brief update on Gangs in the Military and the gang activity perception questionnaire that collected data on military-trained gang members

1. Gangs and the Military
Carter F. Smith, JD, PhD
U.S. Army CID (Retired)
carterfsmith@gmail.com
615-656-3505
http://www.gangsinthemilitary.com

2. The views expressed in this
presentation are those of the presenter
and do not reflect the official policy or
position of the Department of the
Army, Department of Defense, or the
U.S. Government.

3. Military tactics?

5. Military Weapons
• Military tactics not only concern.
• Gang members with military
weapons escalate threat.
–Even soldiers with no clear ties to
gangs make military-style assault
weapons available to street gang
members.

6. Unconventional Weapons
• December, 2008: former soldier
in Oklahoma City, OK tried to
sell IEDs to gang members for
$100.00.

7. • Ft. Bliss, TX (CID, 2009): soldier and
three non-DoD civilians arrested for
murder of known drug cartel member in
El Paso, TX. “Crazy Mexican Killers”
affiliation
– feeder for Barrio Azteca gang.
• Ft. Meade, MD (CID, 2009): Armed
robbery at Burger King on post. Suspect
family member linked to a local gang
called “All Bout Money.”
– affiliated with Bloods
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8. • Ft. Stewart, GA (CID, 2009): Soldier robbed
at gunpoint in his barracks room by 3
unidentified males wearing ski masks.
– Numerous “Folk Gang Nation” tattoos and
gang paraphernalia found in barracks room.
• Ft. Wainwright, AK (CID, 2009): Assault
with deadly weapon. Soldier stabbed
another off-post after victim stated no
real gangs in Fairbanks.
– Suspect identified as Bloods gang member.
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9. Summary of the problem
• Gang members have primary loyalty to
the gang
• Military training includes tactics that
gang members can teach to others
• Civilian Police Officers are not regularly
trained to respond to military tactics

10. It’s important for you because
• All gang members in the military return
to civilian communities . . . eventually.
• Crimes by MTGMs increased since 2002.
• MTGMs enter communities and teach
tactics to local gang members.
• MTGMs have committed murder,
racketeering, and drug distribution.
10

11. Suspected Gang-Related
Investigations/Incidents

12. Gang-related Investigations and
Intelligence Reports
Gang-related % of Total
Year Investigation & with DON
Intel Rpts Nexus
2011 115 1.1114%
2010 120 1.1878%
2009 130 0.0891%
2008 67 0.2037%
• Gang activity represents less than
two percent of all NCIS investigative
and intelligence reports.
• In 2011, 1.1114% of felony crime &
criminal intelligence reports were
gang-related; thus, gang threat
assessed LOW.
12

13. Literature Review ESTIMATES OF THE % WHO
ARE CURRENT OR FORMER
• Military & civilian GANG MEMBERS BY BRANCH
Low High Mean
community
unaware of
MTGMs.
• Estimates of gang
membership in the
military mean of George W. Knox, Ph.D.
21.5%. *
13

14. DOD Instruction 1325.6, Nov 2009
Change 1, February 22, 2012
• Active participation in gangs is prohibited.
– Active participation includes. . . fundraising;
demonstrating or rallying; recruiting, training,
organizing, or leading members; distributing material
(including posting on-line); knowingly wearing gang
colors or clothing; having tattoos or body markings
associated with such gangs or organizations; or
otherwise engaging in activities in furtherance of the
objective of such gangs or organizations that are
detrimental to good order, discipline, or mission
accomplishment or are incompatible with military
service

15. The problem is they are looking
for 1 Generation gangs . . .
st
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16. LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH (Gang-Related)
• 5% or less of felony crime - LOW
• 6% to 10% of felony crime - MEDIUM
• 11% or more of felony crime - HIGH
• In 2009, .4% of the felony crime
investigated by CID was gang-related
• At the current rate, MEDIUM by 2017

17. Relevant responses (MTGM presence)
Strongly Disagree Disagree No opinion Agree StronglyAgree
4. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military/military-type weapons. +38.2%
3 (2.6%) 29 (24.8%) 40 (34.2%) 30 (25.6%) 15 (12.8%)
5. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military equipment. -56.9%
26 (22.4%) 40 (34.5%) 29 (25.0%) 15 (12.9%) 6 (5.2%)
6. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military-type tactics. -46.5%
15 (12.9%) 39 (33.6%) 36 (31.0%) 17 (14.7%) 9 (7.8%)
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18. Relevant responses (MTGM presence)
Strongly Disagree Disagree No opinion Agree StronglyAgree
9. Gang leaders in my community demonstrate military training. -36.8%
12 (10.3%) 31 (26.5%) 42 (35.9%) 22 (18.8%) 10 (8.5%)
10. Some gang members in my jurisdiction have no ties to local gangs. +72.6%
1 (0.8%) 7 (6.0%) 24 (20.5%) 48 (41.0%) 37 (31.6%)
12. There are gang members in my jurisdiction currently in the military.
-36.8%
11 (9.4%) 32 (27.4%) 39 (33.3%) 26 (22.2%) 9 (7.7%)
13. There are gang members in my jurisdiction that served in military. +48.7%
5 (4.3%) 19 (16.5%) 35 (30.4%) 33 (28.7%) 23 (20.0%)
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19. How Big a deal is it?

20. • Death of Juwan L. Johnson
in 2005
– Eight service members are
suspects.
• Investigators conclude that
Johnson was beaten to
death during a “jumping in”
gang initiation ceremony.
linked to suspected
Gangster Disciples

21. “I just don’t picture my son joining a
gang” . . . “Does it make any sense
that he would join a gang in
Germany just weeks before he’s
going to leave?”

22. 5 top Tijuana cops accused
of working with gang
• Five high-ranking officers in 2,100-officer Tijuana PD
detained by Mexican federal forces.
• Two were military captains on leave, hired as part
of major anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by
Tijuana’s secretary of public safety.
– Ties to Sinaloa cartel.
• One was former member of the ministerial police.
22

23. How Big a deal is it?
Gang members trained for these roles
• Infantry • Medical
• Telecommunications • Intelligence and
• Paralegal Electronic Warfare
• Military Police • Psychological
Operations
• Intelligence Analyst
• Finance
• Transportation
• Chemical Munitions
• Logistics
• Explosive Ordnance
• Communications
•

24. How Big a deal is it?
Gang members trained to use
• Weapons
• Ammunition
• Grenades
• Night Vision Goggles
• Ballistic Vests
M4A1 Carbine
Police: Same Man Robs 2 So. Fla. Burger Kings With AK-47

25. April 2011: U.S. State
Department issued warnings
advising to defer non-essential
travel to much of Mexico due to
threat of armed robbery,
carjacking, kidnapping and
murder by Zetas.
25

26. • Three Mexican nationals in conspiracy
to trade drugs and cash for military-
grade weapons in Feb 2010.
• Sinaloa drug cartel
– largest drug-smuggling gang in Mexico.
• Anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank
weapons, grenade launchers and M-60
machine guns
• Arrest while attempting to deliver
nearly 12 pounds of methamphetamine
as partial down payment for military-
grade weapons.
26

27. • More than 38,000 people killed since
Mexico launched war on drug gangs in
December 2006.
• April 2011 was most violent month yet,
with 1,402 deaths
• Soldiers found mass graves of the drug war.
• Many gang leaders infiltrated police,
courts, prisons and town halls.
• Drug hitmen killed U.S. agent and wounded
another in central Mexico
– worst attack on U.S. officials in more than a
decade.
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28. AND THEN . . .
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29. 29

30. AND IF THAT’S NOT BAD ENOUGH . . .
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31. 31

32. 32

33. 33

34. For law enforcement
• Military Law Enforcement liaison for
recruiters
– effective communication with local, state,
and federal agencies.
• Gang activity threat assessments
distinguish between youth and adult
gang activity
• Efforts that succeed at lowering levels
of gang activity identified and shared.
34

35. What’s the problem?
• Military Law Enforcement does not adequately
address the “gang problem.”
– Reactive response in most cases – no centralized
effort
– Sporadic interest depends on grassroots effort.
– More often “it’s not our responsibility.”
• Military fails to recognize gang-drug connection.
• Military Law Enforcement changes duty
assignments & locations often (unless
civilianized).

36. • Many felt anti-gang prohibitions
would limit activity of MTGMs.
• Mean (average) of 11% of their gang
members were MTGMs.
• Army, including (NG & AR) largest
source MTGMs
• Bloods, Crips, and Gangster Disciples
most represented
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37. Gangs and the Military
Carter F. Smith, JD, PhD
U.S. Army CID (Retired)
carterfsmith@gmail.com
615-656-3505
http://www.gangsinthemilitary.com