting Up a Scholarship Fund in Jason's Memory

It should have its 501c(3) status in a month or so.

Nobody should have to join the Marines in order to get money to go to art school.