Government Agencies: Public Affairs Case Study of

U.S. Marine CorpsBrittany, Leah, Natalie, Paige

Video released Jan. 10, 2012 on the Internet, showing 4 members of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines urinating on deceased Afghan corpses

U.S. Home Base: Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Situation: the urination scandal

Issue: the lack of discipline The Marines involved showed

Situation and Issue—Review

Values: Honor, Courage, Commitment Created in 1775 All-purpose, fast-response task force,

capable of quick action in areas requiring emergency intervention

The Marines

Who created the video? Who posted it online? Who are the 4 soldiers? Who is investigating?

Initial Questions

Research—Contacts and Gathered Background Information on the Situation

Objectives—Evaluate how this situation provided evidence for overall issue of lack of discipline in the Marine Corps. Evaluate the Public Affairs of Marine Corps officials related to the video

Programming—Display of research and Public Affairs actions taken

Evaluation—Analysis & Suggestions

R.O.P.E. Process

Jan. 12: In a statement released by the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he has ordered the Marine Corps and a military command office to “immediately and fully investigate the incident.”

RESEARCHUSMC’s first PA (public affairs) response

Fox, MSNBC, and CNN

Media Coverage

Fox News

-Focuses on the issue as a whole as damaging to the Marine Corps:John Ullyot, a former Marine said, “The alleged incident raises questions about the training lapses and lack of supervision that allowed it to happen. It also demonstrates how a few bad apples can spoil a much larger recipe.”

-Focuses on what to expect legally/the criminal aspect of situationThe NATO-led International Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan promises a criminal investigation. “ISAF strongly condemns the actions depicted in the video…Therefore, a United States Criminal Investigatory agency has launched an investigation. It will be thorough and any individuals with confirmed involvement will be held fully accountable.”

MSNBC

CNN

-Focuses on negative and extreme description of the situation.Captain Timothy Kudo: “I’m absolutely disgusted by this, but this is the act of only a few individuals and is not widespread. This never happens, and is due to a complete lack of leadership and moral values and it’s disappointing that it’s become widespread opinion.”

Two emerging views of Marine Corps behavior after the video

1. Video was evidence for how removed the American public and political leadership are from the harsh realities of war. The incident was triggered and carried out because of the situation the marines were in.

VS.

2. Video caused pure outrage by the Marines’ actions with belief that the whole situation was inexcusable, and provides evidence for a complete lack of discipline, leadership, and supervision.

Public Opinion—The Public

Public Opinion—US ArmyLt. Gen. Hertling, US Army Europe, commented, “In some cases there are discipline problems that we have not paid as much attention to as we should. If you allow that to go unnoticed it becomes cancerous.”

Argued that the actions of the Marines in situations such as the recent video have worsened the strained ties between Afghanistan and the U.S. and have potentially set off anti-U.S. feelings across the world at a predominantly fragile point in the war against terror in Afghanistan.

Taliban Official: An Internet video showing what appear to be U.S. forces in Afghanistan urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters will not affect efforts to broker peace talks, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban said.

Public Opinion—The Taliban

“This is not a political process, so the video will not harm our talks and prisoner exchange because they are at the preliminary stage,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters.

http://news.firedoglake.com/2012/01/12/marine-video-urinating-on-dead-taliban-soldiers-could-damage-peace-talks/

National Communications Director on the Council of Islamic Relations in Washington

“Sent a letter to ask for a prompt and transparent investigation, but we’ve received nothing since.”

“It has affected the nation as a whole and its perception in the Muslim and Arab world, and I think it has harmed us tremendously.”

Contact #1, Feb. 2012

Probe is in its "very early stages”—NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Services)

“Violate basic standards of human decency and can cause serious damage to relations with the Afghan government”

“Need to respect the dead”

All four Marines are in the U.S., but no other details

The Investigation: “Very Early In Its Stages”

Jan. 24, 2012: Marines video linked to French troop deaths by an Afghan soldier “in retaliation from the video.”

Feb. 2: One of the U.S. Marines in video was a unit leader Feb. 10, 2012: U.S. Marines scout snipers pose with Nazi SS flag: “The use of the “SS” letters is not

acceptable and that the scout snipers have been addressed”

- Commanders in similar cases are rarely charged. The troops directly involved are usually charged, while the commanders only face administrative penalties.

From these events, we see evidence of a lack of discipline in some instances involving the Marine Corps

OBJECTIVESCompare and view similar cases

Spokesperson from Camp Lejeune Division of Public Affairs-where the soldiers in the video were based at the time

“No publicly releasable information at this time.”

Contact #2, Feb. 2012

Lt. Col. Joe Kloppel, Public affairs of the Marine Central

Contact #3, March 3, 2012

“The incident is still under investigation and there are no updates or releasable information at this time.  Additional information regarding this incident will be released once these investigations are completed.” - Lt. Col. Joe Kloppel    USMARCENT   PAO

CommandingGeneral Richard P. Mills

took over for Three-starGeneral Thomas

Waldhauser as theofficial to oversee thevideo, updated in theprevious 3 weeks.

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Recent Update: New Commanding General to Oversee Urinating Marines Video Scandal

Commanding General Richard P. Mills

Col Sean Gibson, USMC Public Affairs Officer for Commanding General Richard P. Mills, Marine Corps Combat Development Command

The Marine Corps Forces Central Command Media Center, located aboard Camp Pendleton, facilitates civilian media coverage of legal proceedings aboard the installation as well as supporting media content collection, archiving and analysis efforts.

PROGRAMMING(Evaluate and Apply Recent Information)

Recent Contact #4, March 28, 2012

Col. Gibson is General Mills’ public affairs officer (PAO).

“In the military legal system, you assign a consolidated disposition authority (also known as the Senior Officer of the General Office) to oversee the legal processes.”

“I don’t represent the defense or the prosecution. Like the Commanding General, my job is to be impartial and to provide the public releasable information at the appropriate time when it can be released.”

An article 32 hearing occurred that was by law open to the public. “My job is to get media access to provide the information needed.”

“Our obligation in the Marine Corps from an institution on the government’s side is to ensure reporters have access to information who decide how its conveyed to the public.

“Information should be fairly and consistently provided, and everyone should receive the exact same information.”

What happens in the legal system and Public Affairs’ role

“Like watching paint dry on the walls”

-From an institutional perspective, this is something that became public very quickly

-”With the 4 marines on video, it was very graphic, and there was no denying they were Marines with their uniforms, urinating on what was thought to be dead Taliban corpses.” –Col. Sean Gibson

“The case will take quite a while to put together and determine what the next steps are. It will stretch out over the next few months. It’ll be like watching paint dry on the walls.” –Col. Sean Gibson

What can the USMC still do to repair their image? Is this a larger scale institutional issue?

Marine Corps’ Public Affairs Plan

-”From our perspective, we know it was bad. We can’t do anything about the fact that it was bad, but as an institution responsible to taxpayers, it is important being as transparent as possible in the proceedings.”

-”Besides transparency, anyone involved in the legal process has rights to privacy, impartial military judicial process, etc. to protect their legal rights.”

-“One of the first things you want to do is establish credibility, then acknowledge that it & happened, and deal with it right away.”

Source: Col. Sean Gibson

-“At same time, we don’t want to come out and say anything is for certain because we don’t know what we’re going to do yet.” –Col. Sean Gibson

1. Received and executed the investigation

2. Commanding General Richard P. Mills now considering his options to:1. Investigate further 2. Tell the prosecution team to develop charges against the 4 soldiers

3. Commanding General Richard P. Mills makes a recommendation on whether it should continue to a Court Marshall-a decision has not been reached at this date

USMC PR Timeline (since video release)

Source: Col Sean Gibson

EVALUATIONAnalysis and Suggestions

Suggestion #1: Though it seems that this incident was only the act of a few individuals and a lack of leadership, the Marine Corps should take full responsibility and communicate to the public that it is taking action to investigate or improve discipline in training overseas.

Suggestion #2: If the soldiers are found guilty, the Marine Corps should completely take responsibility for the actions of the men and communicate to publics about its apology and what it plans to change in the future. Communicate what will they take away from this incident and respond in the future.

"Marine Urination Video: Is the World Missing The point?" Afghanistan <Analysis. 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. http://afghanistananalysis.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/marine-urination-video-is-the-world-missing-the-point/.>NBC San Diego, Associated Press/. "Camp Pendleton Official to Oversee Urinating Marines Video Scandal." NBC San Diego. NBC San Diego, 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Camp-Pendleton-Marine-Oversee-Urinating-Marines-Video-Scandal-137303473.html>. Col. Sean Gibson, USMC Public Affairs Officer, Marine Corps Combat Development Command Dayen, David. "Marine Video Urinating on Dead Taliban Soldiers Could Damage Peace Talks." FDL News Desk. FDL News Desk, 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. http://news.firedoglake.com/2012/01/12/marine-video-urinating-on-dead-taliban-soldiers-could-damage-peace-talks/.Ibrahim Hooper, National Communications Director on the Council of Islamic Relations in WashingtonLt. Col. Joe Kloppel, Public affairs of the Marine Central "Report: Marine Video Prompted Afghan to Kill." MarineTimes. A Gannett Company, 23 Jan. 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-afghan-soldier-retaliation-urination-video-012312/>.

Sources