The Marines Are in Los Angeles

The Email Chain Heard 'Round the Corps: @USMCSgtMaj Makes Surprise Visit to Corporal's Graduation Congratulations, Cpl. Hundley! https://t.co/rfdjozpSZI

1st CEB holds memorial to honor fallen Marines: Lance Cpl. Aguilera, Lance Cpl. Gamino “Their impact on this task force and battalion will not fade... ‘Til Valhalla.” #USMC #1stMARDIV https://t.co/pogBQXr8uS

48 Hours with Marines and Soldiers on the US Southern Border

48 Hours with Marines and Soldiers on the US Southern Border -- @Militarydotcom https://t.co/5uS2GJSKOH

This is a ridiculous and intentional misinterpretation of Patricia’s story. She accurately reports that rumors were circulating about DOGE involvement at VA and then sets the record straight. Sec Collins decided to attack one word in the story for unclear reasons.

Mr. Secretary – You willfully misrepresented what was in that story, one where your own press office confirmed the details, and was quoted. Patricia is not going to be distracted by this nonsense, she’s going to continue doing the important reporting she’s done for years.

This is a, frankly, laughable way to speak to someone like @patriciakime who has been tirelessly covering the military and veterans for YEARS. You’ll be hard-pressed to find more of a pro who cares as much as she does. The work she has done is completely indispensable.

Here is a gift link to the @washingtonpost version of the article:

“People, in general, have problems in their personal lives,” one widow said. “But when you have the drill instructor job, it amplifies those problems because of how long you’re away from home, how tired you are.”

Some noted that the USMC lacks adequate services for those who are struggling, and tacitly condones a culture that stigmatizes those who seek it. “We put a drastic expectation on them to act perfect,” one Marine said. "It causes this stress that trickles into their home life.”

The already high-stress DI role became even more intense after the 2016 death of Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim recruit who suffered abuse at Parris Island. His case led to stricter oversight of the men and women who train new Marines.

The job’s unspoken expectations also can have a chilling effect on any impulse to seek care, they said, describing a prevailing reluctance to be away from work — for mental health reasons or even a family event — for fear of leaving teammates shorthanded.

One former drill instructor said the experience left him and his family shattered, adding, “I experienced a really, really dark side of myself.” Another turned to alcohol to cope: “Let me just have a drink...so that I don’t overreact when I might talk to my children.”

A 2023 Marine IG investigation found a culture of "surviving" vs. "thriving," at Parris Island where DIs felt their welfare was a low priority. Many described "walking on eggshells," "on pins and needles," and being "afraid for their careers."

At least seven drill instructors died by suicide in the past five years. In 2023, three DI suicides occurred at Parris Island within less than three months.

Many describe routine 90-hour-plus workweeks, sleep deprivation and an always-on culture that frequently caused the job’s requisite intensity to seep into their personal lives, igniting disputes with loved ones. Others detailed bouts of depression or alcohol dependency.

An internal 2019 USMC study said 29 DIs died by suicide or contemplated it over a 10-year period, startlingly high compared with the occurrence of suicidal ideation among Marines who never held that job, it said. Addiction and divorce among drill instructors also were higher.

We conducted 30+ interviews with service members, their superiors and family members who have lost drill instructors to suicide, and reviewed countless documents related to the environments at the USMC's two recruit depots in Parris Island and San Diego.

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide. .@kelsbbaker & I spent over a year investigating the mental health crisis among Marine Corps drill instructors. https://t.co/m27AOqDTqj