These Marine commanders were supposed to guide recruiters. The pressure broke them, too.

"Marine recruiters have long faced some of the most challenging workplace conditions of all military recruiters, the Pentagon's own surveys show. A Business Insider investigation reveals the pressure to find enlistees hasn't been limited to rank-and-file recruiters; it has also taken a toll on higher-ups, contributing to a raft of firings and allegations of abusive work conditions. Interviews and Marine Corps investigation documents exclusively obtained by Business Insider detail how two colonels lost their leadership posts during the pandemic era."

"Two others were also fired - one who was removed from her job spoke about the stress she experienced. "It was overwhelming," retired Marine Corps Col. Heather Cotoia said. "It's the burden of command. You're responsible for everything your Marines do or fail to do." Cotoia said she was officially relieved, or fired, over her "leadership" and was never given an explanation of what that meant."

"The documents and interviews reveal pockets of a system that were pushed to the edge during the pandemic, when already steep recruiting goals collided with school closures, new medical-screening hurdles, and shrinking pools of young Americans eligible for service. As the pressure escalated, the military found, some commanders resorted to intimidation and rule-breaking. According to one investigative report, a commander relieved in 2023 said that recruiters needed to hit the streets like "French whores" to meet their quota of two sign-ups a month."

Pentagon surveys show Marine recruiters have faced some of the most challenging workplace conditions among military recruiters. Pressure to meet enlistment goals affected both rank-and-file recruiters and senior leaders, contributing to multiple firings and allegations of abusive work conditions. Several colonels were relieved of command during the pandemic era; one relieved colonel described the burden of command as overwhelming and said she was fired over vague charges of 'leadership' without explanation. Pandemic obstacles included steep recruiting goals, school closures, new medical-screening hurdles, and a shrinking pool of eligible young Americans, which drove some commanders to intimidation and rule-breaking.

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