Nude-photo scandal in U.S. Marines

The Defense Department is investigating reports that some Marines shared naked photographs of female Marines, veterans and other women on a secret Facebook page, some of which were taken without their knowledge.

The photographs were shared on the Facebook page "Marines United," which had a membership of active-duty and retired male Marines, Navy Corpsman and British Royal Marines. Along with identified female military members were photographs of unidentifiable women in various stages of undress, and included obscene comments about some of the women, officials said.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is now investigating. The photographs have been taken down, officials said.

Marine Corps commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller on Sunday refused to comment directly about the ongoing investigation. "For anyone to target one of our Marines, online or otherwise, in an inappropriate manner, is distasteful and shows an absence of respect," Neller said in a statement.

It was not immediately known how many active-duty Marines and other service members were involved or are under investigation. A Marine Corps official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss personnel matters by name, said at least one government contractor had been removed from his job after he posted a link to the photographs.

In response to the report, Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green, the top enlisted man in the Marine Corps, said: "These negative behaviors are absolutely contrary to what we represent."
The investigation was first reported by the Center for Investigative Reporting. The activity was revealed by The War Horse, a nonprofit news organization run by Marine veteran Thomas Brennan.