Posted on Jul 5, 2016
How could I have handled a Soldier displaying gang affiliation on social media better?
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I came across a soldier who displayed gang affiliation on his Facebook page. Throwing up gang signs, flashing colors, etc. I messaged him on June 23rd and advised him that gang affiliation is illegal to service members, and that he should remove the posts and the pictures. On July 4th, I happened across the message I sent and noticed that he read it almost immediately after I sent it (time stamps were the same),but he did not reply, so I checked the profile to see if they had been taken down. They had not. I sought counsel with two DS (that were mutual friends) and was told to contact CID. So I filed a report with the MPIs, and provided them with the evidence. Did I handle this the right way? Or is there another way I should have handled it?
Affiliation
UCMJ
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 94
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SPC Italino Pietrantonio,
First, I will tell you great job on securing our Army's future! Secondly, I would say that the action alone to even want address was also as other could have just disregarded it. However, where I would tell you could do better is in your execution. After all, you have your job and MPIs and CID have theirs. What that means to you is the following:
ID the problem
ID the need IOT resolve it
Contact the proper authorities
Conduct a seemless change over of potential evidence
From there it is up to that entity to do their due diligence in ensuring they affect of the determinant solution. Unless you are an MP, MPI 0r CID agent you should not do any investigative work, nor should you alert the individual. It sounds like you wanted to square the SM away which is also commendable, but thing will square themselves away throughout the process. We simply I'd and report the proper authorizes.
First, I will tell you great job on securing our Army's future! Secondly, I would say that the action alone to even want address was also as other could have just disregarded it. However, where I would tell you could do better is in your execution. After all, you have your job and MPIs and CID have theirs. What that means to you is the following:
ID the problem
ID the need IOT resolve it
Contact the proper authorities
Conduct a seemless change over of potential evidence
From there it is up to that entity to do their due diligence in ensuring they affect of the determinant solution. Unless you are an MP, MPI 0r CID agent you should not do any investigative work, nor should you alert the individual. It sounds like you wanted to square the SM away which is also commendable, but thing will square themselves away throughout the process. We simply I'd and report the proper authorizes.
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There could have been a bit of a better way, but if you sought guidance about the issue and the course of action you took is what was suggested then you should sleep well at night.
Did you give the SM time to remove all the posts? Did they tell you to go fuck off? There is so much information missing from your question that the polling options really don't give much choice.
If you feel in your mind you went through the entire decision making process and this is the decision you made then you should sleep well at night and put this in your rear view mirror.
As I said, there is so much information not posted, how much time went by? Were the posts actually gang related, or just some wannabe? Just so many more questions that are not addressed in the question.
I'm sure you will get differing opinions on this post, I'm interested on what others think about the subject.
Did you give the SM time to remove all the posts? Did they tell you to go fuck off? There is so much information missing from your question that the polling options really don't give much choice.
If you feel in your mind you went through the entire decision making process and this is the decision you made then you should sleep well at night and put this in your rear view mirror.
As I said, there is so much information not posted, how much time went by? Were the posts actually gang related, or just some wannabe? Just so many more questions that are not addressed in the question.
I'm sure you will get differing opinions on this post, I'm interested on what others think about the subject.
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1LT William Clardy
If the first sergeant heard about it, it definitely stays in the "happened" category, MSG David Johnson. The rest of the Army just may not have a need to know it happened.
What I was getting at with my final paragraph was trying to provide my fellow lieutenant with a scenario where he would be the object of intervention, with choices (and relevant results) comparable to the "Do I tell his mother or do I call the cops" option, in the hopes that he might get a better understanding of why you might not want to start a criminal investigation if you think the soldier has the potential to be a good soldier. One of my scenario options might get him on the uncomfortable side of a frank discussion with a captain, but the other option is very likely to leave a scar on his military record. Which option do you think anyone would prefer someone take?
What I was getting at with my final paragraph was trying to provide my fellow lieutenant with a scenario where he would be the object of intervention, with choices (and relevant results) comparable to the "Do I tell his mother or do I call the cops" option, in the hopes that he might get a better understanding of why you might not want to start a criminal investigation if you think the soldier has the potential to be a good soldier. One of my scenario options might get him on the uncomfortable side of a frank discussion with a captain, but the other option is very likely to leave a scar on his military record. Which option do you think anyone would prefer someone take?
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SGT Jake Perry
CW2 Shawn Stevenson - So many times soldiers get stuck with a paper trail for a dumb decision they made when they were young and it comes back to bite them in the ass once they mature. So many comments on here ready to bring the hammer down so quick. TL and SL should be notified first.
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MSG David Johnson
SGT Jake Perry - I agree partly here but, there is a large problem with gangs that this could be something bigger than just a Soldier being dumb online.
It's interesting to see the breakdown of responses by the different levels of rank.
But as I posted in my original reply, there is so much that is NOT known about this subject for all of us on RP to really make a call one way or the other.
It's interesting to see the breakdown of responses by the different levels of rank.
But as I posted in my original reply, there is so much that is NOT known about this subject for all of us on RP to really make a call one way or the other.
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There is no place for gang affiliation in the military. I delt with this same type of behavior swiftly and harshly in Iraq.
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MAJ Seth Goldstein
SGT Daniel Myers - Not the same. We're talking about validated criminal street gangs.
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SGT Daniel Myers
With all due respect sir, bullshit. Both in Aghanistan and Iraq the U.S. had soldiers acting like "validated criminal street gangs", killing of innocent villagers, pissing on dead enemy soldiers.......I don't know sir, sounds kind of thuggish to me, but then again, we taught these little adrenaline junkies didn't we sir?
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MAJ Seth Goldstein
SGT Daniel Myers - I hear you. We did CLP's so I did not experience all that. The real issue was at peak war in the mid 2000's we allowed about 10% to enlist that had no business being in the service. There we a number of soldiers I felt uncomfortable going with downrange.
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SGT Daniel Myers
Completely understand Sir. Unless I sleep, eat, and personally train with my guys, I'm pretty selective about who I'll allow behind me with a fully automatic weapon and a 30 to 50 round mag also sir so I don't blame you and I hear where you're coming from. It only takes that 10% doesn't it sir? Regardless of what I may say at times Major, I will always defend my beloved Army and the Oath to which I was never relieved of. So help me God.
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You absolutely handled that correctly. Many SM's fail to realize that social media can more often than not get them in trouble. There a lot of things you can't say or post on social media due to your position. This pertains from fresh privates to seasoned SNCO's and Officers. Watch what you say on FB. Could come back to haunt you.
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SPC (Join to see) By all means you handled it correctly. The system needs to know of these folks so they can be checked out. Maybe he was joking, maybe he was serious who knows? At any rate the authorities need to look into him and inform his command. If he is a gang-banger he needs to be shown the door asap.
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Me personally, I would have minded my own business. Everyone wants to save the world. You're going to be that NCO that walks around the PX and makes every correction you can possibly make. Its exhausting and you should worry about the Soldiers you can actually make change in. You do this by investing time and hard work.
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CPT (Join to see)
I respectfully disagree. There is a big difference between overly zealous spot corrections and a gang affiliated Soldier.
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MSG Dan Castaneda
Its not illegal to be a gang member. Its illegal to participate in organized crime. At the end of the day, the Soldier here is wasting time in reporting the "gangster" throwing up gang sings. If he has that much time, maybe he should be at the gym.
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LTC (Join to see)
MSG Dan Castaneda Membership in a criminal gang implies participation in gang activities, which is why referring the matter to CID was the correct response.
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SGT (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see) not really had a guy riding with a motorcycle group and they New he was military so if anything shade went on they would get him away from the situation to keep him for. Getting in trouble until he got out
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I believe you handled this very well. You allowed the SM to make the corrections and when that did not happen you took it up to the correct level. Well done.
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SPC (Join to see)
I honestly do not know. I have neither seen his page, nor heard anything back about it.
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