A Marine corporal assigned to the storied Silent Drill Platoon at the Marine Barracks Washington in D.C. was hit with a slew of charges and allegations, from what appear to be hazing incidents, ranging from conspiracy to commit abusive sexual contact and assault, according to a charge sheet.
The charge sheet, obtained by Marine Corps Times through a government records request, detailed that a Marine corporal allegedly assisted at least one other person in holding another Marine down while a “topical pain relief medication” was applied to his testicles.
According to the charge sheet, sometime between May 1, 2018, and Aug. 31, 2018, the unidentified corporal allegedly entered building 20 and a room in the Silent Drill Platoon barracks where that corporal allegedly forced a Marine onto a bed and held him down. The charge sheet detailed that the victim allegedly was “subject" to the corporal’s orders.
Another individual, whose name was redacted, allegedly removed the Marine’s trousers and someone “applied" a topical pain relief medication to his testicles, according to the charge sheet.
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In a separate incident, around Nov. 2, 2018, the same D.C. corporal allegedly held another Marine down on a bed while that Marine allegedly was struck with an “open hand, closed fist, and a rifle training stock” by another unnamed individual, the charge sheet reads.
The corporal was hit with charges from that incident to include violating the Corps’ regulation on hazing and maltreatment.
The number of victims and assailants in what appears to be several hazing incidents spanning several months is unknown — the charge sheet redacted the names of individuals involved.
D.C. Marine spokeswoman Capt. Katie Kochert would not confirm if the charge sheet obtained by Marine Corps Times was part of a nearly four-month sweeping Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation into hazing within the Silent Drill Platoon.
That investigation, which kicked off in November 2018, has led to five Marines being punished ― three who were booted from the Corps.
The three Marines pleaded guilty to Article 81 conspiracy and Article 92 failure to obey an order or regulation, were placed in pretrial confinement, and subsequently received nonjudicial punishments and were separated.
Two other Marines pleaded guilty to failure to obey an order or regulation and a general article. They subsequently received nonjudicial punishment, 45 days of restriction and forfeiture of some pay, among other punishments.
NCIS did look at sexual assault allegations during its investigation of the Silent Drill Platoon, but did not find enough evidence to convict, Sgt. Maj. Matthew Hackett, the then-sergeant major for the D.C. barracks, previously told Marine Corps Times in an interview.
The Marine Corps at this time will not confirm the results of the investigation into the Silent Drill Platoon corporal nor what punishment that corporal received.
“The bottom line is hazing will not be tolerated at Marine Barracks Washington, and any allegations are investigated with impartiality, fairness and urgency, and then appropriately adjudicated,” Kochert said.
“The commanding officer has proven that he doesn’t take hazing allegations lightly, and he’s created an environment where Marines can feel comfortable reporting prohibited activities."
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
