Home > 19 yr old that Wanted Out of the Marines, Drowns at Boot Camp

19 yr old that Wanted Out of the Marines, Drowns at Boot Camp

by Open-Publishing - Sunday 20 February 2005
107 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts USA

In this image taken from WIS-TV, video, taken Feb. 7, 2005, on Parris Island, S.C., an unidentified Marine Corps drill instructor, far-left, back to camera, grabs Jason Tharp, far left, facing camera, by the collar, near a swimming pool. Tharp of Sutton, W.Va., drowned the next day, Feb. 8. at Parris Island while participating in a 25-meter swim that was part of a water-survival course. His family wants answers from the Marine Corps on the circumstances surrounding their son’s drowning death, which came a day after a TV station videotaped a drill instructor striking the recruit at the same training pool. (AP Photo)

Feb. 17, 2005 By Jim Miklaszewski, Correspondent, NBC News

An autopsy revealed 19-year-old Jason Tharp drowned last week during water survival training at the Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C.

Video shot on Feb. 7, the day before Tharp’s death, by NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, S.C., shows Tharp, visibly shaken and almost terrified, taking a forearm shot from a Marine drill instructor.

In the Marines only five weeks, Tharp had written seven letters home telling his family he wanted out. His father, John Tharp, claims Jason had been singled out by drill instructors because he couldnt keep up with the rigorous basic training.

"I don’t know how they could treat my son the way we saw on that video," says Tharp. "He never hurt nobody. He’d do anything anybody asked him."

During last weeks training, Tharp, seen on the WIS-TV video, at first refused to get into the water.

"He’s just afraid because he is not able to do the swim correctly right now, and he just wants to leave and go home," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Davis on the Feb. 7 videotape.

After 20 minutes of trying to coax Tharp into the pool, the drill instructor turned physical in apparent violation of Marine Corps regulations - striking Tharp across the chest.

"That right there, where this Marine grabs the recruit, this is not how you treat recruits," said Eugene Fidell, the president of the National Institute of Military Justice, when NBC News showed him the video. "I mean, this is a wrongful touching. Basically, it’s an assault."

Marine Corps officials say Tharp voluntarily entered the pool the next day, where he drowned during a 25-meter swim. Officials also say there’s no early evidence of any misconduct by Marine instructors at the time Jason drowned, but the conduct caught on camera the day before raises questions about exactly what happened in that pool.

Jason’s father is considering a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Marines.

"We just want justice for Jason," says Tharp. "To get some kind of bill passed to where this won’t happen to another family."

The Navy and Marines are investigating Jason’s death and the conduct of the drill instructors who were supposed to protect him.

http://www.militaryproject.org/arti...

Forum posts

  • If this made the national news the number of new recruits would drop precipitously. Doesn’t every single high school student in America deserve to know this information? The mass media is failing our youth, encouraging them to sign up to kill for oil, telling us it’s ’noble and patriotic’ to join the army- while not reporting stories such as this. Sure local NBC covered it, but what about Dateline, or 60 minutes? They deserve to have their broadcasting licenses revoked and assets seized.

    • What are you thinking. Do you watch the news. It is all over every major news outlet in America, including small town newspapers.

    • you are an idiot

    • It was in the mass media...CNN is pretty high profile.
      mm

    • He died because his mother and father raised a scared couch potato!

    • i wasnt going to say anything but i had to respond to the person who says the soldier is an idot . how could you call this soldier that look where you are at yeah i thought so sending down on a computer while the real man and women are trying . i dont see you killing or shooting at anyone. the soldier past a soldier you are diffently beneath him. look out because its people like you that if giving a m16 or m4 and told to kill the enemy. you will freeze and start calling for your mommy

    • That’s right , glorify war and killing innocent people for oil. Its idiots like you who should be required to go do some of the killing and dying since you think its so great why in the fuck aren’t you over there???

    • GO PUT YOUR MOUTH BACK ON YOUR MOMMIES FAT NIPPLE YOU IGNORANT PUSSY.

    • well. cnn - high profile. why don’t you read the new york times for a change.

    • I agree, the media makes it seem so cool to be in the marines. my son is in boot camp right now , but wants out. he should be coming home soon, he got really depressed and they said that hes out. but first they convinced him that his family would be ashamed of him and that he let us down, none of which is true. I am so glad he will be coming home, I can finally worry less. but I’m not sure when hell be here, i guess they just put him on a bus, no phone to call us , no money to get a drink or a snack, its a long ride on a bus from SC to OH. They won’t tell us anything even when to pick him up!

  • I hope the familiy is victorious in their law suit...someone needs to stop this thugery of the armed forces...you don’t abuse and kill someone cause they aren’t capable of doing something.
    Fry the SDI.

    • too bad about someones buitifull son dieing for nothing, as usual it will be covered up

    • MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY....BUT THATS TRAINING...IT NEEDS TO BE HARD, THATS WHAT WE DO....WE TRAIN, HARD LONG AND RIGHT....ONLY US MARINES UNDERSTAND

    • WE TRAIN, HARD LONG AND RIGHT!!! LISTEN JAR-HEAD, MY SON IS A MARINE AND KILLING THE YOUNG KIDS WHO JOINED THE MARINES BY MISTAKE IS NOT RIGHT!!!! WHY DON’T RECRUITERS REALLY INVESTIGATE WHY A KID WANTS TO BE A MARINE, INSTEAD OF KILLING OFF THOSE WHO CAN’T CUT IT AFTER IT’S TOO LATE... i HOPE YOUR GUNNYY KICKS YOUR ASS SOME DAY

    • If he didnt know what he was getting into that was his own fault and if the boot camp was not hard then anybody could do it and do you want some sissyfied pric trying to defend your country?
      If he wanted to get out so bad all he had to do was break a leg or somthing!!!!!!!!!!!

    • That is stupid and If they are sucessful in winning the law suit then the military will just get weaker and weaker. Do you really think that is as hard as it has ever been. Hell no, I think they should go back to really kicking the recruites asses all over the place and really causing real pain and teach some real respect and not be pussified. Im signed up and are ready to ship out and are prepared for what is to come.

    • you are a real idiot, we aren’t made to join the military we do it out of self pride, and this kid, tried to do what he believed in, and a Drill took it apon himself to be little the recruit, instead of helping him, I know they are not there to baby sit, but thats the reason we have so many young people with a bad out look on the military, because of the abuse the suffer in Basic Training, im a female Sgt, in the Army and this behavior should not be tolerated.

    • To 19h45
      Being shy sensitive and having a phobia does not meet the definition of a prick.
      If the DI’s could have helped him through his training instead of whatever really hapened. They would have had one greatful soldier that would be pround to risk his life for america. I know because something similar hapened for me.

    • Listen up there female POG. Before I make you a PVT. Stay your azz in the rear with the gear.

    • I hope they change your mind about that young man. God bless them if they do.

    • LETS MEET IN PERSON SO I CAN KICK YOUR PUSSY OLD ASS. SHUT THE FUCK UP TURD! YOU WEAK MINDED OLD BASTARD. GO GET ME A BEER!

    • GO JOIN THE PEACE CORPS FAGGOT.

    • I feel the young man should have done more research to find out exactly what he was getting into. The marines are our major fighting force and have to be tough. If he wanted to be weak he could have went to college instead.

    • What did he think would have happened if he was captured by the enemy???

    • Shut the Hell up you nasty piece of shit Liberal civilian

    • ...or join the Army

    • Your damned right! It’s funny reading what some of these hippies write. It’s to bad they never had the balls to join but instead criticize. Semper Fi!

    • thats a really horrible thing to say , you are obviously not a parent

  • welcome to the usa army feel sorry for that kid and his family

  • The Zionists Jews now control the U.S. Military at some level. They wants Americans to die in wars that benefits no one but Israel.

    How long will the ignorant American population tolerate this?

    My opinon is WHEN THE DRAFT BECOMES law in America, it will be obvious of the above statements.

  • Open your mind in order to learn and to educate yourself:

    http://www.objector.org/

    http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/

    http://www.rense.com/

    If you can allow yourself to expand your vision, allow yourself to break free of programmed mental limitations, then the above links are a good place to start. Read the news articles everyday. Learn to question the "core beliefs" that you have been indoctrinated with. Think for yourself. Maybe it will save your life.

  • I think they had to kill that kid. He was bad for business. It is very sad. I hope this gets some airplay. God help the boy and his family.

    • wouldnt be the first time murder and manslaughter of this sort happened.

    • This is obvious manslaughter. He drowned in a place probably surrounded by many other soldiers. Believe me or not, it takes time to drown all by yourself, one would really do a lot to try not to drown and call for help. If he drowned quickly, then somebody should have ’assisted’ his drowning. Even he drowned all by himself, people who hadn’t help him should be accused of murder.

    • When your swimming that fast you don’t look for slower swimmers thats not our job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • If this had been an episode in JAG then the guilty ones would have been jailed for a long long time and the family of the victim would have got justice. Now, that is just the Navys and the Marines PR at work and the reality is that they can kill inocent people, kill women and children, torture people and sexual abuse young women infront of their fathers as a torture method and get away with it. No one will get convicted for this and if they are they will only get fired from the Marines and wont have to do a single day in jail.

    • So how the fuck do you just sit at home with your fat ass on the couch, get your ass up join the marines and stop it if you have a promblem with the way we defend this fucking country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Just heard that 5 drill instructors have been suspended and are under investigation for this murder. So ther goes the shit about how this is all part of making someone tuff and ready for battle. If this was standard procedure, these murdering bastards would not be in trouble now.

  • I am a former elisted man of the U.S. Air force. I can safely say say that the treatment of this marine was totaly wrong. Jason had written to his home saying how little time he had to eat during meal time and how this had left him in a weekend state of health. Which to me is quite apparent when I see the images of a grown healthy man hitting and shoving this recruit that had a half dead look about him as he did.
    I cannot believe that this was an accidental drowning. They stood around watching Jason die and did nothing, and most likly were still hollering at him like drill instucters do. I have lost all faith in my countrie’s military. (of what faith I had left from my time in service) What they did to him was MURDER! All because he couldn’t quite live up to the standards of sick manliness that is known as the United Stats Marine Corps.

    • What would you know? You were in the Air Force. I am a former Marine and the Drill Instructors were trying to get him ready to go to war. Unlike the Air Force, Marines actually do see COMBAT when they go overseas. There is no excuse for the kid drowning but, if the drill instructor hadn’t singled the kid out he would have gotten himself and probably other Marines killed on the battlefield because he was poorly trained. The DI DIDN’T CAUSE THE DROWNING BY GIVING THE KID A FOREARM TO THE CHEST.

    • Now that he is dead, his parents claim to care about him. My question is why didn’t they care about him before the government killed him??? If they had really cared about him they would have stepped in and offered to help him get into a training program or college and it wasn’t because of the money, student loans are available and many students have gotten their education by living at home with their parents and working as waiters or waitresses, etc., until they can get their degree or certificate of completion. There is just NO excuse for parents who claim to love their kids to sit by and watch while their children enlist in this immoral war machine that is engaged in mass murder for a few bucks. These same people would probably tell you they believe in Jesus Christ and his teachings, its either low mentality (most likely) or they just want to get rid of the little bastards without shame.

    • What I am saying is that there was no way in hell that the young man just accidently drown in a room full of DI’s that are also suppose to keep their recruits safe. Yes I agree that boot camp sould be tough. especially for marines that go into combat and cannot crack under pressure. If Jason was proving to be a wash-out then they should have just given him an entry level discarge.

      At least the U.S. Air Force tought me right from wrong as far as military bearing goes and not to be some mongoloid jarhead with some sick twisted sence of macho manliness that would kill his own mama.

    • Then explain to me how a kid drowns with all these trained drill instructors around a contained pool. Like SANTIAGO who took a code red, I’m afraid "YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH". I also wanna know how much other abuse goes on that isn’t caught on tape, too much i’m afraid. Between the BUSH league admn. being out of control the US military is just following suit. SEIG HEIL REPUBLICANS!! In this country if you tow the company line your just fine but if you don’t and you question are you a terrorist, communist, ??? Makes me wonder about freedom of speech.

    • The media exposure of this terrible accident is ridiculous! The fact there are so many opinionated people, like myself, commenting on it is ridiculus as well. There can be no logical reason why Mr. Tharp drowned. He just did. You’re all looking for someone to blame. Anybody you can; DI’s, recruiters, Uncle Sam, Commanders’ in Cheif. Anyone who has anything to do with the military. The fact is, Mr. Tharp couldn’t handle the presure, and instead of fighting for his life he chose to lay down and die. Why? You should blame his parents. I don’t know the circumstances that led Mr. Tharp to wanting to be a Marine and I’d bet that only he really knew why. His parents probably know the surface reason’s (college money, job security) but the real reason’s are what got him to Paris Island (and only Marines know them). The person he saw himself becoming, the person he wanted to change, that’s who got him "murdered." The very things that his parents could have instilled in him.
      American mom’s and dad’s can learn something very important from this. Quit codling your kids. Stop raising video game playing, goober eating. ritalin junkies. Don’t confuse your kids with false security from the harshness of real life, that they’ll face when they turn 19. If you feel your kid can’t handle it then you’d better fight alittle harder to keep ’em out, or prep them better to battle life. More Kids die, or are killed on the street’s of America in gang related activity, and in drug and alcohol related incidents then will ever die or be killed in Marine boot camp.
      As for Mr enlisted air force...you’re a clown!...you’re probably that same goober eater i mentioned earlier. PRAY FOR PEACE, BUT TRAIN FOR WAR!

    • WOW!!! A jarhead who knows how to use 300 words, or less, just to say, "I don’t know very much, about anything!" You guys are all alike: You keep forgetting that the top of your head is the most vulnerable part of your body in combat, and it’s the U.S. Air Force that protects that part of your anatomy so you can lift your stupid jar head to look down your rifle barrel. Without the U.S.A.F., dumbass, your battlefield existence would be no better than a piece of shit in a latrine, Marine! Nobody commenting in this blog knows anything about anything that happened to kill this kid. But the Marines are responsible for taking care of their own; right? Ain’t it all about ’Semper Fidelis’, Mr. Marine?

      Air Force Sarge

    • You are a turd, we should ships all you fucks to the Middle East and let you rott. Get out of this country, you did not serve honorable. I bet you were a fat fuck in the Air Force; the weakest minds of the armed services. Your just mad you could not hack it in the air force. You definialtey would not have even tried to get into the Marines. Leave your comments to someone who gives a fuck, which by what I read is no one. Your a hermit with no life nor honor. A waste of space and oxygen. Remember that everyday! That your a bottom feeder! You comment on speculation and lack of courage and commitment. Stay hidden in your hole so proud Americans can defend your lazy ass. Anyone can determine your a sexaul puppet for the weak!

    • Why is it that all the facist Nazi sympathizers for Bush think this is their country? The U.S. belongs to all of us citizens and you need to know that and stop telling people who can stay and who can leave. You are just one person here with no more right than anyone else to be here or anywhere in this world...the planet belongs to everyone and you sir are not God so shut the fuck up and get used to the idea that you are too stupid to get it, which does not make you special.

    • GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT YOU FUCKING PUSSY. THIS IS MY COUNTRY! I DEFEND IT, WHILE YOU STAY AT HOME ON YOUR MOTHER’S TITTY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAY WE DEFEND IT AND THE WAY IT IS RUN. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT THEN LEAVE! CANADA IS NOT FAR AWAY, DEFECT BECAUSE YOUR DEFINIATELY NOT INPROVING IT. ALL YOU DO S COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT OR THINK YOU DESERVE. I BET YOU HAVE NEVER MADE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE. THE ONLY CHANGE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN IS IN YOUR WEIGHT. CONTINUE TO LET ME RUN OVER YOU! FOOL!

    • You’ve got us all wrong, little boy! We’re staying here at home on YOUR mother’s titty, but the only one complaining about it is you. GROW UP AND SHUT THE FUCK UP, BOY! We are the ones who made this Country worth defending before you were ever the squirt in your daddy’s pants that your mama shoved up her pussy for a new thrill! If you don’t want to be around us, then GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE, PUNK! Our Country doesn’t need you. We need real Americans, not girlie-Bushies!

    • Dear Moron...shouting get out get out is hilarious, I am laughing at you, you were duped into defending the large oil companies and doing their dirty work, that is the only thing you are defending, and poorly at that due to being stupid. No one is going to leave this country that belongs to all of us and further more we will continue to laugh at stupid jerks like you THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WE WILL STAY RIGHT HERE, JUST TO TAUNT YOU AND REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE TOO DUMB TO TAKE SERIOUSLY.

    • LOL! YOU ARE THE BIGGEST PUSSY! YOU SOUND LIKE A LOW LIFE TRAILOR TRASH TALKER THAT I USED TO KICK THE SHIT OUT OF IN SCHOOL. I BET YOUR MOMMIE USED TO BEAT THE SHIT OF YOUR WEAK PATHATIC ASS. NOTHING BELONGS TO YOU! YOU SHOULD NOT EVEN BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO SPEAK UNLESS SPOKEN TOO; TURD! I BET YOU ANALYZE YOUR SHIT JUST TO GIVE YOURSELF PLEASEURE LIKE THE REST OF THE FAGS OUT THERE WITH YOUR BELIEFS. IT IS SO EASY TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES, POOR DADDY PROBABLY LOST HIS JOB AS A JANITOR AN TOOK IT OUT ON YOUR SORRY LITTLE CRY BABY ASS. LISTEN TO YOURSELF FAG! YOUR THE BIGGEST SOUNDING PUSSY I HAVE EVER HEARD. ALONG WITH THE REST OF THESE LOW LIFES. YOUR ONLY SATISFACTION COMES FROM TALKING SHIT OVER THE INTERNET BECAUSE YOUR TO MUCH OF A PUSSIE TO DO IT IN PERSON. DON’T GO CRYING TO MOMMIE LITTLE BOY! EVEN THOUGH YOUR WERE BORN WHILE SHE WAS TAKING A SHIT. THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE TURD BOY

    • LOL! YOUR SUCH A PUSSY! JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE FOUND IN THE TRASH WHERE YOUR SORRY FAMILY LEFT YOU AFTER BIRTH YOUR MAD. SOUNDS LIKE YOU LIKE LITTLE BOYS ALSO, MUST HAVE BEEN FROM YOUR SORRY CHILHOOD EXPERIENCES;YOU SICK FAG! NOW GO GET YOUR PASSIPHERER AND INSERT IT BACK IN YOUR MOUTH!

    • Damnit, Jeff! I didn’t realize that was you until I broke the code in your previous message and went to AllHatNoCattle.com and recognized your little titties from the picture in "Laying Of Hands Gazette, No Girlie Men Allowed Edition" dated 2-16-05 after finding your picture in http://www.thehollywoodliberal.com/. You really need to get a grip on yourself. If you would try using some tweezers, you might have better luck!

    • So it’s true!!! You really are on line and writing messages here! I thought I would never find you again, sweetie, until I read one of the people’s posts up above with the address of the Hollywood Liberal Main Page; then I went to allhatnocattle.com and found you in "Laying Of Hands Gazette, No Girlie Men Allowed Edition." You vixen! You told me I’m the only one, and now I find photographic proof that you and ’girlie-Bushie’ have been flinging on each other for who knows how long. Well, don’t worry: I forgive you. You can come to me any time you want, dearheart, and then we would once again be ecstatic while I drive you home!

      Love, yummy!

    • you are a pussy

    • do you really call yourself an american. You are probably out of the military because you did not have the desipline like the kind My military teaches us. Why would you dishonor your country by talking about our military that protects you and your family. Why are you not out there putting you neck on the line. I know why because you do not have it in you.

    • ASK YOUR MOM HOW HER PUSSY FEELS SHIT BALL. YOU DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COURAGE OR HONOR. LETS ME THINK! AHHHHH YOUR STILL A FAT SORRY PUSSY! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BIGGEST PUSSY CHAIN. TELL YOUR MOM THANKS FOR THE BLOWJOB LAST NITE, NOW SHE CAN GET BACK TO CLEANING MY TOILET TO SUPPORT YOUR SORRY AZZ. GO BACK TO FAG TOWN SHITBALL AND TOSS SOME MORE OF YOUR FELLOW BRETHERNS SALAD! LOL. LOOKS LIKE YOU JUST SURF THE INTERNET ALLDAY FAG. MOMMIE WON’T ALLOW YOU OUT THE TRAILOR. OH THATS RIGHT! SHE TOLD ME YESTERDAY YOU CAUGHT THE HIVS FROM TOSSING JOHN KERRY’S SALAD.

      WAITE WAITE! AHHHHH YOUR STILL A PUSSY
      "PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY" HOO-RAHHH!

    • First off let me start by saying my husband is a DI and you people do not know the whole story. Tharp swallowed water and that is how he drowned. He WAS revived 3 times by DI’s and was alive in the ambulance en route to the hospital, when he died for the final time and could not be brought back. I am in no way making excuses for the abuse that the DI brought upon the kid, but the drowning was not anyone’s fault. It’s not like he was bobbing up and down in the water flailing his arms screaming for help like some of you apparently think. He swallowed water that went immediately to his lungs and killed him. Please before you pass judgement on all MArines and DI’s learn all the facts. You have your bad apples in every bunch but that doesn’t mean that the whole bunch is bad.

    • WOW!! a piece of crap airforce srg that thinks he knows what he is talking about. I bet that you wouldn’t last a single day in MARINE boot camp!!! If you do let me know and I will buy you a beer.
      You sit behind your little desk you pecker head!!!

    • Yea but we come save yalls ass when ever your in truoble you pieces of crap.

    • If you can’t kill some and not feel sorry for it even if it is your mother then there would be alot of dead americans. Yes the air force probably does have more class rooms because you stay inside all the time and they want to get you used to seeing four walls all day .

    • I totally agree!!!! AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • I lost my 20 year-old grandson in the battle of Kufa on 5/30/2004. He died a hero with two bronze medals and two purple hearts but this 19 year-old’s fate could have been hisor many, many others under the bad circumstances this kid was under. I can’t get this boy and his family out of my mind. If only there was something we could do to help them in their fight against the Marines. Anyone have any ideas?

    • Oh Jeff, or is it Jim, I just love it when you talk dirty....are you still running ads on militarystuds,com? With your 8 inch cut only on top action.....nice to see you here on the blog.

    • All Marines stand by eachother, As being a DEP poolie of a Marine Post I know that they all will gang up on one poolie and attack them. Don’t tell me they don’t because I know on first hand that they do. They don’t care who you are they are only worried about getting the Pay incentive for getting a young person into the Marines. They fill your head with Crap and they lie threw their teeth. So thats just what happens when they are recruting what happens when they get to Boot Camp? They become Bigger Pricks, and they are macho men. I think that the DI’s let him drown.

    • JOIN THE MARINE CORPS OLD MAN MAYBE THAT WILL HELP YOU OVER COME YOUR FEAR. YOU SOUND LIKE A PUSSY TO ME. EVERY COUNTY NEEDS WASTE BOYS YOU CAN START BY SHOVELING ALL THE BULLSHIT THAT COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH DAILY.

    • Marines used to have honor. The punk who wrote, "JOIN THE MARINE CORPS OLD MAN" dishonors himself and the Marine Corps. The writer sounds like a 10-year-old girlie boy toy using bad words to feel good about its miserable existence!

    • YOUR A DISGRACE TO AMERICA FAG. YOU SOUND LIKE A SALAD TOSSER. I WOULD WIPE THE CONCRETE WITH YOU PUSSY AZZ ANYDAY FAG. YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION OF HONOR. YOUR A PIECE OF WORTHLESS SHIT AND NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU THINK. SO GO DO AMERICA A FAVOR AND GO CHOKE ON YOUR BOYFRIENDS DICK FAG. LOL! I BET YOUR A FAT PIECE OF SHIT ALSO. YOU ONLY WISH YOU COULD DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE! GO TO THE RECRUITOR THEY ARE WAITNG FOR TURDS LIKE YOU. YOU WILL NOT LAST ONE DAY! PROBALBY CHOKE TO DEATH ON YOUR FEAR! PUSSY

  • No-one should join the Armed Services at this time. They are ALL being used in W."s "Major Plan" to rule the world!
    Don’t let relatives or family join, you will be saving them mentally as well as physically!

  • You shouldnt punish someone in the form of murder for their incapabilities. This is a perfect example of a dumb drill instructor on a power trip. I went to school with jason, and was friends with him. He would never hurt a soul and would do whatever someone asked of him. I hope the truth is brought out in this case, although im sure it will be covered up by someone who gets paid to do just that.

  • no di has the right to hit anybody,no matter what.the stricking and drowning should be looked into.

    • WOULD YOU HIT SOMEONE IF THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO WATCH YOUR BACK IN COMBAT, BUT DECIDED THEY WERE TO AFRAID. WHAT WOULD YOU DO THEN, "OH ITS OKAY JOHNNY NO WORRIES I WILL DO EVERYTHING", WAKE THE FUCK UP PEOPLE! DEFENDING OUR NATION IS TUFF JOB, MAYBE THE GUY WAS GIVING EVERYTHING HE HAD, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. PEOPLE DIE EVERYDAY FROM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT EVENTS. YOU FUCKS CAN ONLY SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT HAPPEN CAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH. HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER BEEN TO THE MARINE CORPS BOOT CAMP? FROM WHAT I READ, NO OF YOU HAVE! BUT YOU ALL SEEMS TO HAVE THE ANSWERS, GUESS YOU WERE ALL THERE ON THAT TRAGIC DAY! NOPE, NONE OF YOU WERE. GET A FUCKING LIFE TURDS. YOU PEOPLE WERE ALL CHOSEN LAST IN GYM CLASS I BET. BECAUSE YOU ALL LACK COURAGE. THEY ONLY CHALLEGES YOU FOOLS FACE EVERYDAY IS ON YOUR PLAYSTATIONS. FUCK OFF TURDS

    • Learn how to write!!!!!!
      Fight the enemy not the soldier that you think isnt as good as you.
      P.S. I made it to the top of the rope in gym class fairly quick and didnt think less of those that couldnt.

    • you made it to the top of the rope coming out of your faggot boyfriends ass! I think your a fucking turd. I could careless that your a shit ball. Go back to tossing your dad’s salad turd boy.

  • i am a marine and from that video the drill instructor barely hit that recruit. i understand there are rules and the drill instructor should have to answer to the consequences, however, he was not responsible for the drowning. i was not there so i don’t know even how the recruit drowned and it should be investigated. please don’t try to blame the marine corps training system over an accident. the marine corps is very special to marines because of the intense training we go through and confidence we gain from the training. drill instructors actually do have a reason behind their madness, fact is, d.i’s have the upmost respect for recruits, they do care, that’s why they are there for countless hours to train them. d.i’s are actors, they have to act like they hate recruits, they put stress on them, they push them. they do it to every recruit, and not just weak ones. if you don’t understand the training and what it’s for don’t comment on it. 20,000 recruits make it through marine corps boot camp every year so it isn’t impossible, you can make it through.

    • Torture and violence are the American way, if we can’t get people to agree with us philosophically and with reasoning we just bomb them or gas them or throw fire bombs on them, violence is right if you can get away with it. Why try any thing that requires cooporation with our fellow man? It is so much easier to take the voiolent and aggressive route and to destroy everything and everyone in your path. The earth can not defend itself against you and neither can innocent women and children...destroy destroy destroy, slash and burn, kill kill kill.

    • The’military’ are either duped into joining because they are stupid, or they have some misguided sense of the need for ’defense’, or are pathologically violent, but most are just inadequates who want to be macho. All in all they end up being hired killers for draft dodging billionaires.

    • Dear Jim & Brothers in Arms;
      I am a marine corps wife/widow. I have brother still in Baghdad, and a husband who nearly beat the life out of me, and quite nearly blew my head off with my own gun. Just a woman, Yes I am, and I have seen the horror becuase it has been brought back and cast on me, and I have lost someone I love to all consuming panic and rage. I saw a bumper sticker today which encapsulated my life’s experiences of the last year which is, "Freedom has a different flavor for those who’ve fought fo it than the protected will ever know."
      This is very true. I encourage all these people who give such great advice to the USMC to get out of their comfortable houses with safe, white picket fences, and see the Heart of Darkness in the world, and how they are prepared to deal with it. The USMC drill instructor was just doing his job, to give the Marine the skills to function under extreme pressure. In the worst of situations, when who else but the USMC is called, the enemy doesn’t care if he is too harsh or too cruel. They just don’t want to work it out, and yes, they are a threat. Of all I have suffered and lost, I would not have have asked my brother or my husband, to forsake their duty; and I am grateful, as you should, but never will be.

  • If a man isnt tough enough to take a hit and swim 25 meters he sure as hell wouldnt be tough enough to experience combat. The drill instructor was just doing his job, hes training Marines not boy scouts.

    • The three-time Medal of Honor Marine, Major Gen. Smedley Butler stated: “I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer; a gangster for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation, held in abeyance, while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.”

    • What a shame... that’s all I can say. Unfortunately, many of the Armed Forces personell that have been on this message board have shown complete and utter ignorance. I understand that training encompasses grueling everyday practices that normal people cannot endure. You "Marines" pride yourself in having discipline, right? Then why is it that you cannot disagree in a respectful and articulate manner?
      Let me be clear and state that I am in no way directing these comments towards all Marines. This is going out to those of you who decided to respong with inflammatory, nonsensical language.
      Recruits are consistently being tricked into entering the military. It wasn’t Jason’s family’s fault, nor was it his fault. There is a stigma in the Marine corps that says that they must attempt to the best ability to turn the recruits into Marines, whatever the cost. It doesn’t matter if the recruit has decided that he or she made the wrong decision. The only way they will let a recruit go home is due to a previously undisclosed mental or physical condition. With that said, anyone who has figured out that they made a mistake is out of luck.
      Regardless of whether you believe that the hit was strong, weak, unacceptable, or otherwsise, Marine Officials have confirmed that the Drill Instructor acted inappropriately. Keeping that in mind, those who have endured Recruit Training at Parris Island know that this kind of hitting, pushing, and striking is common place. It happens all the time. Each recruit platoon is briefed during the opening stage of training and told that there is a difference between abuse and training. According to them, as long as it is not with "malicious intent", then it is ok to touch a recruit. To their advantage, anytime they hit a recruit, they can claim that they did it for training purposes. To me, the only surprise was the announcement made saying that it was against Marine Corps standards.
      My prayers go out to Jason and his family. And also that maybe some people on this board will open up their minds and see that their perspective on life, politics, and war is not the only perspective in the world. It’s that kind of ignorance and hatred that we are supposedly fighting against, right?

    • Go join the peace corps fag! You have no clue how to win a war. You must be one of those turds who enjoys listening to yourself talk. Maybe you can find you a date on hear to come toss your salad turd. Looks like the only thing your good at is typing. Now get off you fat sloppy azz and go make me some pancakes!

    • you no what u need ? to stop thinking u are better then any one , because ur not . ur probly the dumbest one on here...i see people from the army on here..and they have way more sense then you . so that means one thing ..ur some little asshole at home who just likes to make people feel worthless ..so go shove it

    • by the way fag "no" is spelled know! you incompentant fuck! But, that is the only word you know after telling your daddy all those weakminded years when he beat your sorry faggot azz! go back to grade school! you will always be worthless!

  • My son went through boot camp last year at Paris Island and I am proud to say that he survived it. I have heard about the abusive way they are treated and I believe every word of it. There has got to be a better way to drop these young men, other than allowing them to drown in a pool surrounded by trained DI’s who apparently know HOW TO SWIM! You would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to notice someone was in that kind of distress, whether they are claiming now that he swallowed water, bottom line is he is dead and I believe they could have helped him. However, they could have been standing beside the pool like they were when my son was in distress and laughed, cussed him, and stuck out their hands as if to offer help and then walked away! Yes, they are there to train these young men but their tactics are way out of hand and there has got to be some kind of accountability for these DI’s. They are totally out of control. I imagine Jason Tharp was so intimidated and humiliated by that next day, he thought he had no other choice but to get in that pool, and sadly, that cost him his life. I feel for his family and his parents, it is pathetic that this was allowed to happen.

    • In order to take our good sons and daughters and turn them into "military material", ready for combat, they first must dehumanize them and the enemies. War is about dehumanizing people. The military is becoming more and more effective at training ruthless killing machines, to do that, they have to kill a part of the soldier. Apparently the most effective way to do this is to expose them to extreme suffering and "training" like this. I think that is fairly self evident if you were as sad as I am to read this article, and then more so to follow through the ensuing discussion. Yes, boot camp is brutally tough, and it has to be. Well, I suppose we can probably chalk this up to more "collateral damage"

  • My son graduated from Paris Island November of 2004. He finished 3rd in swim. He is leaving for Iraq in Sept. 2005 and I am glad that he listened and learned everything he did. You have to push your mind and body to be a Marine because you will face much worse during the war. I wish there was some way of the Marines allowing recruits to "get out" when they have a difficult time. I am very sorry that this family had to go through such a tragedy. It is bad enough not being able to speak to your child but then to have him die during training much be the worst thing a mother and father could ever experience.

  • Is anyone checking to see if he was drowned on purpose ...
    remember the scene in full metal jacket where they all put soap in thier pillows and beat the recruit because he was different ?????

  • Micheal J FOX ... A question of honor

  • I hope that right-thinking Marines and non-Marines everywhere will take the time to make a contribution in memory of Jason to a scholarship that has been established in his name:

    Jason Tharp Memorial Scholarship Fund
    Braxton County Board of Education
    411 North Hill Road
    Sutton, West Virginia 26601
    ATTN: Brenda Gibson
    (304) 765-7532

    Senator Byrd’s office is monitoring 3 investigations into Jason’s death and has been corresponding directly with Secretary Rumsfeld. Evidently a Tim Gavin &/or Jennifer Reed in the Senator’s office are the point-persons on the investigations.

    I’d encourage all those who are disgusted over this incident to contact Mr. Gavin and Ms. Reed at (202) 224-3904 and let them know that the country expects them – and the Senator – to see these investigations through fully to their conclusions.

  • Correction ..Miceal J fox ..Casualties of war

  • If a base full of marines cant save one small soldier from drowning we are not in very good hands

    • Shut up you nasty civilian shithead, you don’t know what you’re talking about cause you never served.
      LCPL Browning

    • You’re sooo proud of yourself for nothing....served what? And why? So you could go murder innocent people and torture some brown people and get away with it...I bet you are just a repressed serial murderer and joining the military gave you the perfect cover...and you got a few bucks for a bonus. Or you are just a simpleton one of the two.

  • now there are some people on here that have sense and some that dont. now im gona say this ..this kid drowned, and the day befor his sargent was hitting him. now im not gona blame him ..i mean it might have been soem one else in the pool with him that thaught he was a sissy. but this kid had a disability, more then likely anxiety. and this made it hard for him ...and it gives none of u a right to call him a sissy. ill admite im trailer trash. ill say my mom beat me , but what would u do liveing on the street , u would whine like a little bitch . so shove it up ur ass ! i think this should be looked into its to irionic for him to drowned a day latter. now im doubting it was the sergent . there smarter then that(I hope) im thinking it was one of these asshole kids on here ..calling him a sissy and drowned him ? make sense it does to me ... now will u all stop acting like ur nine .. and before critisize me ..now this .. i get teased about every day because " im a whiney bitch" so even if u want to say shit ...go for it ill laugh at you

    • I’m not Defending anyone, But watching that video that was a love tap(or Firm Correction and a good Motivation tool). Countless others and myself remember worse from our experiences at Boot. I’ve seen it to many times before, being the ass recruit is probably one of the hardest things to endure for a person. But there’s always one in every Platoon. Around swim week is when most of them wash out. Because it was too hard. Failure to adjust. Thats way why, it’s the few the proud.

      This is a message to the Marines talking the shit in all caps. Shut up your making yourself look stupid. Have the pride in yourself and in the corp to respect yourself and everyone else. You should be better than that.

      As for the Air Force Flyboys. I’ve Drank with the best of you. Snuck your asses off base in a my uniforms.. Try to have some respect for the people protect you as while you sleep. Like it or not were all one Military.

      As for the civi’s who are posting on here. It’s unfortunate in so many ways, but I find it highly unlikely that the D.I.’s purposely let that boy die. Because at the end of the Day.
      DI’s are there to prepare. I’m 3rd Generation my father was a DI. Him and Every DI he’s ever worked with. Would have done anything it took for any recruit to toughen them up or wash them out to protect lives of everyone that marine will ever encounter.
      Just a little food for thought..

      – Sincerly
      openminded Ex-Marine

    • The three-time Medal of Honor Marine, Major Gen. Smedley Butler stated: “I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer; a gangster for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation, held in abeyance, while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.”

    • THE MOST important thing to remember about military recruiters is that they portray themselves as guidance counselors who care about helping students improve themselves. In reality, they are salespeople who are desperate to make their quotas.
      For example, recruiters are directed by their superiors to “market” the military’s standardized test—the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB—to schools as a program “to help students learn more about themselves and the world of work, identify and explore potentially satisfying occupations, and develop an effective strategy to realize their goals.”

      But the recruiting handbook explains the true importance of ASVAB to recruiters—the test is “specifically designed to provide recruiters with a source of pre-qualified leads. The ASVAB recruiter printout provides information you can’t get from any other list. It...provides the recruiter with concrete and personal information about the student.”

      Recruiters often hype education benefits as a way to get students to sign on the dotted line, promising up to $70,000 to help pay for college. But the military actually makes money off this program. That’s because recruits must pay into a fund to receive benefits. But so few end up with the qualifications necessary to take advantage of them that the military takes in $72 million more every year than it pays out!

      And of course, recruiters never make the obvious point that education benefits aren’t much use if you’re dead.

    • What "student" who is qualified to enter college would join the military??? Do these young people really ever go to college or is this the exception rather than the norm? Does anyone out there know what the percentage is?

    • Major Gen. Smedley Butler is one of the very few honest military people I have ever heard of in my entire life. How refreshing to see that the military brainwashing did not last forever with this one courageous man, having the guts to be honest and to speak out honestly is so rare.

    • I have read many of the messages left here. First off, all of you prior or still serving members of the US Armed Forces who were not Marines, OUR bootcamp is to train Marines to stay alive and be functionable warriors on the battlefield. So you Army and Air Force people need to lock it up, you did not have what it takes to do what us Marines did, we EARNED our title. This is why Marines are invaders, and the Army is occupiers! Second, never refer to any Marine, even if they are a recruit, as a soldier. Marines are not soldiers, that is one of the highest insults you could say to a Marine. A soldier is a nasty, undiciplined individual in the Army, and we are way above that. Our 229 years of service, and the fact that Marines were born before our Country is proof.

      However, I would like to know what happened to the safety team in the water. Whenever there are recruits in the water, there are very experienced swimmers/divers in the water also. Maybe they did try to save him? Have you ever seen a panicked person in the water? It makes for a very hard situation to rescue someone who is panicked in the water, without drowning yourself. Add to the fact that he was allready apprehensive about being in the water to begin with.

      Yes, Drill Instructors yell and scream at recruits, again this is why Marines are fierce warriors. The ways Marine Corps bootcamp is, they break you down, and build you back up. A Recruiter can never know who wil make a good Marine and single out weak people. One will never know how a person might react under the mental stress that a recruit undergoes.

      I find it real hard to believe that this recruit was killed in a plot because he is weak, That is something that the Army would do, Marine DI’s wpuld take that individual and work with them, and have that person doing things they never dreamed of.

      America is not what it is today because Marines go through a soft bootcamp like all the other services. Marines train hard, therefore they are hard. Thats why we are few, thats why we are proud.

    • YOU SOUND LIKE A PENCIL PUSHING P.O.G

    • And you sound like someone with an I.Q. of about 75. But being stupid is common and most of the young recruits are just that obviously, but seriously, you need some Prozac or other meds. Also, most or perhaps all of the people here do not know what you mean by "tossing salad" one of your favorite expressions, so most of your posts here make NO sense to the more educated. But please do not explain it to us because it is probably something disgusting like most of what you are trying to say. You need some help from a shrink before you burst a vessel or have a heart attack. Once you get your mind in a better place, you might consider taking some English classes and buying a dictionary to improve your vocabulary and learn some spelling.

  • As a Marine I can understand why he would want to quit, me myself wanted to quit when I was in Medical Rehabilitaion Platoon but first off if he gave up and was that weak from the beginning what was he thinking joining the Marine Corps? I was reading also something about him being a sick bay commando and that he faked getiing crutches and bed rest some he wouldn’t have to train. In the video of him getting "abused" I saw him walk right into a drill instructor. I’m sorry but if someone walks into me I’m gonna shove him too. Here’s something for his parents to ponder, what if boot camp was soft and he passed it and went to Iraq and died cause he wasn’t trained properly and hard, then his parents would still be upset. The more you sweat in peace the less you bleed in war. As a Marine I take offense of what he did at the Island when there are Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan who are risking their lives daily. Whatever Johnathan Tharp and every other Marine experienced at recruit training is nothing compared to combat. Now looking back I’m glad my Drill Instructors were hard on me cause I know it’s gonna help when the bullets start flying. Drill Instructors are the pride of the Marine Corps without them there is no Marine Corps. I pray by all that is holy that the Tharp Family doesn’t or are unable to sue the Corps cause the fact of the matter is he didn’t want to put out and make any effort and he dishonored every Marine who’s died wearing the Uniform. The Tharp’s need to realize that no matter what they think those Drill Insrtuctors were trying to help him survive in combat. I hope the Tharps read this so can explain to them what goes on there.I’m here to tell you that if he just put out the effort he would still be here today.

    LCpl Josh Browning
    USMCR

    • This is an incredibly OLD story....therefore very rehashed and boring. We have already established over and over again that anyone who joins the military in this day and age is either a sicko who wants to kill people as a sport or they are mentally deficient, there is no other logical explaination. Who but a power hungry monster would do what these depraved and deranged killers do for a living?