In light of a scandal involving Marines (and members of other branches) sharing explicit photos of female service members without consent, the US Marine Corps has issued new social media guidelines.
The public relations debacle prompted the release of new protocol on Wednesday, with Marine Corps Commandant General Robert Neller signing the new guidelines to clarify just what kind of price Marines will pay for committing to such acts of sexual harassment.
“Marines must never engage in commentary or publish content on social networking platforms or through other forms of communication that harm good order and discipline or that bring discredit upon themselves, their unit, or the Marine Corps,” the guidelines state.
Under Neller’s new order, Marines who post such content are now punishable by the discretion of military courts.
However, not all politicians are convinced that the Marines are taking the matter seriously. When standing before the Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Neller was berated by Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (who also gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis a hard time during his appointment hearings), calling his testimony “unsatisfactory” and demanding to know why individuals involved in issues dating back to 2013 have not been officially punished yet.
California Representative and Marine veteran Duncan Hunter fired back at Gillibrand, condemning her harsh treatment of Neller and showing support for the Commandant in such a challenging era where women are now allowed to serve in combat units.
“This commandant is like his predecessors in so many ways, especially when it comes to caring for his Marines and ensuring they’re the most effective fighting force in the world,” Hunter said. “But he has his own distinct qualities and attributes, and it’s safe to say that no commandant has ever rivaled his dedication to the creation of a diverse Marine Corps.”
According to Fox5, Neller has stated his commitment to finding the true underlying cultural and military issues to determine why the scandal happened and how to best teach service members why such scandalous behavior will not be tolerated.
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