The Marine Corps has always prided itself on discipline and accountability, but recent events have left many wondering about the state of leadership within its ranks.

Sgt. Maj. Gerardo Trevino, a senior enlisted leader at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego, found himself at the center of controversy after his recent arrest by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

While details remain under wraps, one thing is clear: Trevino’s leadership role has come to a crashing halt. Let’s break down what’s going on and why it matters.

The Arrest and What We Know So Far

Trevino, a 38-year-old Marine who had been serving as the top enlisted leader for the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, was arrested by NCIS on September 11, 2024. The exact reasons for his arrest haven’t been disclosed, but he’s currently being held in pre-trial confinement while NCIS conducts what they’ve called a “thorough investigation.”

Trevino was officially relieved of his duties the day after his arrest, citing a “loss of trust and confidence” in his leadership—essentially the military’s way of saying something went wrong without getting into specifics.

This vague reasoning isn’t new.

The phrase “loss of trust and confidence” is often used when military leaders are removed from their positions. It’s a catch-all term, usually signaling that a leader is no longer seen as fit to continue in their role, though the details are often kept behind closed doors until investigations wrap up.

A Pattern of Leadership Problems?

Trevino’s firing is the latest in a string of seven similar removals among Marine Corps leaders over the past 14 months. From incidents involving drunk driving to other failures in leadership, the Marine Corps has had to remove or reassign multiple key figures within its training commands. This trend raises some serious questions about what’s happening at the leadership level.