The Threat of Street Gangs, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, and Domestic Terrorist/Extremist Groups with Military-Trained Members
Carter F. Smith and Joshua Harms
Military-trained gang members (MTGMs) have been identified in every wartime period for the United States—from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts. MTGMs in the military threaten the cohesiveness of military units and undermine the authority of military leadership. They use the military to further their criminal organization’s goals, whether distributing illicit drugs and weapons or recruiting like-minded service members. They are a clear threat to military discipline, bringing corrupt influences, an increase in criminal activity, and a threat to military family members on military installations. They also serve to depreciate the perceived value of the military installation in the civilian community. For communities adjacent to military installations, MTGMs add a level of dangerousness to the criminal community with their warfighter training. They also share the ability to remain undetected by law enforcement or members of the community, which allows their organization to thrive and grow unchecked. It is important to note that when we talk about military-trained gang members, we typically mean not only street gang members but also members of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) and Domestic Terrorist Extremist (DTE) groups (Smith, 2017).
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/threat-street-gangs-outlaw-motorcycle-gangs-and-domestic-terroristextremist-groups
