Marines suspend drill instructors after recruit drowns
(CNN) -- Three additional drill instructors were suspended following the death last month of a Marine recruit, who drowned in a training pool the day after he allegedly was struck and grabbed during a training session, Marine Corps officials said Friday.
Five Marines, including the platoon's senior drill instructor, had already been suspended and a sixth put on administrative duty as the February 8 death of Jason Tharp was investigated. The three latest drill instructors suspended were members of Tharp's platoon, the Marines said in a statement.
Tharp died in a training pool at Parris Island, South Carolina, from what the Marines described as "complications in the water," the day after a camera crew from WIS-TV in Columbia -- at Parris Island to shoot a story on basic training -- shot video showing a drill instructor grabbing and striking him.
Another instructor told the crew that Tharp had been refusing to train.
Tharp's parents told WIS their son joined the Marines to get money for college, but was miserable in boot camp and wanted to quit. While they said they were not certain there was any connection between Tharp's death and what happened on the tape, they were upset by the way their son -- who they said did not swim well -- was being treated.
A Marine spokesman at the Pentagon said the actions by the drill instructors seen in the video appear to violate regulations for dealing with recruits.
"The latest suspensions are based upon statements made to investigators by other members of Tharp's platoon, and alleged improper contact by the three drill instructors during previous training," Friday's Marine statement said.
"If the allegations are substantiated, the drill instructors will be held accountable for their actions as directed under the applicable laws and regulations."
