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| Inquiry Opens Into How a Network of Marines Shared Illicit Images of Female Peers | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Some photographs show female Marines posing topless in their dress uniform slacks, or with their camouflage blouses open, in pictures they thought would forever be secret. Others show private moments swiped from their personal social media sites. | Some photographs show female Marines posing topless in their dress uniform slacks, or with their camouflage blouses open, in pictures they thought would forever be secret. Others show private moments swiped from their personal social media sites. |
| In one photograph, surreptitiously taken in February, a female corporal from Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, is shown bent over from behind. The image, once posted online, was flooded with derogatory comments, including suggestions that she should be raped. | In one photograph, surreptitiously taken in February, a female corporal from Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, is shown bent over from behind. The image, once posted online, was flooded with derogatory comments, including suggestions that she should be raped. |
| Now the Defense Department has opened a criminal investigation and the Marine Corps is facing its latest unwanted controversy after it was revealed over the weekend that a secret online Facebook group of active-duty and veteran Marines shared thousands of naked and private photos of Marine Corps women. | Now the Defense Department has opened a criminal investigation and the Marine Corps is facing its latest unwanted controversy after it was revealed over the weekend that a secret online Facebook group of active-duty and veteran Marines shared thousands of naked and private photos of Marine Corps women. |
| The invitation-only group, called Marines United and made up of more than 30,000 active duty Marines and veterans, built online dossiers on Marine women without their knowledge or consent, listing dozens of women’s names, ranks, social media handles and where they are stationed. | The invitation-only group, called Marines United and made up of more than 30,000 active duty Marines and veterans, built online dossiers on Marine women without their knowledge or consent, listing dozens of women’s names, ranks, social media handles and where they are stationed. |
| The Marine Corps quickly condemned the all-male group, saying in a statement on Sunday that Marines United’s conduct “destroys morale, erodes trust and degrades the individual.” The Naval Criminal Investigation service has opened an investigation, and the Marine Corps said that any Marine who “directly participates in, encourages or condones” illicit activity could face court-martial. The Marine Corps declined to say how many Marines were being investigated. | The Marine Corps quickly condemned the all-male group, saying in a statement on Sunday that Marines United’s conduct “destroys morale, erodes trust and degrades the individual.” The Naval Criminal Investigation service has opened an investigation, and the Marine Corps said that any Marine who “directly participates in, encourages or condones” illicit activity could face court-martial. The Marine Corps declined to say how many Marines were being investigated. |
| The news of the group’s existence was first reported by a veteran’s news organization, The War Horse, on Saturday. | The news of the group’s existence was first reported by a veteran’s news organization, The War Horse, on Saturday. |
| One of the victims of the group was Marisa Woytek, a Marine lance corporal serving at Camp Pendleton, who had photos taken from her Instagram account and posted to the group. She was alerted by friends and sent a screen shot. | One of the victims of the group was Marisa Woytek, a Marine lance corporal serving at Camp Pendleton, who had photos taken from her Instagram account and posted to the group. She was alerted by friends and sent a screen shot. |
| “They were nothing scandalous, just me saying good morning,” Corporal Woytek said in an interview. “But the comments went just as far toward sexual assault and rape and degrading as your imagination can go.” | “They were nothing scandalous, just me saying good morning,” Corporal Woytek said in an interview. “But the comments went just as far toward sexual assault and rape and degrading as your imagination can go.” |
| “I love the Marine Corps,” she added. “But after seeing that, I wouldn’t re-enlist.” | “I love the Marine Corps,” she added. “But after seeing that, I wouldn’t re-enlist.” |
| Several Marines said the Marines United postings are an evolution of a retaliatory practice called “make her famous.” Marines would share nude photographs of girlfriends or spouses they believed were cheating through text messages to a broad swath of people, encouraging them to forward the photos. | Several Marines said the Marines United postings are an evolution of a retaliatory practice called “make her famous.” Marines would share nude photographs of girlfriends or spouses they believed were cheating through text messages to a broad swath of people, encouraging them to forward the photos. |
| Jason Elsdon, a Marine in his early 40s, who said he was a member of Marines United and said he played no role in posting, organizing or disseminating the photographs, argued that people were overreacting. “It was just nudes,” he said. “I scrolled past it.” He added: “I don’t feel that it’s right, but I don’t feel that people should be utterly surprised that it is happening. There are other groups, and many are civilians, that are the same way.” | Jason Elsdon, a Marine in his early 40s, who said he was a member of Marines United and said he played no role in posting, organizing or disseminating the photographs, argued that people were overreacting. “It was just nudes,” he said. “I scrolled past it.” He added: “I don’t feel that it’s right, but I don’t feel that people should be utterly surprised that it is happening. There are other groups, and many are civilians, that are the same way.” |
| He defended the larger mission of the group and the web page, which is a grab bag of military news and humor, saying it provided needed support. He cited instances in which servicemen were contemplating suicide and the page would “light up” with people who wanted to help. | He defended the larger mission of the group and the web page, which is a grab bag of military news and humor, saying it provided needed support. He cited instances in which servicemen were contemplating suicide and the page would “light up” with people who wanted to help. |
| Though all military branches face problems with integrating women, the Marine Corps has perhaps the toughest challenge. Not only does it have the smallest proportion of women of all the services — 7 percent, compared with 14 percent in the Army — it also has the highest rate of sexual assault reports. Reforms also continually collide with a culture of ground-pounding infantry fighters that despite the efforts of some in the leadership, embrace a tradition of brawling, hard-drinking and sexual exploits. | Though all military branches face problems with integrating women, the Marine Corps has perhaps the toughest challenge. Not only does it have the smallest proportion of women of all the services — 7 percent, compared with 14 percent in the Army — it also has the highest rate of sexual assault reports. Reforms also continually collide with a culture of ground-pounding infantry fighters that despite the efforts of some in the leadership, embrace a tradition of brawling, hard-drinking and sexual exploits. |
| “As Marines, we revel in all of it,” one online poster said in a debate on Reddit about the group, posted months before its existence was publicly revealed. “As a whole, Marines are a rough and tumble group of war dogs with a taste for the carnal things in life.” | “As Marines, we revel in all of it,” one online poster said in a debate on Reddit about the group, posted months before its existence was publicly revealed. “As a whole, Marines are a rough and tumble group of war dogs with a taste for the carnal things in life.” |
| But many Marines have pushed back against the idea that crude behavior is intrinsic to their identity. | But many Marines have pushed back against the idea that crude behavior is intrinsic to their identity. |
| “That is absolute nonsense,” said Maj. Clark Carpenter, a Marine Corps spokesman. “A true warrior carries himself with a sense of decency and compassion, but is always ready for the fight,” he said. “Those who hide in the dark corners of the internet with a shield of anonymity and purport to be warriors are nothing of the sort — they are nothing more than cowards.” | “That is absolute nonsense,” said Maj. Clark Carpenter, a Marine Corps spokesman. “A true warrior carries himself with a sense of decency and compassion, but is always ready for the fight,” he said. “Those who hide in the dark corners of the internet with a shield of anonymity and purport to be warriors are nothing of the sort — they are nothing more than cowards.” |
| Still, the Marine Corps leadership has never fully rid the Corps of its rough ethos, and in recent years it has been hit with a number of scandals when this mentality broke into the open, including allegations that commanders retaliated against women who reported sexual assaults and recent reports that drill instructors hazed recruits, especially Muslims. | Still, the Marine Corps leadership has never fully rid the Corps of its rough ethos, and in recent years it has been hit with a number of scandals when this mentality broke into the open, including allegations that commanders retaliated against women who reported sexual assaults and recent reports that drill instructors hazed recruits, especially Muslims. |
| The Marine Corps is also the military branch that has put up the stiffest resistance to opening combat jobs to women, with several high-ranking Marines saying the move could hurt combat effectiveness. A small group of women joined combat units in January. | The Marine Corps is also the military branch that has put up the stiffest resistance to opening combat jobs to women, with several high-ranking Marines saying the move could hurt combat effectiveness. A small group of women joined combat units in January. |
| Women in the Marine Corps say the culture has been hostile to them for years. | Women in the Marine Corps say the culture has been hostile to them for years. |
| “When I was in Iraq, I always carried a can of black spray paint to cover up what was written about me in the port-a-johns,” said Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran who is now a professor of behavioral health at Charleston Southern University. “I tried to laugh it off, but the harassment is so pervasive that it can have a real effect.” | “When I was in Iraq, I always carried a can of black spray paint to cover up what was written about me in the port-a-johns,” said Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran who is now a professor of behavioral health at Charleston Southern University. “I tried to laugh it off, but the harassment is so pervasive that it can have a real effect.” |
| Marines United collected thousands of photos that appeared to be a mix of private photos shared by former partners and images taken from personal accounts. Some were photos of women clothed, and others in various states of undress, in civilian and military clothing, and often accompanied by a blizzard of lewd comments. | Marines United collected thousands of photos that appeared to be a mix of private photos shared by former partners and images taken from personal accounts. Some were photos of women clothed, and others in various states of undress, in civilian and military clothing, and often accompanied by a blizzard of lewd comments. |
| In September, a Marine veteran named John Albert was invited to join the site, and, disgusted by what he found, alerted Facebook. | In September, a Marine veteran named John Albert was invited to join the site, and, disgusted by what he found, alerted Facebook. |
| “I have tons of friends who got killed in Afghanistan and have died since they came home. These types of actions dishonor their names and the entire Marine Corps,” Mr. Albert said in an interview. | “I have tons of friends who got killed in Afghanistan and have died since they came home. These types of actions dishonor their names and the entire Marine Corps,” Mr. Albert said in an interview. |
| Facebook took down the page temporarily for violating a ban on nudity after the complaint, Mr. Albert said, but the group apparently got around restrictions on nudity by shifting photos to a shared Google file. | Facebook took down the page temporarily for violating a ban on nudity after the complaint, Mr. Albert said, but the group apparently got around restrictions on nudity by shifting photos to a shared Google file. |
| Then on Saturday, a Marine veteran named Thomas Brennan, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, and later founded the nonprofit news site The War Horse, wrote about the group. | Then on Saturday, a Marine veteran named Thomas Brennan, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, and later founded the nonprofit news site The War Horse, wrote about the group. |
| Marine Corps officials, alerted to the site by Mr. Brennan, contacted Google and had the files removed. | Marine Corps officials, alerted to the site by Mr. Brennan, contacted Google and had the files removed. |
| Since publishing the story, Mr. Brennan said he and his family had received death threats from members of the group. He charged that one member was offering “500 bucks for nudes” of Mr. Brennan’s wife and said he was “cooperating with multiple law enforcement agencies” regarding threats to him and his family. | Since publishing the story, Mr. Brennan said he and his family had received death threats from members of the group. He charged that one member was offering “500 bucks for nudes” of Mr. Brennan’s wife and said he was “cooperating with multiple law enforcement agencies” regarding threats to him and his family. |
| “I’m no angel. I have deployed just like these Marines. I’ve sat around a fire in Afghanistan and shared that dark, dark Marine humor. In ways, that humor has healing properties. But this is different. It has gone too far,” he said. “We are hurting other Marines.” | “I’m no angel. I have deployed just like these Marines. I’ve sat around a fire in Afghanistan and shared that dark, dark Marine humor. In ways, that humor has healing properties. But this is different. It has gone too far,” he said. “We are hurting other Marines.” |