Is the U.S. Army recruiting urban gang members and training them in urban warfare? Are some gangs actually encouraging their members to join the Army?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Military and civilian police investigators familiar with three major Army bases in the United States -- Fort Lewis, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg -- said they have been focusing recently on soldiers with gang affiliations. These bases ship out many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

"I have identified 320 soldiers as gang members from April 2002 to present," said Scott Barfield, a Defense Department gang detective at Fort Lewis in Washington state. "I think that's the tip of the iceberg."

Of paramount concern is whether gang-affiliated soldiers' training will make them deadly urban warriors when they return to civilian life and if some are using their access to military equipment to supply gangs at home, said Barfield and other experts.

[...]

The Gangster Disciples are the most worrisome street gang at Fort Lewis because they are the most organized, Barfield said.

Barfield said gangs are encouraging their members to join the military to learn urban warfare techniques they can teach when they go back to their neighborhoods.

"Gang members are telling us in the interviews that their gang is putting them in," he said.

[...]

Barfield said a big concern is what such gang members trained in urban warfare will do when they return home.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gangs01.html

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Military and civilian police investigators familiar with three major Army bases in the United States -- Fort Lewis, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg -- said they have been focusing recently on soldiers with gang affiliations. These bases ship out many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

"I have identified 320 soldiers as gang members from April 2002 to present," said Scott Barfield, a Defense Department gang detective at Fort Lewis in Washington state. "I think that's the tip of the iceberg."

Of paramount concern is whether gang-affiliated soldiers' training will make them deadly urban warriors when they return to civilian life and if some are using their access to military equipment to supply gangs at home, said Barfield and other experts.

[...]

The Gangster Disciples are the most worrisome street gang at Fort Lewis because they are the most organized, Barfield said.

Barfield said gangs are encouraging their members to join the military to learn urban warfare techniques they can teach when they go back to their neighborhoods.

"Gang members are telling us in the interviews that their gang is putting them in," he said.

[...]

Barfield said a big concern is what such gang members trained in urban warfare will do when they return home.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gangs01.html

Sounds like that will end up biting someone in the ### a few years down the line.

We never seem to learn...

Edited May 3, 2006 by Fishdude

[Jasman0717 9]

[Ban Hammer 13,669]

not surprising one bit

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

recruiting in the hood. nothing new.

[kml_36 0]

[almaty 19]

Military and civilian police investigators familiar with three major Army bases in the United States -- Fort Lewis, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg -- said they have been focusing recently on soldiers with gang affiliations. These bases ship out many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

"I have identified 320 soldiers as gang members from April 2002 to present," said Scott Barfield, a Defense Department gang detective at Fort Lewis in Washington state. "I think that's the tip of the iceberg."

Of paramount concern is whether gang-affiliated soldiers' training will make them deadly urban warriors when they return to civilian life and if some are using their access to military equipment to supply gangs at home, said Barfield and other experts.

[...]

The Gangster Disciples are the most worrisome street gang at Fort Lewis because they are the most organized, Barfield said.

Barfield said gangs are encouraging their members to join the military to learn urban warfare techniques they can teach when they go back to their neighborhoods.

"Gang members are telling us in the interviews that their gang is putting them in," he said.

[...]

Barfield said a big concern is what such gang members trained in urban warfare will do when they return home.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gangs01.html

Sounds like that will end up biting someone in the ### a few years down the line.

We never seem to learn...

yeap, never learn.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

recruiting in the hood. nothing new.

Yeah, this was known at least as far back as 1990 (did Agent Smith ever read "Clear And Present Danger"?).

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

recruiting in the hood. nothing new.

Yeah, this was known at least as far back as 1990 (did Agent Smith ever read "Clear And Present Danger"?).

Military boot camp is designed to break someone down and build them the way they want. So someone's former life really shouldn't matter anyway.

[faith 0]

ok did i read this wrong? I thought it said that the GANGS were pushing their members to go in the military so they can bring the knowledge back.

Also keep in mind that some judges still offer the "jail or military" to people in court who've been in trouble before.