dead-check

v. phr. to verify or ensure that a wounded enemy combatant is dead. Also as a noun. Subjects: English, Military

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Citations: 2004 Evan Wright Village Voice (Nov. 24-30) “Dead-Check in Falluja”: “They teach us to do dead-checking when we’re clearing rooms,” an enlisted Marine recently returned from Iraq told me. “You put two bullets into the guy’s chest and one in the brain. But when you enter a room where guys are wounded you might not know if they’re alive or dead. So they teach us to dead-check them by pressing them in the eye with your boot, because generally a person, even if he’s faking being dead, will flinch if you poke him there. If he moves, you put a bullet in the brain. You do this to keep the momentum going when you’re flowing through a building. You don’t want a guy popping up behind you and shooting you.” What I’d seen on that road outside of Baquba on April 9 was a dead-check. The Marine who fired into that Toyota with wounded men inside didn’t want anybody shooting at us as we went past. 2006 Department of Defense U.S. Marine Corps News (Feb. 10) “Marine recalls Silver Star actions” (in Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay): Once reaching the caves, Boada teamed up with Sgt. Robert R. Campbell, a squad leader, and began searching the different caves with the other Marines. This was when Marines heard Lance Cpl. Nicholas C. Kirven identify a dead body. He called out and Cpl. Richard P. Schoener came down to provide security for a dead check. 2006 Bill Nemitz Portland Press Herald (Maine) (Mar. 21) “Be sharp, stay alive ; Role-playing simulations help Marines learn the importance of keeping their guard up” p. A1: “And how are you going to do your dead check?” persisted Lutz. “With a notional (make-believe) kick in the (groin), sir,” Derosby said. The oft-used technique quickly reveals whether an insurgent is truly dead or just playing possum. “No, wait,” said Lutz, striding forward. “Let me show you how to do a dead check in Iraq.” Grabbing Derosby’s M-16 rifle, Lutz pointed the barrel at the Iraqi’s chest. “Bang! Bang!” he shouted, then handed the rifle back to Derosby. “That’s how you do a dead check in Iraq.” Derosby nodded. “Bang! Bang!” he repeated. 2006 Dow Jones International News @ Camp Pendleton, California (Dow Jones International News) (Oct. 6) “Navy Medic Testifies Against Marines In Iraq Murder”: I witnessed Sgt. (Lawrence) Hutchins dead check the man and fire three rounds into the man’s head.…Then Cpl. (Trent) Thomas fired seven to 10 rounds in to the man’s head. 2007 Tony Perry @ Camp Pendleton, California Los Angeles Times (July 15) “Marine says beatings urged in Iraq”: Lopezromo said a procedure called “dead-checking” was routine. If Marines entered a house where a man was wounded, instead of checking to see whether he needed medical aid, they shot him to make sure he was dead, he testified.

Posted 16 Jul 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend