The report resulted from a six-month investigation into the death of Raheel Siddiqui, a 20-year-old Pakistani-American Muslim man from Taylor, Mich., who had told his relatives he wanted to serve his country and had been training for barely two weeks before he died on March 18.
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Siddiqui died on March 18.
An attorney for the family of a Marine who investigators say killed himself at the Parris Island training center in SC says the family is reviewing its options after the release of a military investigation report. “However, there are too many questions that remain unanswered”.
He was suspended pending the investigation but results were inconclusive and he was allowed to return to work. Siddiqui, who was Muslim, arrived at Parris Island on March 7, according to officials.
“We’re not accusing anyone at this stage”, said the family’s attorney, Nabih Ayad, back in April.
The latest statement from the Marine Corps said 20 recruit training personnel had been identified for “possible military justice or administrative action”. A top official there lost his post in early June.
Investigators believe the instructor had been drinking at the time.
But up to 20 senior leaders and commanders are facing suspension, while several have already been fired including Colonel Paul Cucinotta, who was in charge of training new recruits.
According to a Marine Corps statement, investigations revealed “departures” from the policies and procedures established for Marine Corps recruit training. He was ordered to get up and was slapped in the face. After forming, recruits are “picked up” by their drill instructors in an infamous ceremony that introduces recruits to their company and the intensity of recruit training.
“Today’s announcement … is a first step in ensuring the family of Private Raheel Siddiqui receives the answers they deserve and that the Marine Corps is addressing the serious issues that led to this tragedy”, said Dingell, who had been pressing for answers for months following Siddiqui’s death. The investigations found “recurrent physical and verbal abuse of recruits by drill instructors, with a noted insufficiency of oversight and supervision at various command levels” said Neller’s statement. The corrective changes include a review and revision of mental health processes, procedures, and suicide prevention protocols at the depots.
The Marine Corps statement did not name personnel under investigation and a representative for the Marine Corps could not be reached for additional comment. In it, he said that he “fully supported and endorsed” initial actions in the case.
“When America’s men and women commit to becoming Marines, we make a promise to them”, Neller said in the statement. ‘We pledge to train them with firmness, fairness, dignity and compassion’. Simply stated, the manner in which we make Marines is as important as the finished product.
“We mourn the loss of Recruit Siddiqui, and we will take every step necessary to prevent tragic events like this from happening again”, he said.
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The third investigation was directly related to Siddiqui’s death, but it brought other concerns to light, the official said. He allegedly forced the recruit into a front-loading clothes dryer, accused the recruit of helping to plan the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and then switched on the dryer, forcing him to spin around in the machine, a Marine official familiar with the investigation told The Wall Street Journal. He retracted the threat after officials visited him and was put under observation, according the Journal’s description of the report. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said she is visiting the SC site this weekend to review changes the service has made in light of Siddiqui’s death, and to make sure those found responsible are held accountable.
