> Van Riper was informed by the white cell, or “control,” overseeing the game [...]

> When Van Riper went to Kernan to complain, he was told: “You are playing out of character. The OPFOR would never have done what you did.”

That's a strict DM.

I also think it's a bullshit excuse. Iran was famous for wasting manpower to gain speed, eg during the Iran-Iraq war where they had large numbers of school age children martyr themselves in human wave attacks to slow down tanks or clear minefields. Van Riper just extended that concept to the marine environment.