Ragin' and Hazin' P.II

MCSF Detachment Souda Bay, Crete, Greece

Case of the Missing Gun

So, after the H&C check failed to turn up the missing pistol, it fell off the enlisted Marine's radar for awhile.  Until, we finally found out what happened to it.  Remember I said how easy it was to get steroids OTC?  Well, one of the original Italy Marines, who had used 'roids in Italy, and continued to use 'roids in Greece, decided he wanted to continue to use 'roids back in the USA.  So, he started mailing them home.

Now, this Marine was not the brightest bulb in the bunch.  A self-confessed "Hillbilly" from West Virginia, he loved watching WWF.  He loved it so much, that he thought it was real.  He thought that they were really wrestling and couldn't comprehend that it was all scripted and choreographed.  You couldn't argue it otherwise with him.  This Marine was also one of my personal hazers.  He participated in my hazing.

Anyways, he started mailing 'roids home.  I'm not sure if he tried to hide them or not, but in any case, Customs does random checks of packages mailed to the USA.  Guess whose package was checked?  Guess what they found?  Yup.  They found his 'roids.  BUT.  Instead of busting him immediately, they chose to red flag his mail.  Every single package mailed by him back to the states was checked.  More 'roids were found.

Then one day, Customs found something else.  They found the slide of a 9mm Military Beretta pistol.  Not the entire pistol.  Just the slide.  A week later, another package arrived...  it contained the barrel of a 9mm Beretta pistol.  Another week later...  There was a package that contained the grip of the pistol and (1) magazine.

Suddenly, Customs no longer had a simple drug case.  They had a weapons and drugs case.  They sat on this case until this particular Marine transferred back to the USA.  He was busted almost immediately after reporting to his new command.  Court-martialed, busted down to Private, and sentenced to 6-10 years in Levenworth.  Levenworth.  It's not a nice prison, as prisons go.  Like I said, the Marines take missing weapons quite seriously.

Now, how did this Marine get the pistol?  Well, he worked as the Armorer's Assistant the last six months he was in Greece.  Easy access.

So yet again, steroids was a link to something bad.

It's lonely out on post, in the cold and wet, for 6 hours at a time.

My Peeps, Chillin'

'Roids and Hazing in Naples
MCSF Det Souda Bay, Crete, Greece was not an independent command.  We were a "detachment" off a regular MCSF Company.  Our "parent" Command was the MCSF Company in Naples, Italy.  Although they rarely visited our command and we rarely went to theirs, they had overall command of us.

Apparently, the Marines in Naples had discovered the joy of 'roids even more so then the Marines in Sicily / Crete.  They were HUGE when we visited up there before the "incident" that tore that command apart.

They were still hazing quite actively up there as well, and that is what led to the "incident".

A new Marine arrived at the command, and soon after, one night, 2-3 'ragers decided it was time to haze the n00b.  However, they went out of control.  They beat him up pretty bad, to the point where it was so loud that the Sergeant of the Guard responded to the noise.  Each barracks has a Marine on duty 24 hours a day, as well as a Sergeant of the Guard and Officer of the Guard who are in command of Marines on post.

So, the Sgt of the Guard responded to the room where the hazing was going on and opened the door to see one of the 'ragers choking the new Marine with his own dog tags.  The Sgt of the Guard ordered them to stop, and the other 'rager told him to "Get the fuck out before I beat the shit out of you."  Now these 2 guys were huge.  And they intimidated the Sgt of the Guard so much that he went to get back-up.  He called in the base security (Navy).  They responded with 3-4 guys, and entered into the room to stop the incident.  The 2 'ragers were in full rage mode, and immediately turned on base security and promptly beat the shit out of all of them.

At this point, the Sgt of the Guard realized that they wouldn't be stopped for nothing.  So he went and got the Marine React Force.  This force backs up the guards on post.  He had them put on full battle gear, including flak jackets and helmets.  He made them leave weapons in the armory, and then he took them to the room, where they promptly rushed in and basically dog-piled the (2) 'ragers.

Even with 20 men now attempting to detain these guys, it still took 15 minutes to get 'cuffs on them.  But they finally did and were finally able to get them into the Brig.

The Commanding Officer immediately ordered a H&C on the barracks, and it turned up 'roids left and right, as well as many illegal weapons.  Piss tests were given, and at least 20% of the Marines there popped positive (and were immediately busted in rank).

Such lack of oversight on his command did not go unnoticed, and the Major commanding MCSFCO Naples, Italy, was soon forced to retire.

Woof