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thedrifter
11-29-04, 06:44 AM
November 26, 2004

Recruit dies during last leg of Crucible

By Gordon Lubold
Times staff writer


Officials are investigating the death of a recruit at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., after the man apparently died in his sleep during the last leg of the grueling Crucible training event.
Recruit Bret C. Moran, 18, from Bronx, N.Y., was pronounced dead at a local hospital Nov. 18 after a drill instructor was unable to wake him around 2 a.m. that day.

Moran was in his 57th training day at Parris Island and had about two more weeks to go, said Maj. Ken White, a spokesman at Parris Island. Moran began his training on Sept. 11.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is conducting an investigation into the death, the first at Parris Island since March 2002, White said.

White said the investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear how Moran died. NCIS agents conduct investigations whenever someone dies at a naval installation, White said. If investigators determine that Moran did not die as a result of wrongdoing, the case will be handed to an investigating officer. White said a Marine lieutenant colonel has been identified and is awaiting the case.

Moran was assigned to Platoon 2015, Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. The platoon had finished everything but the nine-mile hike back to base, where it was to complete the Crucible.

The Crucible is a 54-hour culminating exercise, a physically and mentally demanding event in which recruits get limited food and sleep.

The day had been busy for that platoon but typical for the last day of the Crucible. Platoon members had already completed the combat assault re-supply course, as well as a modified obstacle course where they climbed ropes, a 10-foot wall and did land navigation exercises.

The recruits had also been required to complete an enhanced confidence course, shoot on a firing range and complete a casualty evacuation exercise. Before the recruits were allowed to sleep for four hours, they also finished a night infiltration course.

The platoon was asleep in an area of Page Field. Reveille was to be sounded sometime around 3 a.m., and the recruits were going to march back to base before going to breakfast, White said.

When drill instructors attempted to wake Moran early to complete the final leg of the event, they found him unconscious.

Moran was brought to Beaufort Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead at 3:38 a.m., White said.

After Moran was evacuated from the area, drill instructors canceled the nine-mile march. Instead, the Marines walked about four miles back to base and met with the base chaplain, White said. A memorial service was held for Moran the following day.

Recruit deaths are rare, but occur about every year or so, according to White. In March 2002, a recruit died of cardiac arrest. In December 2001, a recruit died as a result of meningitis.

In October that same year, a recruit died from a form of flesh-eating bacteria known as toxic streptococcal.

Another recruit died of cardiac arrest in October 1999, White said.

The Drifter's Wife

Ellie

James F. Owings
03-07-05, 04:30 PM
A study of the year 1968 showed that the Marine Corps had twice the number of deaths per capita than the Army in recruit and combat training. The study showed that this had little to do with poor standards of safety, but rather with the more intense training.

While every reasonable measure should be taken to avoid fatalities and serious injuries, strenuous and realistic training guarantee that unfortunately some will be hurt and others lost. Slacking off on standards would reduce casualties in training but increase them massively on the battlefield.

The Corps... the Congress... and the American people must support the D.I.s who intelligently follow the training program. The Corps must be ever vigilant that one bad apple acting outside proper procedures does not bring down a firestorm that turns boot camp into a joke.

As historian T.R. Feherenbach pointed out, civilian society, which often wrings its hands at the requirements of boot camp, cheerfully sends its young men into high school and college football teams where often the physical effort is greater, and serious injuries are common and death not unknown. A coach who had a losing season because he did not push his team to the max in training... would soon find himself out of a job...

One would think that preparing young men to fight in defense of the Republic would merit at least the same level of civilian support.

---Jim---

hrscowboy
03-07-05, 06:05 PM
This is really sad that this had to happen maybe the young man was just exhausted and the body could not take it anymore who knows may he rest in peace...

Patty_McOorah
03-07-05, 06:27 PM
There was a marine who shipped a few months before I did. He came down with pnuemonia during the crucible, and did not tell anyone. He went into cardiac arrest on top of the reaper. Luckily he was revived, and is currently a marine, but still he was this close to dead. This should be a lesson to all future recruits. If there is something wrong with you, tell somebody about it. You may get dropped, but you will live to see another day. I believe that Marines name was John Robertson.

Arc Light
03-13-05, 02:09 PM
Originally posted by Patty_McOorah
There was a marine who shipped a few months before I did. He came down with pnuemonia during the crucible, and did not tell anyone. He went into cardiac arrest on top of the reaper. Luckily he was revived, and is currently a marine, but still he was this close to dead. This should be a lesson to all future recruits. If there is something wrong with you, tell somebody about it. You may get dropped, but you will live to see another day. I believe that Marines name was John Robertson.

Amen. When I went through, I was scared to death to even talk to my DI's, even going so far as to not wear my glasses so they wouldn't call me "glasses." But if something was wrong, whether it was health, family, or whatever, they WILL listen and help you. believe it or not, they are there to help you. They can't help you if you won't tell them what's wrong.

I got dropped due to a dislocated shoulder in boxing. Yeah, it sucked, but it prevented alot of other problems, and I was able to build up my strength better than what I was. PCP/MRP ain't THAT bad!