GANGS in the Military?? Is this true? Do we have a gang problem in the Army??

Shock and Awe

Yep, we get a few idiots still representing their 'hoods' or old lifetyles in the military. all branches have them. Last week on the History Channel's Gangland they did a good epidose on this problem. It's not just the Army. Trust me. I watched serveral courts martials and captain's mast in Iraq with the Marines in 2006 in Ramadi. I also witness an Army unit up north give out two field grade ART 15s to two E6s for throwing up gang signs and wearing gang color in uniform while on patrol and in a Lowrider magazine photo. The squadron commander read the punishment to them and I watched. Dumbazzes. I also saw alot of graffitti too. SUR this. MS that. Folks this. Kings that. On barriers. In porta-poties. People just can't let go.
Hell, we just had finish a trial in Germany before I left for a courtmartial for a death involving a gang initation that went wrong on post with Soldiers and Airman last year.

More info here:

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=53418&archive=true

http://www.stripes.com/07/feb07/gangs/gangs1.html

http://www.knowgangs.com/news/jan07/0120.php

About the Marine gangbanger shooting cops in Cali
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgwfVJIoBNM

Somebody Else

Heh, interesting story, I have a tattoo of the Raincross (Riverside County, CA's logo) on my arm, and the Navy turned me down because they said it was a "gang-related tattoo"(even though I've never been in a gang in my life! I got it out of civic pride, not criminal affiliation!). However, the army doesn't seem to care, they still want me, so there you go I suppose...

jeligula

Yes, I have seen this. The Bloods tried to force their way on base at Camp Pendleton when I had guard duty. We had word they were coming and they weren't prepared for what they met.

People abuse the military system all the time. When I was in, the son of an African prince joined and spent military resources sending stolen cars to his father in Africa. He was caught, obviously.

Daniel B

see ok frist i read the story you linked it said about gang memebers who get out of the military. next i havent seen a whole lot of gang issues in the are you used to get alot of that crap washed off you from basic but now in the "kinder gentler" army they have really lowered the standards of people they let in.

desertviking_00

Seems that there are some in the Marine Corps. A court-martial just wrapped up in Okinawa. An MA2 assigned to Naval Activities at White Beach was convicted of soliciting a Marine Sergeant to kill the girlfriend of that female sailor. The Marine was a "Crips Lord" and was the god son of "Tookie" Williams who started the Crips gang.

Lauren

Yes, this is true...we have been studying this in our Justice Studies courses and what the military does is take gang members (albeit unwittingly) off the street and train them, as well as provide them with a larger network, so that when they're out of the service they are better organized and can buy any gun anywhere with their military ID. Lower standards are to blame for this, but all our resources are being deployed and otherwise "used up", so of course we have to lower the bar to maintain the type of military that W wants.

Carlos

Yes we do. If you go to Iraq you are going to find graffiti from gangs like MS13 and others. What is happening is that gang members are joining the military and gaining training that they will later use to get back at other gangs. Gaining skills to help traffic in drugs from across the border and all that good stuff... The military can't weed out all the bad apples and maybe they would rather train them for the man power

Markus K

Yes--I saw it a little when I was in the AF- and our standards are higher

BOOM!

Its both good and bad good cause you are taking them off the streets bad cause when they return to civilian life they may become MILITARIZED gang members. With the military training and possibly a war backround we could have more powerful and organized gangs in the future .. but this is nothing new its been going on for years just not as much then as it is now.

West of Encino

sure there are gangbangers in the military... bad for the cops when they get discharged, because they learn swarm tactics and using high powered weaponry, and not even afraid to use them.

suro25

there has alway been gang activity in the military.. can't say just because the military lowered its standards is when the gang activity started

imkevlar (boycott ignorance)

California is a great place for that sort of stuff with their history of interferring with Federal officals.

artilleryman89

I think it's cause the army has lowered itself so much they let trash in now days.

Shan

Saddly, yes. This is a problem. Yes, the lower standards are partially to blame. I have not seen it. I have heard that the tolerance is low and when caught, the penelty is harsh. Not something to be proud of, but needs to be dealth with now.

steven p

maybe the army since they dont have proper disapline!
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