Being Broken

I first heard the term “broken” in 1992 when I interviewed a major about his perceptions of his injured enlisted infantrymen, as well as their potential for recovery. Other officers and non-commissioned officers had told me that he had failed to get promoted, and that was why he had taken over as their primary officer.

Rank, reputation, and promotion are a reflection of what the person is, as well as an assessment of character in terms of what the organization thinks of the particular marine, how it values, rewards (or punishes), and respects him. One could argue that being in command of these “broken Marines” mirrored his now devalued status, showing that he was also on his way out. In a sense, he was also being recycled (for whatever reason, or he was being punished, since he had failed to be promoted).

However, in retrospect, I doubt that he recognized any similarities between the “bro­ken Marine” under his authority, and his own social and physical displacement. After all, he could assume that his lack of promotion (as an officer) reflected an entirely different process of marking—one, such as downsizing, which was not necessarily seen as perma­nently discrediting. He described the situation for his Marines:

MS (Officer): Oh those Marines (laughs), why they are just broken.

RJM (Me): What is that? Broken? What does that mean?

MS: It means that they are badly injured, and they will probably be recycled out of here. Some are in so much pain, and some (low voice) go crazy, in boot camp for example (pause) the mind just snaps (snaps his fingers), they just won't heal and they are no good. Some are sent home, like those there (points to a building) are mentally broken, they just went crazy in boot camp, (points) and they have to be separated immediately (sighs) and they will be sent home, to wherever they are from.

RJM: What will happen to them and what is recycling? Do you mean like trash or cans?

MS: Yeah (laughs), and who knows what will happen to them, it's not their fault that they couldn't take it, look, some get disability, and some are ruined, it is sad I guess but it happens, like that (snaps his fingers). Someone who you thought could take it gets broken and then he is probably outta here, you know, and as for recycling, yeah, they are separated and then they are sent home, or wherever they belong.

And unfortunately, they are not alone.