Are Street Gangs A Problem For The U.S. MIlitary And The Contractors That They Use

Graffiti relating to an Asian street gang taken in Taji, Iraq in 2009. (Sun-Times Media)

'Scary' Growth Of Gangs In War Zones -- Chicago Sun Times

Chicago cop who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has warning: Gang members are coming home with military training.

Being in a street gang is now forbidden for members of the U.S. armed forces. But you might not guess that if you were to visit U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to soldiers who have recently served there.

Jeffrey Stoleson, a Wisconsin corrections official, returned from Iraq in January with photos of gang graffiti on armored vehicles, latrines and buildings. Stoleson, a sergeant with a National Guard unit, was there for nine months to help the Army set up a prison facility outside Baghdad.

Read more ....

My Comment: Considering how large the U.S. military is .... and the number of contractors that have been used since 2003 .... the idea that some gang members are present should not be a surprise.