Initiations and rites of passage can instill esprit de corps and loyalty and are included in many traditions throughout the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Coast Guard. However, at times these, and more ad hoc activities, have included cruel or abusive behavior that can undermine unit cohesion and operational effectiveness. Congress included a provision in statute for the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on DOD, including each of the military services, and Coast Guard policies to prevent, and efforts to track, incidents of hazing. This book addresses the extent to which DOD and the Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have developed and implemented policies to address incidents of hazing; and visibility over hazing incidents involving servicemembers.
