MCRD San Diego -- There are rules and ethics Marines follow in war and their introduction to them starts in recruit training.
Recruits of Co. G, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, received a Law of Land Warfare class aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Aug. 27
Staff Sgt. Van Black, academic instructor, Instructional Training Company, Support Battalion, taught the class and believes recruits are able to learn easier if they are comfortable.
“A high school teacher I had inspired me,” said Black. “He taught from the heart and made you feel like you were actually in the event. He made you look at the material in more than one way and that’s the way I try and teach the recruits.”
While teaching them rules and ethics Black showed a small movie clip, made them laugh and engaged the recruits by asking them questions on the material.
Black went over many principles such as Marines only fight enemy combatants, Marines do not harm enemy soldiers who surrender and Marines do not attack medical personnel or facilities.
After each rule Black would give a scenario and ask recruits to mentally put themselves into that situation. Afterwards he would ask them how they would feel about the rule considering the situation.
Black reminded recruits in between questions that they needed to keep in mind that Marines are brothers and as so certain emotions are probable if they were to see a Marine injured or killed.
At one point Black played a movie clip showing a military unit reacting angrily after being attacked with an improvised explosive device.
After the movie clip Black asked, “do you think their actions were justified after they were attacked?”
After a few moments of contemplation, very few recruits raised their hands.
The recruit’s drill instructors felt the class was very beneficial in getting recruits to think about ethics in war.
“These classes make them think more morally and ethically,” said Sgt. Bradley W. Havenar, drill instructor, Plt. 2147. “It puts them in situations where they have to think of answers about what they do ethically in certain scenarios.”
Fellow Co. G drill instructor Sgt. Mark Garcia, Plt. 2145 agreed with Havenar in the importance of the class and added that he believes it is important to teach it early and to follow on with more training.
Garcia explained that the Law of Land Warfare training will not only help prevent unethical decisions but will also protect the Marine Corps’ image of honor, courage and commitment.
“Every decision they make can have a catastrophic consequence,” said Garcia. “When you start early like this you can potentially save everything the United States Marine Corps is working for.”