R 021908Z FEB 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 005/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/HAZING//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  I REVISED OUR MARINE CORPS ORDER ON HAZING TO REEMPHASIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.  FIDELITY IS AT THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE AS MARINES AND DEFINES HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER.
2.  THE REVISED ORDER THAT I SIGNED ON 1 FEBRUARY 2012 REITERATES THAT HAZING CAN TAKE MANY FORMS.  THE MOST COMMON INVOLVES INITIATION OR CONGRATULATORY ACTS.  HAZING ALSO INCLUDES ANY CONDUCT WHEREBY A MILITARY MEMBER OR MEMBERS, REGARDLESS OF SERVICE OR RANK, WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORITY CAUSES ANOTHER MILITARY MEMBER OR MEMBERS, REGARDLESS OF SERVICE OR RANK, TO SUFFER OR BE EXPOSED TO ANY ACTIVITY WHICH IS CRUEL, ABUSIVE, HUMILIATING, OPPRESSIVE, DEMEANING, OR HARMFUL.  REGARDLESS OF THE FORM IT TAKES, HAZING IS ALWAYS UNACCEPTABLE.
3.  OUR 31ST COMMANDANT, GENERAL KRULAK, ESTABLISHED THE CRUCIBLE AS THE SOLE RITE OF PASSAGE TO EARN THE TITLE "MARINE."  THERE IS NO OTHER!  WHEN HE PUBLISHED OUR HAZING POLICY IN 1997, HE CLOSED THE DOOR ON OTHER "RITES OF PASSAGE."  I WANT TO BE CLEAR TO ALL MARINES THAT HAZING HAS NO PLACE IN A DISCIPLINED AND PROFESSIONAL MILITARY FORCE.
4.  HAZING IS A LEADERSHIP ISSUE.  I CHARGE ALL LEADERS IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, FROM FIRE TEAM LEADER TO COMMANDING GENERAL, TO ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY, CARE, AND RESPECT AND TO BE EVER VIGILANT FOR SIGNS OF HAZING WITHIN OUR RANKS.
5.  HAZING IS ALSO A WARFIGHTING ISSUE.  IT DESTROYS OUR MARINES' CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN THEIR FELLOW MARINES AND IN UNIT LEADERSHIP, THUS UNDERMINING UNIT COHESION AND COMBAT READINESS.  IT DOES NOT PROMOTE LOYALTY, DOES NOT BUILD ESPIRIT DE CORPS, AND DOES NOT PREPARE MARINES FOR COMBAT.  HAZING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN ANY FORM IN OUR CORPS.
6.  THE STRENGTH OF OUR CORPS WILL ALWAYS BE BASED ON THE MUTUAL RESPECT AND DIGNITY WITH WHICH THOSE OF US WHO CLAIM THE TITLE "MARINE" TREAT EACH OTHER.  IT IS THAT ENDURING FAITHFULNESS THAT HAS CARRIED THE U.S. MARINE CORPS TO SUCCESS FOR OVER 236 YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
7.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//