Gangs in the
Military…Zero
Tolerance
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“Are there members of the military
that belong to gangs? No doubt
about it. But the military is not
rampant with gang members.”
- Provost Marshal Maj. Robert Ray, USA
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How Big is the Problem?
 Though the number of active duty military gang
members is not large, members of nearly every major
street gang, and some prison and outlaw motorcycle
gangs, have been identified on both domestic and
international military installations
 Exact numbers are difficult to determine since many
enlisted gang members conceal their gang affiliation
and military authorities may not recognize gang
affiliation
How Big is the Problem?
 Gang members are found among all branches and
most ranks, but are most common among the junior
enlisted ranks
 Military transfers have resulted in gang members,
both service members and dependents, moving to
new areas and establishing a gang presence
Dependent Children
 Dependent children are at particular risk for
gang recruitment, in part, because the frequent
transfers and transient nature of their families
often makes them feel isolated, vulnerable and
in need of companionship
What is a Gang?
 A group composed of three or more members
 Members share an identity, often linked to a
name, signs, symbols or territory
 Collectively engage in criminal activity that
creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation
Although gangs vary extensively regarding
membership, structure, age, and ethnicity, three
basic types have emerged:
Street Gangs
Prison Gangs
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
Street Gangs
 Of the three gang types, street gangs
pose a significant threat because they
are the largest and control the greatest
geographical area
 National level street gangs have been
associated with drug trafficking and
other criminal organizations in foreign
countries
Prison Gangs
 Prison gangs originated within
the penal system, but continue
to expand into the community
as members are released. They
are typically structured around
racial or ethnic lines
 They pose a serious domestic
threat, as they are affiliated with
foreign drug trafficking
organizations and often
maintain substantial influence
over street gangs
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs)
 OMGs use their motorcycle clubs as
conduits for criminal activity. They are
highly structured and known for their
violence and trafficking in weapons and
drugs
 The Military Misfits is an active-duty
military motorcycle club with USN and
USMC members. It is not an OMG, but it
serves as a support club for OMG’s.
Extremist Hate Groups
 Unlike gangs that tend to be linked to a name,
signs, symbols or territory, extremist groups
advocate supremacist causes and attempt to
create illegal discrimination
 Extremist groups advocate the use of force and
are associated with hate crimes motivated by
racial bias or racial/ethnic prejudice
Extremist Hate Groups
In January of 2004, an extremist group was addressed by
its leader with the following statements:
"Don't operate like a battleship!" he shouted.
"Operate like a Nazi submarine! Use your periscope!
We have to infiltrate! Infiltrate the military! Infiltrate
your local governments! Infiltrate your school board!
Infiltrate law enforcement!"
Gang Identifiers
 Graffiti
 One of the first indicators of a gang’s active
presence in the community
 Marks territorial boundaries
 Warns rival gangs and law enforcement of
their presence
 Can also be used to threaten or challenge
rivals, as an advertisement the sale of drugs,
or as a memorial for a fallen gang member
Graffiti Interpretation
Additional Gang Graffiti
Numbers rather than letters may
appear in graffiti. Usually, this
is a fairly easy code to break;
gangs generally use the number
which corresponds to the place
the letter falls in the alphabet as
in:
12.12.12 = L.L.L. = Love, Life,
Loyalty
Gang Identifiers
 Gang graffiti is now being seen in Iraq
Gang Identifiers
 Hand Signs
 Used by street gangs and prison gangs as a
silent language to communicate with others
 Frequently used as a means of identifying gang
members or as a way of showing allegiance to
their gang and disrespect to rival gangs
Gang Identifiers
 Hand Signs
Gang Identifiers
 Language
 Like graffiti and hand signs, gang members use a unique
writing system to communicate
 The system can include pictures or a coded alphabet to
write encrypted messages
 The alphabets often vary from gang to gang and set to set
Example
of a gang
Alphabet
Gang Identifiers
 Tattoos
 Have long been used by gang members for a variety of
reasons, to include:
 Identification of gang membership
 Intimidation
 Record of the wearer’s personal history (such as skills,
specialties, accomplishments and convictions)
 Personal expression
 Certain tattoo designs have developed recognized coded
meanings
 Double lightning bolts are used by white supremacists to
indicate the number of stabbings they’ve committed
Gang Identifiers
 Tattoos
Gang Identifiers
 Tattoos
Gang Identifiers
 Clothing/Accessories
 Sports teams, logos, brand names are often
worn by gang members, not in support of a
particular product or team, but because the
letters or symbols have a special meaning to a
gang
 Sports apparel logos can either represent a
gang or relay a specific message
Gang Identifiers
 Clothing/Accessories
 Accessories can also indicate gang membership
 Common accessories include:
 Bandanas
 Jewelry – necklaces, bracelets, rings
 Pins
 One problem today is that much of the street
gang attire has crossed over into youth culture
and is worn by kids with no gang affiliation
Gang Identifiers
Clothing and Military Uniforms
 One side starched and the other iron pressed
only (gang alignment side is starched)
 One boot is highly shined and the other is brush
shined (gang alignment side is highly shined)
What is the Effect of Gangs in the
Navy and Marine Corps
 If there aren’t a lot of gang members in the DON, then
why are we concerned?
 The spread of gang culture within the ranks
 disrupts good order and discipline
 increases criminal activity on or near installations
 threatens base security
 undermines the professionalism of the Department
of Navy
How are Gang Members Getting
into the Navy and Marine Corps?
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Falsifying criminal histories
Concealing gang affiliations
Recruiters turning a blind eye
Lack of recognition of tattoos/signs
Why Would a Gang Member Join the Military?
Pros:
 To escape their current environment or gang lifestyle
 As an alternative to incarceration
Cons:
 Encouraged by gang leadership to join in order to
receive training in weapons, combat, tactics, and
other related fields
 Learn, and pass on to other members, urban warfare
skills to wage war against law enforcement, rival
gangs and ordinary civilians
 Gain access to weapons, explosives, gas masks, and
other materials
DoD Policy
 DoD Instruction 1325.06, 27Nov09
 Military personnel must not actively advocate
supremacist doctrine, ideology, or causes that deprive
individuals of their civil rights
 Military personnel must reject active participation in
criminal gangs and organizations that advocate
supremacist doctrine
 Active participation includes, but is not limited to,
fundraising, rallying, recruiting, training, organizing,
distributing material – including posting on-line – or
any activity in furtherance of gang objectives that is
contrary to good order, discipline or mission
accomplishment.
The Cost of Gang Life
 In July 2005, 25-year old Army Sgt. Juwan Johnson died
in his barracks room in Kaiserslautern, Germany,
following injuries sustained during a “jump in” – an
initiation ceremony for a gang – which lasted 6 minutes
and involved 9 soldiers and airmen dealing over 200
Sgt Juwan
blows
Johnson
 After the assault, his fellow soldiers -- his new “family” -left Johnson in his barracks room, where he
subsequently died
 His “family” partied at a local club while Sgt Johnson
languished in his room
 Juwan Johnson’s life as a gang member lasted 12 hours
UCMJ Articles
 When a military gang member commits a crime, the
primary charges are connected to that crime (i.e.
Narcotics, Aggravated Assault, Homicide, etc…), however
the UCMJ allows for additional charges to increase
judicial and/or non-judicial punishments:
 Article 81 – Conspiracy
 Article 83 – Fraudulent Enlistment, Appointment or
Separation
 Article 107 – False Official Statements
 Article 116 – Riot or Breach of Peace
 Article 117 – Provoking Speeches or Gestures
 Article 134 – General Article related to conduct to bring
discredit to the armed services
Gang-Related Investigations
 NCIS has investigated a number of cases involving known
or suspected gang members. The investigations concern
a wide range of criminal activity, to include the following:
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Murder
Narcotics (possession, transportation, distribution)
Assault
Armed Robbery
Communicating a Threat
Active Participation in a White Supremacist Hate Group
Caution
 Be wary of stereotyping and prejudice:
 People who disagree with you or have different
beliefs are not, by virtue of that fact, extremists
 A sailor wearing gang or extremist tattoos may be
trying to leave gang life behind
 Gang gestures, attitudes, and slang may only reflect
young people being “cool”
Questions?
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