Thursday, October 27, 2011

FBI: gangs have infiltrated every branch of the military

Business Insider | The FBI has released a new gang assessment announcing that there are 1.4 million gang members in the US, a 40 percent increase since 2009, and that many of these members are getting inside the military (via Stars and Stripes).

The report says the military has seen members from 53 gangs and 100 regions in the U.S. enlist in every branch of the armed forces. Members of every major street gang, some prison gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) have been reported on both U.S. and international military installations.

From the report:

Through transfers and deployments, military-affiliated gang members expand their culture and operations to new regions nationwide and worldwide, undermining security and law enforcement efforts to combat crime. Gang members with military training pose a unique threat to law enforcement personnel because of their distinctive weapons and combat training skills and their ability to transfer these skills to fellow gang members.

The report notes that while gang members have been reported in every branch of service, they are concentrated in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and the Army National Guard.

style="padding-left: 30px;">Many street gang members join the military to escape the gang lifestyle or as an alternative to incarceration, but often revert back to their gang associations once they encounter other gang members in the military. Other gangs target the U.S. military and defense systems to expand their territory, facilitate criminal activity such as weapons and drug trafficking, or to receive weapons and combat training that they may transfer back to their gang. Incidents of weapons theft and trafficking may have a negative impact on public safety or pose a threat to law enforcement officials.

The FBI points out that many gangs, especially the bikers, actively recruit members with military training and advise young members with no criminal record to join the service for weapon access and combat experience.

4 comments:

Big Don said...

95% of this problem could be eliminated if all military applicants with tattoos were rejected at the time of attempted enlistment...

CNu said...

you're too cunning BD, the cliques would never figure that one out...,

Big Don said...

BD would set the same restriction for collegiate and pro sports, No Tattoos.  Sets very bad example for the kids who idolize the players, and then imitate.
They won't tell you this, but you show up tattooed at HR lookin' for a job, and you got two strikes against you right off the bat for Using Bad Judgement, not a desired quality for employees.  Military only takes them because they have too much trouble otherwise filling their cannon fodder quotas...

Tom said...

You don't understand CNu.  If they don't have tatoos --> they look respectable --> they are safe, nice young men.  Cuts off gangs at their source: visibly unfamiliar and unsettling branding.

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