Are Gang Members Using Military Training?

Military Police Have Briefed Local Police That Troops Could Be Sharing Their Skills

(CBS)  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."

CBS News has learned that military police have briefed local authorities in major cities, including New York, about the rising danger that gang members in the military could share their skills with gangs on the streets. That could include combat, logistics, and even emergency medical skills.

"We heard about it in other places," Lott said. "We didn't think Columbia, South Carolina would be a place where the military would have influence on our gangs, but we had it."

Army investigators tell CBS News that there is absolutely no evidence that soldiers are using their combat training in gang activity, nor proof that gangs are sending members into the military to learn such skills. They insist the threat is low.

"We're not seeing this in this particular time – we're just not," said Colonel Gene Smith of the U.S. Army's Office of the Provost Marshal. "It's just a theory."

But there was an incident in which a disturbed Marine used his training to kill two policemen. In January, 2005, the Marine, who police say was associated with the Norteno street gang, shot to death two policeman outside a convenience store in Ceres, California.

Surveillance video shows him using a technique marines call "cutting the pie" – instead of cowering, he boldly attacks.

"Gangs are gaining strength across the United States," said Hunter Glass, a retired police detective who tracks gangs. "The numbers are increasing like crazy around the U.S. and adding this extra fuel is just not going to help matters."

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Part One: Gangs Spreading In The U.S. Military

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The House of Representatives has passed legislation prohibiting service members from associating with street gangs. A Senate could vote could come next month. But there are also calls to raise enlistment standards, which have slipped to such an extent that one in 10 new army recruits has a criminal record.

"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'."

A short term solution for the military and a future problem, some say, for police departments in their war against street gangs.

[yamuttya]

As for the joker who posted all the wrongs of the Repbulicans, as soon as I get back from work I'll have time to post just SOME of the garbage from previous dems, particularly the couple who want back in the WH.
What a joke.
Posted by janem4 at 07:04

Is there anything more typical of republicants ?

They know they are pathetic.
They know their ideas are bankrupt.( as is the treasury )
Thet know they re-elected cheney and idiot boy.

These cowards offer no rebuttal to ideas, all their primitive minds can construct is to smear the opposition.
Swift boat the democrats.
THIS IS NOT DEMOCRACY, THIS IS FASCISM.

Read history, this is EXACTLY what Hitler's nazis did.

Nobody falls for this childish nonsense anymore ,you right wing republicant idiots.

Rove politics is dead! Deal with it.

The truth will set you free.

[tbweb]

First I read that blacks are not enlisting in the Marines/Army as much as last decade. Now I read that the impression is being given that the blacks in the Armed Services, are involved in gangs. Maybe they are not cut out for that....

Posted by scare-n-me at 06:24 PM : Jul 30, 2007,,,

Posters really need to qualify their arguments, as in a few bad seeds from a culture don't represent that entire culture. Using the nuclear option to put down an entire culture because of a group of bad actors in very ignorant and immature. Assuming you were of the white culture I could argue that the white cannibal Jeffrey Dammer who likes to eat blacks because he claimed it was his way of being close to them scares me and that I should avoid all whites, now that wouldn't be fair to the white culture would it?

[scare-n-me]

First I read that blacks are not enlisting in the Marines/Army as much as last decade. Now I read that the impression is being given that the blacks in the Armed Services, are involved in gangs. Maybe they are not cut out for that....

[dirtydog55]

Maybe if a previous pres. had taken care of the situation during his administration we would not have to count the number of soldiers lives lost
Posted by bkylws at 10:12 AM : Jul 30, 2007


You're talking about Eisenhower, right? When he ignored Truman's advice and fulfilled the request of the Brits to overthrow the Iranian democracy and installed the tyrant Shah as 'dictator?' 'Operation Ajax,' right?

Ike did this to save the Brits' "oil based" economy. Right??

You did look it up before you posted that comment, right?

[dirtydog55]

When I was in the military, many judges would give some people the options of either jail or military, do they still do that? That was during Jimmy Carter's reign Posted by Klingon69 at 11:22 AM : Jul 30, 2007


Times have changed. When you were in the military gangs weren't running rampant with nationwide cells like they are today.

Read the fine print: It is against military regulations to recruit gang members.

[randalds]

Hey why not? We're already training newer and bigger waves of terrorists by being in Iraq, so why not gang members too?

[Tdownloadit]

Social chaos will rise as a result of the MIC-military industrial complex and all the resources it has consumed.
Economics,war,drugs and corrupt government will bring the rise of the discontented masses and the numbers in gangs.
The needs of the masses must be met, not just the needs of the rich powerful few.
The path to the pursuit of happiness must be available to all.This path has narrowed too much as basic opportunities have been shipped off to other countries.
As Americans, we must always fight for inaliable rights above everything.
Only justice, a fair deal and social awareness will bring peace to our streets and country.
There will always be some who are dissatisfied,but we need to lessen these numbers.We cannot keep warehousing destructive offenders.We need to create constructive citizens to strengthen our nation.
Gangs are the support groups of the desparate disconnected citizens.How can we reconnect with them to bring them back into productive lives?Jail only separates them more for awhile and when they return they are even worse.
We must protect ourselves,but we must have the bigger picture in mind-social justice and inaliable rights that should be given to all.

[undermyboot]

So that's the new repug talking point: blame Clinton and anyone else for Bush's and the Neocons' mess in Iraq? Give me an f'ing break. No one is buying it you f'ing morons. Go tell it to your fellow fascist butttt-buddies. They'll lick it on cue. ROFLMAO

[klingon69]

Bush's war also resulted in the lower standards for Army recruits, and ultimately pulling in more 'street gangsters.'
When I was in the military, many judges would give some people the options of either jail or military, do they still do that? That was during Jimmy Carter's reign

What will it be like is Clinton or any other democrapp is elected? It certainly can't get any worse.
Oh, yes it can.

Posted by dirtydog55 at 12:30 AM : Jul 30, 2007

[hwy71so]

Maybe if a previous pres. had taken care of the situation during his administration we would not have to count the number of soldiers lives lost
Posted by bkylws at 10:12 AM : Jul 30, 2007

He was too busy dodging law suits and ex girlfriends. Oh yeah, and playing his saxophone for talk shows...

[prinzowhales]

A Regime of gangsters naturally prefers an army of gangsters who will do their bidding, like the Blackwater mercenaries they hire...for a price.

The gangland scum of the streets, like the gangland scum of the Washington regime are the heart and soul of New World Order America--and you will vote for an mainstream candidate whose smiling face and glad hand will front for the gangs in Bush's place come Inauguration day, January 20, 2009.

[mnelsonix]

OH and judging by the 2nd picture, this Brutha has zero weapons training. Limp wristed, side arm held up high and sideways...He'd have no chance in a gun fight with me.

[mnelsonix]

how about a comment on THIS article.

""The House of Representatives has passed legislation prohibiting service members from associating with street gangs.""

What a freakin' obvious waste of legislation. Aren't we all prohibited, by law, from associating with street gangs?

And if ""Four U.S. Marines"" are sharing their military skills with gangs, that's a good thing. Our military has lost it's edge in battle because of current "Rule of Engagement."

Our street gangs will now only shoot if they are shot at first.

[bkylws]

Correction:
Maybe if a previous pres. had taken care of the situation during his administration we would not have to count the number of soldiers lives lost

[bkylws]

==No matter what you come up with, it will never be as bad as 3500 American soldiers murdered under false pretenses. So, sorry, a stained blue dress doesn't compete.==

Maybe if a previous pres. had taken care of the situation during his administration have to count the number of soldiers lives lost.

==The U.S. should bite the bullet and reinstate the Draft with a lottery to make it fair.==

What is fair about a draft with a lottery? Abraham Lincoln tried this during the Civil War and it didn't work out too well back then either.

[prinzowhales]

And the Mexican special forces are acting as enforcers for drug gangs with the inside edge... while Americans have restored opium production and NATO troops fight and die so that the addicts of the world can get their fix.

Keep supporting the butcher's war for oil, Israel and opium...the Stupid Peoples' War.

Down with the Regime! Troops Home Now!

[tbweb]

The U.S. should bite the bullet and reinstate the Draft with a lottery to make it fair. The lower recruiting standards, while increasing bodies are not increasing the skill sets required to operate High Tech Weapons Systems. All able body Americans should serve their country anyway, instead of just sitting back enjoying the benefits of freedom without contributing to or helping earn those freedoms. Gang members of any persuasion should be kicked out of the military, keeping known gang members in the military because of shortages and being in a situation where the U.S. has no choice is even more reason for a Draft. It's now a matter of National Security.

[drinuk]

This debacle simply represents the attitude of the leadership. Wicked Bullies and rank bad management, from the top down they stink to high heaven of B S !

War Against Terror! they can not even manage the terror within the armed forces. Time they got down on their knees to a certain Arizona Sheriff and asked for help.

[navyretired2]

Accountability...

That is the key ingredient to fix the current state of the US. The current administration believes they are above it, most gangs in the US don't feel it, congress talks about it yet dodges it and can do nothing but vote themselves more pay raises.

Its the duty of EVERY American to hold accountability where it's due. Starting from the top down. There was a time in this country where consequences and accountability were mainstays and pillars of our society. Today we have government that acts like it's "above" the law. They're supposed to be the example of good morals and discipline to the nation. With the current example we're shown, how do we expect people to act?

Side note: For those of you who say "why are blacks doing this" bla bla etc...take a second and do some searches on "gangs" in the US. You'll find there are tons out there that aren't black. The "producers" of this article only showed a few pictures, and those pictures happened to contain black guys. For that matter, there aren't any black guys in prominent positions in the country's most violent, destructive, modern day gang known as the Bush Administration.

[rafterman1]

===As for the joker who posted all the wrongs of the Repbulicans, as soon as I get back from work I'll have time to post just SOME of the garbage from previous dems, particularly the couple who want back in the WH. What a joke.===

No matter what you come up with, it will never be as bad as 3500 American soldiers murdered under false pretenses. So, sorry, a stained blue dress doesn't compete.