David Motari Punished, Expelled for Puppy Incident

Being referred to as a puppy killer, Marine Lance Corporal David Motari received non-judicial punishment and is being separated from the United States Marine Corps for throwing a puppy off of a rocky ravine while on patrol in Iraq. The incident, caught on video and published on youtube.com, has been condemned by the US Military and caused a firestorm of criticism and public outrage.

As a result of his blunder, David Motari and his family have received tremendous public backlash, death threats, and public harassment. With one unthinking act, he has ruined a career in the US Military, dishonored his comrades and his family, and embarrassed a nation. A reminder and devotion to the core values of the Marine Corps - Honor, Courage, Commitment - could have kept this from happening.

Every military branch has a set of core values. The Air Force has "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do." The Army has "Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage." Regardless of the branch of the military, the core values serve to remind a Soldier, Marine, or in my case, an Airman - that integrity and moral fortitude are of the utmost importance and must serve as a moral compass for all choices and actions.

David Motari forgot, or at least disregarded, his core values. The US Marine Corps says the following regarding the value of honor: "Each Marine must cling to an uncompromising code of personal integrity, accountable for his actions and holding others accountable for theirs. And, above all, honor mandates that a Marine never sully the reputation of his Corps." The core value of honor was certainly not demonstrated by the actions of killing a puppy, filming it, and broadcasting it over the internet.

During basic training, and throughout a military member's career, explicit training on the core values is presented. During Non Commissioned Officer Schools, military members are taught and practice the true meaning of each respective branches core values. Unfortunately for Motari and his family, classes and lectures on the core values clearly are not enough.

In the Air Force, we are taught that integrity serves as the foundation on which character and service are built. From the trainee at Basic Military Training to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, we are constantly being reminded of the core values and are given opportunities to demonstrate them to others. Unfortunately, while we can be taught about integrity, we cannot be taught how to have it - we can demonstrate it only if it is in us. Mistakes like the one David Motari demonstrated are not isolated to the Marine Corps, they take place in all of the Armed Services.

For those that struggle with integrity, the US Military trains its members on the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, a set of laws and standards above and beyond those of civilian laws. The hope is that even if you do not have or demonstrate your core values, you will be afraid of the consequences of indiscretion. The articles of the UCMJ are meant to provide a stop-gap between a person's lack of morality or honor and the mistakes that they might make. In David Motari's case, even that was not enough.

Undoubtedly, Motari's mistake will result in a wider investigation and a response of more training in the core values and the UCMJ. While it is a start, it is not enough. The members of the US Military must make a concerted effort to internalize what makes us different and sets us apart from our civilian counterparts. The core values must be more than a training, but rather a standard of behavior that we are not willing to violate.