Does This Fall Under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'?

Add gang-banging to the list of activities recruits are supposed to refrain from but don't while in the U.S. military.

[FBI agent Andrea] Simmons said some gangs actually direct members to join the military to learn how to handle weapons. "The intelligence that we have thus far indicates that they may try to recruit young people who have clean records and encourage them to keep their record clean to get into the military. They would get great weapons training and other types of training and access to weapons and arms, and be able to use that knowledge," she said. "They're taking training that is great and very altruistic and turning around and using it for criminal activity."

Ms. Simmons said Folk Nation, which was founded in Chicago and includes several branches using the name Gangster Disciples, has gained a foothold in the Army. "The Folk Nation has a presence with the military and/or their dependents," she said.

One FBI official, Jeremy Francis, told an El Paso television station, KFOX, that law enforcement had identified at least 80 people with military connections who had committed gang-related crimes. He said about 800 have some allegiance to Folk Nation.

More here from today's New York Sun.