MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The United States Marine Corps is known for having some of the best-rounded and disciplined individuals in the military. Customs and Courtesies are instilled into recruits when they make their first entry into the Marine Corps and they are expected to uphold the Corps’ standards of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Recruits of Company I, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, attended a class to learn about the UCMJ regulations aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, May 19.
The UCMJ is the military law of the United States, and it governs service members of every U.S. military around the globe.
“The UCMJ is important for the recruits to learn because it teaches them the discipline and expectations we as service members are required to uphold daily,” said Sgt. Daniel C. Rodriguez, Platoon 3205.
There are 146 articles included in the UCMJ, which provides a set of behaviors that all service members are expected to uphold.
Rodriguez, an Ogden, Utah, native explained that Marines need to know their orders so they not only know what is expected of them but also how to enforce the regulations for fellow Marines.
“Recruits have to learn the UCMJ to know what to abide by because we are accountable for our own actions,” said Recruit Spencer M. Williams, Platoon 3207. “Having good character is a trait we all must live by. We have to do the right things even when no one is looking.”
When Marines are found guilty of UCMJ violations, either by non-judicial punishment or the manual for court-martial is used to the punishment determine.
“If someone disobeys one of the articles, then they will suffer the consequences. The consequence will depend on how serious the misconduct was,” said Williams, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native. “We are all responsible for our actions while in the service, and in order to maintain a good career and stay in the military, we must do the right thing in every situation.”
The UCMJ does not exclude service members from civilian laws. If a service member is found guilty of a wrongful act by a civilian police officer, he or she will also be charged by the UCMJ.
“Marines uphold a higher standard than most. We have to assure we are doing the right things and obeying the laws,” said 21-year-old Williams. “We must walk, talk and act as Marines.”