Marine Times reports:
One Marine faces court-martial and another faces non-judicial punishment for allegedly hazing a lance corporal who killed himself in Afghanistan, according to a military investigation report obtained by Marine Corps Times.
Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, 21, killed himself with a two- or three-round burst from an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon early April 3, according to a Marine Corps investigation. He was hazed that night by two other lance corporals in 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, who were angry he had fallen asleep several times while manning a guard post, the report said.
NBC Bay Area reports:
An investigation into the 21-year-old’s April death says Lew “leaned over his M249 squad automatic weapon as it pointed to the sky, placed the muzzle in his mouth and pulled the trigger.”
Lew wrote on his arm: “may hate me now, but in the long run this was the right choice I’m sorry my mom deserves the truth.”
This violence and suicide is tragic enough, but look at some comments on the Marine Times article. They cheer the torture of Lew and his subsequent suicide, revealing a disturbing psychopathic culture of violence within some military circles:
Alex Milberg · Customer Service Rep. and RSO at Ultimate Defense Weapons RangeGood, one less weak link in the Corps. He endangered the lives of many Marines by falling asleep on post. Proof that hazing saves lives.
John DiPisa· Top CommenterThis matter will not end; wait till the homosexuals become a problem!
[…] racial elements to the this recent incident. In the earlier incident, Kane’ohe Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Harry Lew also committed suicide after hazing by comrades. Several Marines face courts martial for their hazing of Lew. […]