The commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Neller, was planning a trip to Norway next week to visit his Marines at their best.
Instead, he’s going to Capitol Hill to try to explain the Marines at their worst.
A downcast and dejected Neller faced Pentagon reporters Friday to try to come to grips with one of the most unseemly and unbecoming conduct to ever smear the Corps’ good name: The widespread sharing of thousands of explicit images of military women on a private Facebook page and website where current and former Marines disparaged the victims with vicious insults and misogynistic comments.
“If you’re participating in this type of behavior in any way, shape or form, you’re not helping me or your Marine Corps and I’d ask you to reconsider your participation in any sort of behavior like this,” he said.
Neller, who called himself “generationally challenged,” was at a loss to explain how so many Marines had lost their moral compass.
“I don’t know how many active-duty Marines are involved in this or participated in this website, Marines United. I don’t know the exact number of Marines that may have been targeted. I don’t know how many active-duty Marines participated or were witting to this behavior,” Neller said.
“The investigation that’s ongoing will help us understand the scope of this and I can assure you if there’s accountability to be made, those that are involved will be held accountable.”
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service began a formal probe Feb. 22, more than two weeks after the Marine Corps was tipped off by an informant, who turned out to be a former Marine who is now a reporter.
In addition to the criminal investigation, Neller has appointed a task force to be headed by Assistant Marine Commandant Gen. Glenn Walters to track the investigation, and also look into the underlying cultural issues that gave rise to the corrosive subculture.
“They’re going to look at what’s going on, while developing plans for corrective actions and recommendations to policies, procedures, education and training of Marines that will prevent this in the future,” Neller said.
The commandant had a contrite message for the women who were victimized by their fellow warriors.
“I’m going to ask them to trust us, and I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now,” Neller said. “But I can’t fix this. I mean, the only way that there’s going to be accountability in this, is if somebody comes forward and tells us what happened to them.”
So far, fewer than 10 women have come forward, and about 30 Marines are under investigation, but so far no one has been charged.
Neller spoke emotionally about the obstacles that have been put in the path of women by some male Marines who just don’t want to accept women in their ranks.
“We’ve been fighting for 15 years, men and women side-by-side. And women, they did their thing and I don’t know what else they gotta do,” Neller said. “What do you gotta do to get in? I mean, come on guys. They just want to do their job. Let them do their job, and you do yours. And you know what? It will all work out.”
Earlier Friday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a statement calling the actions of some civilian and military personnel on social media websites “egregious violations of the fundamental values we uphold at the Department of Defense,” and promised that the military chain of command is “taking all appropriate action to investigate potential misconduct and to maintain good order and discipline” throughout the armed forces.
“Lack of respect for the dignity and humanity of fellow members of the Department of Defense is unacceptable and counter to unit cohesion,” Mattis said. “We will not excuse or tolerate such behavior.”
