The Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the Dismissal of David Motari
After the video was released, animal rights activists were outraged. Corporal David Motari soon issued a statement on his MySpace, stating that troops stationed in war zones are not allowed to keep pets and the puppy was extremely ill at the time of the incident. According to his point of view, he had an option of shooting the animal or doing what he did. At the time, he stood fully by his actions.
This entire incident brings up several valid points. Human rights are an extremely important issue while troops are stationed in war zones. But what about animal rights? Typical combat training has no standard procedure for this practice. The Marine Corps does, however, have an extreme code of conduct for their troops that is omnipresent in everything they do - domestic or foreign.
Chances are, incidents like David Motari's happen constantly in these war-torn areas. The difference in this case, there was a video camera present and it was posted on the very popular website, YouTube. The question presented here has little to do with animal rights and more to do with what exactly is conduct becoming of a Marine? Posting offending videos on very public websites creates a morality issue, whether it be against an innocent animal or posting lewd, pornographic imagery. That is the reason why the Marine Corps is so interested in David Motari's case; not the injustice done to a sickly puppy.
As a Marine wife, conduct is a very important issue to my family. Everything my husband, myself, or anyone in our immediate household does is deeply scrutinized by the Marine Corps. Throughout training, Marines are taught to uphold this code of conduct in every simple task they do with no exception. Thus, this entire incident goes back to solid piece of information that does not involve just animal rights: pride in your job as a Marine. Had David Motari kept this honor, he would not have been part in an incident involving a video camera and an internet posting. And for that, he might still have his job today.
Published by Landra Lynn Jacobs
Landra Lynn Jacobs has been interested in writing since she was a child. After studying journalism in college, she began internet and SEO writing in 2006. Since that time, she has written thousands of articl... View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentI agree 100% with the person below me!!
I'm just going to assume that guy is a mentally sick piece of crud. His reasoning gives me reason to believe he'd propose throwing humans off cliffs as an alternative to euthanasia! I bet he'd throw over his own dying grandmother. Pitiful!!!!
I have to disagree with you, if he had any morals he wouldn't have thrown that puppy off a cliff, I saw the puppy and it was in no way sickly. So your saying that in those situations a solider throwing a kid off a cliff is acceptable as long as there isn't any recording? Since when did morality stop at only humans? I have a cousin who is a Captain in the Army, my father was a Marine, on their worst days they wouldn't commit an act like this. You are letting him off the hook way too easily and it gives other men and women in the service bad representation.
This person is a disgrace to the Marine Corps and is no different than the heartless soldiers who abused a crippled dog several years ago in Iraq. Such incidents sully the honor of our military and cause a reduction in the support our citizens otherwise give to our efforts in combat. I am a 33 year combat veteran of the Marine Corps and this is one of the very few times I have been ashamed of the actions of another who was wearing our uniform. I am glad he is now a disgraced civilian and hope this will be an object lesson for our young Marines. I also hope that this has caused the Marine Corps to add such despicable and cowardly actions as this to its training syllabus for appropriate conduct whether in a combat area or not.
I would like to personally thank jcorn for the comment below. In no way am I advocating the wrongful treatment of animals in any shape or form... war-zone or not.
Due to the topic at hand -- Marine Code of Conduct -- I have intentionally kept my personal beliefs out of this article. (Marine wives, after all, are just as responsible for what they put out into the public eye as their husbands.) It is simply a look at the incident and subsequent dismissal of Mr. Motari from an angle OTHER than animal abuse.
Thank you for all your insightful comments into this article.
I'm not sure if you're saying Motari was, and deserved to be, punished only because what he did was taped and posted on youtube. In any case I'm greatly heartened by the comment from Tim Gallen above. And while it's clear that some soldiers get kicks from using dogs for target practice, many others look out for the dogs they encounter as has been recounted many times in stories from Iraq.
Excuse me- correct that to "his actions and how he chose to handle them"
I hope animal lovers (and I am one of those) will take the time to see that you are NOT advocating cruel treatment of a sick dog. You are noting the expectations of the Marine Corps Code of Conduct, as experienced by a family member (you) who is a wife of a Marine. As you sum up so well, David Motari's actions - and how he chose to handle it - led directly to the loss of his job
This is very interesting and a good article.
I am a United States Marine, I was in the infantry at 3/5. One thing I have always told people about Marines is our compassion for others and our love for life, and the will and desire to protect it and defend it. I will not refer to this individual as a Marine. Animals in the Marine Corp have a special place. They are the only beings a Marine knows that never and will never deserve the evil things that happen to them, thus they have historicaly been protected as such, representing ultimate innocents. The actions of this POS, throwing a helpless puppy off a cliff to it's death, is sick and evil. I will never defend the USMC or any POS like him when psycotic people express there true colors and the Corps slaps him on the wrist. I am ashamed as a Marine today. I can tell you all this. If this had happened in any of my units while in the infantry, this POS would have been "delt with" and had a VERY HARD TIME in the corp for the rest of his days. He is no brother of mine.
As you can tell from my photo, I love my dog. I can only assume, put in the same situation... War zone, sick dog, need to take care of the dog in a respectable manner. I think that a bullet would be more sensible. To throw a dog off a cliff, I am glad he is no longer in the Marines..