Marine Corps punished Drill Instructors over hazing incident

Investigators found numerous incidents in which recruits had been abused by the Marines training them, despite efforts by Marine Corps leaders to stamp out the problem following the death of a 20-year-old trainee, Pvt. Raheel Siddiqui, in 2016.

The cases, which have not previously been disclosed to the public, occurred in the 4th Recruit Training Battalion, a unit in which female drill instructors train female recruits. The investigations were opened as the service began considering more fully integrating male and female recruits during training, as in the other services.

A Marine spokesman, Capt. Bryan McDonnell, said in a statement that the drill instructors "received appropriate administrative actions of varying degrees relative to substantiated allegations," indicating commanders determined criminal charges were not necessary.

Several officers overseeing the drill instructors also received some form of administrative punishment, McDonnell said, without providing specifics.