Exclusive: Gangs Spreading In The Military

[rodeodance]

Source: cbs



July 28, 2007
Exclusive: Gangs Spreading In The Military
CBS News Talks To The Family Of A U.S. Soldier Killed In Gang Initiation


.........Evidence of gang culture and gang activity in the military is increasing so much an FBI report calls it "a threat to law enforcement and national security." The signs are chilling: Marines in gang attire on Paris Island; paratroopers flashing gang hand signs at a nightclub near Ft. Bragg; infantrymen showing-off gang tattoos at Ft. Hood.

"It's obvious that many of these people do not give up their gang affiliations," said Hunter Glass, a retired police detective in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the home of Ft. Bragg and the 82nd Airborne. He monitors gang activity at the base and across the military.

"If we weren't in the middle of fighting a war, yes, I think the military would have a lot more control over this issue," Glass said. "But with a war going on, I think it's very difficult to do."

Gang activity clues are appearing in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. Gang graffiti is sprayed on blast walls – even on Humvees. Kilroy – the doodle made famous by U.S. soldiers in World War II – is here, but so is the star emblem of the Gangster Disciples.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/28/eveningnews/main3107316.shtml

[msongs]

1. the marines have found a few good men? be all you can be in the army of one gang? nt

[rodeodance]

2. also see this DU thread:

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject Report on the growing issue of Gangs in the US military. cbs evening
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1462732#1462732
1462732, Report on the growing issue of Gangs in the US military. cbs evening
Posted by rodeodance on Sat Jul-28-07 06:10 PM





news gave a report just now---discussed the rise in 'moral waviers"
and allowing gang members to enter the Military. Talked of the
arrest rate for criminal activity within the military.
They will doing a report tomorrow on -gangs in the general community
that originated in the Military.

[USMC_Liberal]

22. Sounds like Bullshit to me

The only units on -Parris- Island are support units for the RTR - the recruit training regiment, and of course the RTB's -- the Recruit Training Battalions.

Maybe where some of the line combat units are deployed - you might see gang activity there. At Parris Island - please.

Walt

[SKKY]

58. How about on an Aircraft Carrier? Think you might see gangs there?

I assure you, there are.

[Recursion]

59. Yeah, it made me wonder if they meant recruits showing up

I seem to recall from when I went to PI (late 90's) that some recruits got in trouble for what they were wearing when they went through receiving & processing (aka the worst part of boot camp -- 96 hours of almost no sleep, very little food, and constant moving around wondering what the hell is going on)

[Zech Marquis]

75. not during boot camp

Im sure they'll have some former and not so former gang members arrive during their in processing, but the moment ANYBODY shows up at ANY boot camp as a raw recruit, the DIs are in charge. Camp Challenge for Army ROTC was a whirlwind for me, although that is nothing compared to what I've sen and read about Parris Island's first 96 hours! i bet any gang tattoos and clothing would get you some attention real quick.

[stanwyck]

65. I've got my own USMC liberal sitting right here

with me and he agrees 100%. Gangs at Parris Island? This is crazytalk.
(He's on leave after his third tour to Iraq.)

[rodeodance]

3. Gang activity clues are appearing in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. Gang graffiti is sprayed on blast wa

Gang activity clues are appearing in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. Gang graffiti is sprayed on blast walls – even on Humvees. Kilroy – the doodle made famous by U.S. soldiers in World War II – is here, but so is the star emblem of the Gangster Disciples.

The soldier who took these photos told CBS News he's been warned he's as good as dead if he ever returns to Iraq.

"We represent America – our demographics are the same – so the same problems that America contends with we often times contend with," said Colonel Gene Smith of the Army's Office of the Provost Marshal.

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command reported 61 gang investigations and incidents last year, compared to just 9 in 2004. But army officials point out less than 1 percent of all its criminal investigations are gang related.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Zero tolerance

If they find any soldier or marine who has gang ties or activities then they should be discharged immediately.

Period.

[PoconoPragmatist]

16. Not Just In The Military!!

I think that gang membership...IN AND OF ITSELF should be a crime, punishable by long-term incarceration.

The only purpose of gangs is to spread hatred, deal drugs, and prey upon the weak and defenseless. People like that do not deserve freedom.

Those who would deny freedom to others, deserve not to have freedom for themselves.

[pokercat999]

31. and how long would it be before the Democratic Party

would be classified as a GANG?

The Guardian Angles could be called a gang.

Criminal activity is the problem not a brotherhood of like minded individuals.

Careful what you wish for.

[PoconoPragmatist]

37. I Meant Street Gangs

who exist for nothing but committing crime against the weak and defenseless. who wear stupid "gang colors" and flash stupid "gang signs."

[mopinko]

81. you deserve neither liberty nor safety

according to ben franklin.

[alarimer]

39. Your proposal is blatantly unconstitutional

How long before membership in the Democratic Party is illegal under your plan?

[mopinko]

80. you are right. unconsitutional

they tried to make gang membership a crime in chicago. it went to the supreme court and failed. ditto attempts to enact a loitering statute that would allow them to do sweeps. course, this was during the rehnquist court. who knew we would be nostalgic for that?

[LanternWaste]

68. Not entirely correct...

"The only purpose of gangs is to spread hatred, deal drugs, and prey upon the weak and defenseless"

Not entirely correct... other purposes are to give inner-city youths a sense of family, self-respect and acceptance that is quite often lacking in contemporary American culture.

[leftist.]

Meh.

I think that the socio-economic conditions that leave people so desperate that they feel like they need to be in a gang should be a crime, and that the people responsible for those conditions should be punished by long-term incarceration.

The kids are alright.

[knight_of_the_star]

84. That is extreme

What about how guilt by association is inadmissable and unacceptable based on 200 plus years of American jurisprudence, not to mention how incredibly tyrannical that idea is and flies in the faces of American liberties.

[mallard]

29. Recruitment woes?

Look what there is to select from in this selective service for an illegal war.

Clear signs that some 'recruits' are taking the service over imprisonment and no huge surprise it's all being kept officially undisclosed.

[LuckyLib]

5. Guess we're using those gangs "over there" so we don't have to deal with them "over here."

We have a gang junta ruling the country. Why are we surprised that criminals are filling the quotasin recruiting? "Since 2003, 125,000 recruits with criminal histories have been granted what are known as "moral waivers" for felonies including robbery and assault."

[defendandprotect]

10. These are people we don't want to let vote, but we're putting them in the military + arming them--??

[badgervan]

14. So True

If any person serving in the Armed Forces in the 60's and 70's would have been affiliated with any gang, they would have been out on their asses immediately. Unbelievable - that the military is trying to justify this crap by saying "demographics" are to blame! When the standards are continuously lowered, what do they expect? We are absolutely screwed if the Decider decides to invade another country - you can only fight so long with reserves and National Guard. We need to beef up our core forces, and damn soon.

[Mojorabbit]

25. Wasn't this going to be Laura's

thing? Gang violence....

[tanyev]

35. Oh, I think she made a few public appearances which solved the gang problem,

and then moved on to the next issue requiring her "special skills".

[rodeodance]

50. yup---a few photo ops and problem solved. prob gave them a few library books to boot?

[BearSquirrel2]

6. Yet another sign ...

This is yet another sign that the supporters of the Iraq war are only supportive so long as someone else has to fight it. I really wish Congress would step up with the idea of military relief by forcing the President to conscript in order to maintain the army in the field.

[Lasher]

30. If you think the draft is a good idea you should join up today

The draft sucks. Problems with our military should be resolved by reducing their missions, not by enslaving people for use as cannon fodder, and not by pumping more money into the Pentagon's already enormous budget. Getting the hell out of Iraq would be a good start.

[dysfunctional press]

64. i'm all for a draft- and/or mandatory government/social service after high school

2-3 years worth most likely.

but then, i'm way too old(and disabled) to sign up.

[Lasher]

74. Nobody is too old or disabled to be enslaved

Your 3 year assignment is to handle bedpans in nursing homes. Say goodbye to all your friends and family because you'll be stationed far away from your home in a different location for each of the next 3 years.

Still think it's a good idea?

[dysfunctional press]

79. it's a great idea- for those coming out of high school.

i'm ALL for it.

[Lasher]

82. Are you still in high school?

There has never been a shortage of old people just like you who think it's a great idea for young adults to make sacrifices against their will. It's just like when I was old enough to get drafted to potentially die in combat and kill other mothers' sons, but was not yet quite mature enough to vote.

[dysfunctional press]

83. i registered for the draft when my time came.

but my number never came up.

and yes- young adults SHOULD make sacrifices for their country- and in the coming years, those sacrifices are going to be even more important.
but then- there are no shortage of entitled-feeling people like you, who think that everything should just be handed to them at little or no cost...which is exactly why this country is in the shape it is, and going down the road we've chosen.

[Lasher]

86. Registering is nothing.

Hey, I was drafted in 1969 and I served two years in the Army. I paid my dues. Looks like you're the one with the entitlement attitude.

If you think it's such a great idea for young adults to sacrifice, why didn't you join?

[dysfunctional press]

88. i did what was required of me.

and over the years, i have come to realize that more SHOULD be required of this country's youth.
as you said yourself- attitudes change as people mature, and gain more world and life experience.

"If you think it's such a great idea for young adults to sacrifice, why didn't you join?"

well...it would be kind of difficult for me to go back in time and join up due to what i believe today, wouldn't it...? :shrug:

[AnneD]

7. Here in Houston,

we have to deal with the M13 gangs that were produced in the wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador. These are very dangerous seeds we are sowing. That is all we need-gangs that know how to handle heavy arms. And you know how easy it is to get weapons in the US. Our police officers won't stand a chance. I see kidnappings and death contracts on Judges, news paper reporters, and anyone that stands in their way in our future.

[donkeyotay]

40. Pretty soon America will be like Baghdad

We're letting lawlessness grow. These "gangs" are the militias of organized crime. And now our military is training domestic gangs, including the white supremecists... this scares me. We won't recognize our country by the time all the consequences of dick and george's little adventure come home to roost. Between the economic decay and this, we will be more of a third world country than we could have imagined.

[Hobbs]

8. Isn't that special

We're training mini-me bin Ladens

[Help me help Earth]

9. This story come out every few years.

There is never very much truth behind it. During the 90's it was usually "white supremacists training to fight Feds", now it's usually "Latin gangs train to fight police". There is probably some amount of truth behind it, but far, far more hype.

[AnneD]

17. We ARE having problems with it in Houston...

and it is making the papers here. We have had kidnappings and shoot outs in broad daylight. They have been mainly in hispanic areas, but we had one happen by one of freeways. Most media doesn't report it because most of the victims for now are very brown. The gangs today are not your father's gangs-they are the roughest and most callous I have seen. They are run more like corporations and they don't fall into single ethnic categories like they use to.They are making their money on drugs, prostitution, kidnapping, contracts, smuggling,shakedowns, protection, and arms sales. I have seen photos of OCS grads throwing down gang signs as I have seen it in basic training photos. And this is BEFORE they get to Iraq. If they are anything like MS13-we are in deep shit.

As a School Nurse, with friends that are high school Nurses in a large urban area-we are on the front lines. Most of America is in denial of the serious gang problem we have. It is just not here but in any school setting.

[Help me help Earth]

43. OCS grads?

Officer Candidate School has pretty high standards and I doubt many, if any, gang members would be accepted:

-At least 19 and no older than 29 at time of enlistment (applicants ages 30-34 may request a waiver)
-United States citizen
-At least a 4-year college degree prior to entering the Army
-Earn a minimum 110 GT score on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)
-Meet the minimum height and weight standard ( male& female)
-Pass a complete physical at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS)
-Able to obtain a security clearance
-No more than 10 years’ active Federal Service at time of commission
-Be able to meet the normal requirements of enlistment (Note: Criminal History requirements for commission are much more strict than the requirements listed in the "requirements of enlistment" article. In general, an applicant for commission must have no convictions by civil or military courts. (This does not apply to minor traffic violations with a fine or forfeiture of $250.00 or less). An applicant must not have been judged to be a juvenile offender. This applies even if the court sentence, or any part of it, was suspended or withheld, or such conviction was in any way removed from court records by satisfactory completion of a period of probation. This also applies to adverse juvenile adjudication. (Note: Some convictions can be waived). (From About.com)

[AnneD]

62. Yes! OCS...

that was what shocked me the most. You wouldn't believe who is in gangs these days. It is even in the 'rich' high schools. I would not have believed it a few years ago but I do now.

Being a school Nurse gives me a special vantage point to the future of our society. For instance-school Nurses were sounding the alarm about the obesity epidemic among kids a full 5+ years before it made headlines. The same goes with ozone and air quality because we are seeing a dramatic increase in asthmatics. Same with the uninsured. I am here to tell you now that the next wave will be gangs-I see it across all economic spectrum's now. Most parent and school administrators have their heads up their asses on this one-total denial. The rich kids may not have all the tats-but some of them have been initiated into the gangs. Their plain 'white bread' exterior makes them perfect couriers and fronts.

[Help me help Earth]

70. I'm still very skeptical about this story.

There is a big difference between knowing gang signs and being in a gang. Even if you saw them flash something, and there are a million different hand signs that are not gang related, it doesn't mean they are in a gang. I seriously doubt there are many, if any, gang members with college degrees (not to mention spotless records) trying for OCS.

[sanskritwarrior]

48. Good christ........

I am a 32 year old Sergeant First Class and I throw down gang signs in pics all the time.......it is very pop cultureish.......

And this sewer bilge about gangs..........what the fuck ever........Gangs were much worse in the mid 90's and that doesn't reflect on the President at the time, it reflects on who they were letting in.........I rarely see gang signs now, I do see them, but not as much as I use to.............

Another day, another attempt at a smear of the US military........how typical.

[AnneD]

63. I am ex military...

and grew up a military brat-so there is no smear there. But the pentagon's own studies have earmarked this as a growing problem and is raising questions about security, etc. They are finally starting to recognize the extent of the problem.

I use to think that pictures of babies with bandannas were just pop culture too, until I found out that was code for 'Born in the Blood' (born into the gang for life).

[ieoeja]

66. But it *is* part of pop culture now.

Sure, the gangs still use gang signs. But as the previous poster pointed out, so does everybody else.

[AnneD]

69. Denial....

is a powerful force.:shrug: I work with our future every day and all pop culture references aside-we are in deep shit. Save this post for future reference,it will seem down right prophetic.

[gulliver]

45. I never heard it before.

I had not heard that white supremacists (low end Republicans) had infiltrated the military in the 90's. Are you sure? Republican Timothy McVeigh was not a white supremacist AFAIK. He was just taking the Republican anti-government idea to the Camus/Rebel logical conclusion of bloodshed.

Gangs getting into the current military sounds to me more like another result of Bush's Iraq War catastrophe. Thanks to Bush and his few remaining supporters, the military can't recruit without lowering standards (for entrants, for truth in advertising, etc.). So you get bad people in the military. It is one of the worst things Bush did to the troops if so, forcing them to associate as equals with dogs.

[Help me help Earth]

55. After Oklahoma City, white supremacists were the popular gang

for this story. At various time it has been black gangs, usually coinciding with something controversial to do with rap. When immigration becomes an issue, the story pops up again with Latin Kings in the star role.

I'm not saying there are no gang members in the military. I'm sure there are, and frankly it's probably a good place for them. Saying there is a problem with gangs operating inside the military is a whole different ball game, and as far as I can tell it's mostly a recurring urban legend.

[rocktivity]

56. DING DING DING! Gulliver, you're our grand prize winner!

Gangs getting into the current military sounds to me more like another result of Bush's Iraq War catastrophe...

Me, too. Between the lowering of recruitment standards and the troops just deciding to to find their own way of getting through in piece--well, me, too.

:(
rocknation

[RogueBandit]

11. Hells Angels in Viet Nam

I remember stories about Hells Angels being used in Viet Nam. They were even experimenting with giving them dirt bikes for patrols.

Can't find a few good men? Sign up a few good gangsters!

[The Wizard]

23. Hells Angels

wanted to go to Vietnam because they thought they could intimidate the VC and NVA with loud exhaust pipes and their scary aura. They would have lasted five minutes, believe me. The Vietnamese weren't intimidated by fully automatic weapons in the hands of trained killers backed up by helicopter gunships, artillery, jet fighters and B52s. In short, they would have made good moving targets for a Vietnamese shooting gallery.

[pokercat999]

32. The Vietnamese were fighting on their soil against a

corrupt local govt and a foreign invader.

How hard would you fight if someone invaded the US? Till the bitter end against any odds, would be my guess.

[The Wizard]

34. Never under estimate

people defending their homeland.

[mitchum]

49. Sonny Barger and the other HA reactionary troglodytes "volunteered"...

but the US had no more intention of sending them than the HA had of actually going.
It was just more mau mau-ing bluster from white trash criminals.

[pepperbear]

12. check this video out.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgwfVJIoBNM

[thereismore]

13. Don't blame it on a fighting war - it's the recruiting I think. Lower standards. nt

[ieoeja]

67. They've had a harder time recruiting because of the war. Thus the lower standards. n/t

[acmavm]

15. Right now they're probably what the military needs. Conscienceless thugs

who like to kill.

[olddad56]

20. Conscienceless thugs who like to kill. Sounds like the Bushies.

[MikeNearMcChord]

18. And let us not forget, Hate groups in the military also

A telling tale of a declining empire, when the Barbarians are the protectors of the realm.

[PurpleChez]

19. Methinks I sense some hypocrisy here, or at least a double standard...

I wager that if we were to question the idea that "Thug Culture" ('gang attire'...'flashing gang signs'...'gang graffiti'...etc.) has been so widely tolerated by society at large, even embraced as THE expression of African-American culture, we might get a lecture about our narrowmindedness, about how we don't understand the 'hood, or whatever. But here, where we can hold it up as evidence of the failings of Chimpy's military machine, we're quick to find fault. Look...rap fans can listen to whatever the heck music they want to, and I'll keep listening to "Goody Two Shoes" and "Come On Eileen." But be aware of the message that is sent when every gangsta rappa who comes down da pike is treated like tha next Shakespeare. If we acquiesce to the idea that every thug with a posse and an recording contract is an heroic figure we should not be surprised when the trappings of thuggery become increasingly widespread and accepted.

[Doctor_J]

21. Looking for a few bad men

:crazy:

[mitchum]

24. Well, that's to be expected with an economic draft...

surely they are not surprised by this result

[superkia]

26. Probably just setting up the ones who

dont support the war, so they can convict them later to keep them quiet. Who knows? I dont trust anything they say, if they said the sky was blue I would have to go out and double check!

[NobleCynic]

27. This strikes me as another one of those stories that has a kernel of truth

But is 95% bullshit or overstatement. I can only hope I'm right. Given the ridiculous overstatement of the gang problem by authorities in my town, I hesitate to accept such a story at face value.

[Captain Angry]

28. There were stories a couple of years ago about white supremecist groups signing up.

They wanted the training, bonus money, and the ability to shoot non-whites.

Some of the groups were convinced a race war is in the near future, so they wanted their people trained and funded well.

[Help me help Earth]

44. Same BS then.

This story just gets reworked to cover that moments "scary" group, be it white supremacists (who are barred from enlisting), black gangs when gangsta rap was popular, and Latino gangs when immigration is a hot issue. It invariably turns out to be 90% hype.

[Vinca]

33. What do you expect when you open enlistment to felons?

Of course, this could all be avoided if the Young Chickenha . . . I mean, Republicans called their local recruiters.

[gulliver]

46. From the article...

"The rise in gang activity coincides with the increase in recruits with records. Since 2003, 125,000 recruits with criminal histories have been granted what are known as 'moral waivers for felonies including robbery and assault."

Yet another Bush gift to the military. Good, honorable troops forced to bunk with criminal thugs. But on the bright side, it is probably good for gang recruitment too. They can get in the gang without worrying that it will keep them out of the military.

Bush is doing a heck of a job.

[Massachusetts]

36. The Draft is long overdue.

All citizens (draft age), of OUR country must participate in one way or another so they understand the price of THEIR freedom in peace or war.

This story is a good example of what happens when a good percentage of OUR military is compromised by questionable characters who have NO OPTIONS (judicial reasons or "socially challenged"), but to join.

[PurpleChez]

38. Maybe so, maybe so...

but I still think they should take frat boys and college republicans first. ;)

[donkeyotay]

41. Yes, they could get some quality recruits there. nt

[PurpleChez]

42. I love when they say things like

"I can do more to help the war effort from home..." meaning that they'd rather go to Dave Matthews Band concerts and play dress-up puka-shell hippie-wannabe, instead of actually putting their money where there mouths are and go fight the war they love so much. After all...that money looks so much nicer invested in a new Jeep plastered with "North Face" stickers.

[saigon68]

52. Look no farther than Project 100,000

McNamara's Morans

A more useless gang of unwilling sub humanoid types ever inflicted on the armed forces

[Massachusetts]

60. Agreed! Wasn't this a "LBJ war on poverty subprogram?

But, we still need to fix what the chimp and its gang broke. It is OUR military.

A Mercenary military doesn't work.

As crazy as my thinking sounds, I believe the draft would:
1) "re-connect" the draft aged individuals with their peers across the country. (My Space and other blogging ISOLATES,
and college is a brief party for most)
See how the other 1/2 lives for real.

2) Increased appreciation (or not), of a fellow countryman's ideas, social class (sorry), life style etc.
What better conditions to meet people in (The best and the worst behavior).

3) Increase appreciation (or not), and awareness of OUR country's policies past, present and future (foreign and
domestic).
If ones ass is going to be on the line its amazing how informed and interested they become.

4) A better appreciation of a human life, and those who have sacrificed theirs for OUR country.
Sounds simple but its true (especially in war time).

5) Not only strengthen the defense of OUR country, but also strengthen the "soul" of OUR country (through all of the
above).

[saigon68]

72. They drafted all the 4-Ds

A lot of psychological cripples were drafted into being 11 Bravos.

They worked wonders, fragging, shooting their officers in the back, using heroin etc etc. something like 89,000 bad or other substandard paper discharges

[badgervan]

57. Never Happen

Within 24 hours of bush announcing a draft there would be massive demonstrations on campuses across the country. Rove knows this. I'd love to hear the chickenhawks squack if it did happen, though.

[camero]

47. So are white supremesists.

That doesn't surprise me.

[RamboLiberal]

51. More on this story today: Are Gang Members Using Military Training?

Like most American cities, Columbia, South Carolina, has its share of problems, but nothing prepared the Sheriff Leon Lott for what his department discovered last August.

Four U.S. Marines – who proudly snapped pictures of each other – were recruiting local kids, some as young as 13, into the Crips street gang. The leader was a lance corporal.

"We have enough problems with local kids and what they are doing," Lott, the Richland County Sheriff, said. "But to have the Marines – someone who is trained – to come up here and recruit and give them the training they've had in the military, it scares me to death cause it tells me we're at war with these gangs."

It's a concern also raised by the FBI. In a recent report the agency warned: "Military training could ultimately result in more sophisticated and deadly gangs ... as well deadly assaults on law enforcement officers."

-----

"We were able in the 80's and into the 90's to say, 'you have to be special to serve your country because this is difficult work'," said Lawrence Korb, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense. "But now we are saying, 'we are so desperate for people, we are going to take anybody as long as you can walk through the door'."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/29/eveningnews/main3108597.shtml

[saigon68]

54. More Propaganda from those engaged in the "war on drugs"

The local cops and swat teams love to assault and beat up minorities

[ecstatic]

53. So besides the violent initiation (hazing?), gang signs & grafitti, what are the actual crimes?

The worst thing being committed, which of course is horrible, is the violent initiations. However, the military is known to haze new recruits anyway (I think they've eased up in recent years).

[saigon68]

73. Fraggings, disobedience & outright murder to name a few

[ProudDad]

61. The fucking military

IS A GANG...

Just like the cops and prison guards...

other deadly paramilitary gangs...

[John Kerry VonErich]

76. If you think that...

How can this be stopped?

[bobthedrummer]

71. "Is your testimony going to apply to GANGS, as you say, attempting to take over local government?"

July 6, 1950 question from Wisconsin US Senator Alexander Wiley to Operating Director Chicago Crime Commission Virgil Peterson (appearing before the Kefauver Committee: US Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce)

more at
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=186x21683#21716

[MiserableFailure]

77. WHAT DID THEY THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?

When you lower standards and take in people of subpar intelligence with felony convictions, no high school degrees OR GEDs, I mean jesus. They are taking in people who have previously been convicted of felony assault, among other crimes, all so they can say that they are meeting the recruiting goals. But they're still falling short even after raising the fucking max entry age for the Army to 42!!!!! I got out in 1999 at age 33 and I felt old! I can't imagine being 42 and busting my ass over there. I know your average 42 year old grunt is in nowhere near the physical condition of the average 21 year old grunt.

Anyway, this is just a real shame. We never saw gang activity when I was in there 88-99, at least in the Army. Never saw any gang tattoos, never saw any hand signals. This is almost certainly because of the lowered recruiting standards. I don't know how anyone can say that our army is the best and the brightest in the world anymore if we're taking people without high school degrees or GEDs and people with felony convictions.

[leftist.]

78. LOL They couldn't come up with a better name?

"Gangster Disciples" sounds so generic.

[BrightKnight]

85. Let them patrol Iraq w/ crack and a can of spray paint.

I have lived in gang infested neighborhoods. It would not bother me if the DOD gave them special assignments.

[SKKY]

87. I don't know why this is new news....

...When I was on the USS Theodore Rossevelt (CVN-71) in 1995, there were several "gangs" running around. In fact, just about every ship I've ever been on (17 total) have had some gang element on it. They're also pretty big on bases, as I recall NAS Naples having a particularly big problem.

[Mugweed]

89. What war?

I don't remember a Declaration of War being issued by Congress.