Ambrosio Spinola
11-28-2005, 09:04 AM
Even the western military is becomming more and more poltically correct. Whats next? no shooting?
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=2314222005
A CRIMINAL investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Defence into alleged violent bullying rituals within the Royal Marines after a video emerged apparently showing a new recruit being beaten unconscious as part of an initiation ceremony.
The pictures, obtained by a Sunday newspaper, show the naked man being forced to take part in a fistfight and seemingly getting kicked in the face by another man, said to be one of his superiors in 42 Commando.
The video is potentially a huge setback for the armed forces, which have been trying to distance themselves from claims of abuse and bullying.
An MoD spokesman said: "The Royal Marines take these allegations extremely seriously and have a zero tolerance policy on bullying and harassment."
He said a probe by the Special Investigations Board had been launched into the video, which was passed to the News of the World.
"Because of this ongoing criminal investigation, we are unable to comment on the details behind these allegations. Bullying and harassment is not widespread within the armed forces. Behaviour of this kind will not be tolerated and every effort is made to apply this policy rigorously. Whenever there is a proven breach in this policy we always take appropriate disciplinary action."
The spokesman added that they were trying to establish the full circumstances in which the film was taken.
The video was covertly made in May by another Marine who witnessed the fight in a field at 42 Commando's base in Bickleigh Barracks, near Plymouth.
Twelve recruits who had just completed their 32-week Commando training are alleged to have taken part in the brutal initiation ritual, while around 40 other Marines - also stripped naked - watched.
The images show two men in the centre of a large group. At first they are apparently fighting with large mats rolled round their arms, but then another man dressed in a blue surgeon-style outfit steps and motions for them to use bare fists.
When one of the recruits appears to complain, the man allegedly kicks him in the face, leaving him unconscious on the grass.
Shadow defence secretary, Michael Ancram, urged the MoD to take serious action. He said in a statement: "This sort of activity is inexcusable. It brings the army into disrepute and it should be dealt with severely."
Colonel Bob Stewart, a former commander of British forces, said the images had shocked him to the core. "It is some form of initiation ceremony. It is clearly booze-fuelled," he said.
"It is clearly some kind of party and it is absolutely wrong and horrific, simply because this is not what our soldiers should be doing. But if it was some kind of party, the fun ended pretty quickly. Why are they naked for goodness' sake?"
Former assistant chief of defence staff, Lord Timothy Garden, said that the level of supervision during military training must be looked at if such apparent abuse is to be prevented.
The armed forces' treatment of new recruits has been under the spotlight in recent years following inquiries into the deaths of four young soldiers at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey.
James Collinson, 17, from Perth, Geoff Gray, 17, from Durham, Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings and Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, north Wales, died in separate shootings.
Their deaths, between 1995 and 2002, prompted claims of a widespread culture of bullying and abuse at the barracks.
The army has maintained there was no evidence that the recruits were bullied or that their deaths were suspicious.
The Royal Marines train an average of 1,200 recruits a year, as well as 2,000 potential recruits who attend courses, and 400 potential officers.
Formed in 1664, the unit says on its website that it has "a proud history and unique traditions" and is currently serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Northern Ireland.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=2314222005
A CRIMINAL investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Defence into alleged violent bullying rituals within the Royal Marines after a video emerged apparently showing a new recruit being beaten unconscious as part of an initiation ceremony.
The pictures, obtained by a Sunday newspaper, show the naked man being forced to take part in a fistfight and seemingly getting kicked in the face by another man, said to be one of his superiors in 42 Commando.
The video is potentially a huge setback for the armed forces, which have been trying to distance themselves from claims of abuse and bullying.
An MoD spokesman said: "The Royal Marines take these allegations extremely seriously and have a zero tolerance policy on bullying and harassment."
He said a probe by the Special Investigations Board had been launched into the video, which was passed to the News of the World.
"Because of this ongoing criminal investigation, we are unable to comment on the details behind these allegations. Bullying and harassment is not widespread within the armed forces. Behaviour of this kind will not be tolerated and every effort is made to apply this policy rigorously. Whenever there is a proven breach in this policy we always take appropriate disciplinary action."
The spokesman added that they were trying to establish the full circumstances in which the film was taken.
The video was covertly made in May by another Marine who witnessed the fight in a field at 42 Commando's base in Bickleigh Barracks, near Plymouth.
Twelve recruits who had just completed their 32-week Commando training are alleged to have taken part in the brutal initiation ritual, while around 40 other Marines - also stripped naked - watched.
The images show two men in the centre of a large group. At first they are apparently fighting with large mats rolled round their arms, but then another man dressed in a blue surgeon-style outfit steps and motions for them to use bare fists.
When one of the recruits appears to complain, the man allegedly kicks him in the face, leaving him unconscious on the grass.
Shadow defence secretary, Michael Ancram, urged the MoD to take serious action. He said in a statement: "This sort of activity is inexcusable. It brings the army into disrepute and it should be dealt with severely."
Colonel Bob Stewart, a former commander of British forces, said the images had shocked him to the core. "It is some form of initiation ceremony. It is clearly booze-fuelled," he said.
"It is clearly some kind of party and it is absolutely wrong and horrific, simply because this is not what our soldiers should be doing. But if it was some kind of party, the fun ended pretty quickly. Why are they naked for goodness' sake?"
Former assistant chief of defence staff, Lord Timothy Garden, said that the level of supervision during military training must be looked at if such apparent abuse is to be prevented.
The armed forces' treatment of new recruits has been under the spotlight in recent years following inquiries into the deaths of four young soldiers at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey.
James Collinson, 17, from Perth, Geoff Gray, 17, from Durham, Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings and Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, north Wales, died in separate shootings.
Their deaths, between 1995 and 2002, prompted claims of a widespread culture of bullying and abuse at the barracks.
The army has maintained there was no evidence that the recruits were bullied or that their deaths were suspicious.
The Royal Marines train an average of 1,200 recruits a year, as well as 2,000 potential recruits who attend courses, and 400 potential officers.
Formed in 1664, the unit says on its website that it has "a proud history and unique traditions" and is currently serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Northern Ireland.