Brickbat: Band of Brothers

One of four members of U.S. Special Operations forces charged in connection with the death of Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, in Mali says Melgar's death occurred as a result of a hazing incident that was to have included them videotaping Melgar being sexually assaulted by a Malian security guard. The claims come in a written stipulation of facts from Marine Staff Sgt. Kevin Maxwell as part of a plea deal in the case.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

As Matthews did in court last month, Maxwell also said that before the assault, the men woke up Melgar’s team leader, Sgt. 1st Class James Morris, asked for permission to haze Melgar and received it. Morris has not been charged in the case...

What a mess.

[sharmota4zeb]

Yeah, this is messed up.

[Inigo Montoya]

For once, I have no jokes to make. This is horrible.

[loveconstitution1789]

Unprofessionalism at its worst and these guys deserve Ft. Leavenworth.

I would also say that these were special forces, the cream of the crop as far as fighting US soldiers go and if they are doing stupid shit like this, other SpecWar group think hazing to this extreme is okay. Meanwhile the regular military allows recruits to pullout a "safe space" card if they feel training is too harsh.

Military discipline keeps bored military folks from doing stupid shit after tough missions.

[68W58]

“..:the cream of the crop as far as fighting US soldiers go...”
Honestly, I’m not sure I believe that. They have shown the ability to pass all of the gee whiz schools and they are incredibly physically fit, but I think there is a cult of the SF that seems to think of them as some sort of supermen and that they can achieve miracles that regular GIs can’t. But we see that when things go tits up for them (Red Wings, Gothic Serpent) it’s up to the regular joes to bail them out. I really believe that we would be better off with a much smaller special operations force.

[Ragnarredbeard]

There is no such thing as a safe space card. That has been a running gag for 20 years and its never been true.

[Brian]

Is this why we couldn’t have gays in the military? So the rape hazings would have more...pizzazz?

[Conchfritters]

I don’t quite understand - I thought hazing was a sort of initiation ritual. They killed a staff Sargent who had been in the service for four years. They were deliberately fucking with this guy, and there is justice they’ll go to Fort Leavenworth.

[Agammamon]

Hazing has been *justified* as an 'initiation ritual'. Its really just an excuse to hurt someone.

And that SSGT has been in for a lot longer than 4 years.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

You can be initiated when to transfer to a new unit.

[Agammamon]

Yes. And?

[Ragnarredbeard]

Actually, no. Melgar enlisted in Jan 2012 and was killed in Jun 2017. 5 1/2 is just about right for SSG in the special forces.

[Rossami]

Hazing is generally an initiation ritual. But neither the article nor the general definition tell us "initiation" to what. You can transfer in to the Special Forces relatively late in your career. In fact, that's the more normal path - prove yourself in the regular forces then transfer up. SSG would be later than usual but not impossible. Alternatively, it could be an initiation of this particular soldier to his new unit - the result of a routine transfer.

[Agammamon]

The article is pretty clear that he wasn't being hazed to 'initiate' him into anything.

He pissed off one of the SEALs he was working with and that guy got a couple other dudes together to go hurt him under the cover of 'hazing'. Which was really 'stop getting in my way or I'll fuck you up even harder'.

[Fist of Etiquette]

In the article it is suggested there was a dispute between the deceased and one of attackers. Hazing is the wrong word here.

[Inigo Montoya]

If the attached article is to be believed, it wasn’t about any kind of initiation. The SSGT had made enemies because he had been criticizing these idiots (no doubt for some of the same sort of non-professionalism as they are now accused of). That makes it even worse, in my view, as it would seem the motive was revenge for calling them out.

[MatthewSlyfield]

If there is justice in this case, they will be buried UNDER Fort Leavenworth.

[Agammamon]

Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Matthews

SEALs are lame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcYWf1UCGAo

[Will Nonya]

What the actual fuck. As a former soldier I'm appalled by this.

Not only is it a horrible incident but it cast a shadow over hundresd of thousands of others in uniform. People with no involvement with anything like this will now be tainted by it and end up carrying this with them.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

I think your comment pretty well covers the matter.

[OG]

Hazing is the most pathetic fucking thing. It's sadistic. If you want to challenge a person than do it honorably.

[Mr. Tibbs]

I have no idea what happened here, or what other evidence exists, but I give the same amount of credibility to the testimony of the plea-dealer that I do to a plea-dealer in any other type of case - none.

[Radioactive]

while putting on the uniform and serving is truly honorable, the act doesn't confer sainthood..