Gangs And The Military 2of7

Gangs and the MilitaryGangs and the MilitaryPresented at

Northwest Gang Investigators AssociationOctober 2007

Al Valdez, Ph.D. UCI & Carter F. Smith, APSU

2

Zoot Suit RiotsZoot Suit Riots

• Hispanic gangs

• Sailors

3

Gangs and the Military - HistoryGangs and the Military - History

• (“Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington”)

www.hellsangelssudbury.com/

4

1970s – 1980s1970s – 1980s

• Post Vietnam mentality– Drafted, to Boot Camp – Left military incompatible with gang lifestyle

• Groups of unit members hanging out– Primarily unit members, not criminals– Otherwise met contemporary criteria

5

19921992

• Allen King and children (Ft Lewis)– Hacked to death by gang members

• 1 active duty

Thought he was a police informantThought he was a police informant

6

19951995

• On December 7, PFC James Burmeister, PFC Malcolm Wright, and SPC Randy Meadows, commit a random murder of a black couple to earn their spider web tattoos.

• Meadows testified against Burmeister and Wright, who were sentenced to life in prison.

• Another 19 Fort Bragg paratroopers were discharged for participating in neo-Nazi activities.

7

Secretary of the Army Task ForceSecretary of the Army Task Force

SECARMY Togo West

Gangs and the MilitaryGangs and the Military