What effect might these convictions have upon the general veteran community?

2015-10-05T04:59:32-04:00

Dennis Gogel, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan, who said a long prison sentence was necessary to deter other soldiers from thinking they could use specialized skills they learned in the military to commit crimes once they were civilians. The judge shaved nearly two years off the 22-year prison term recommended by federal sentencing guidelines, saying she believed Gogel was sincere when he expressed remorse. But she said she doubted his claim that he did not know he was signing up to commit assassinations when he agreed to join a crew protecting a drug organization.
The sting was created by Drug Enforcement Administration operatives who wanted to shut down a murder-for-hire operation that prosecutors said used ex-military snipers for freelance killing assignments on behalf of drug organizations.
Gogel, who left the German military in 2010, was among five men, three of them ex-military snipers, arrested in September 2013. The arrests were made after authorities say the men were recorded in conversations agreeing to accept $700,000 to kill the [federal] agent and a boat captain who was supposedly providing information to the DEA about a narcotics trafficking association. The killings were supposed to take place in Liberia.
Gogel pleaded guilty in January to numerous crimes, including conspiracy to murder a law enforcement agent and a person helping a law enforcement agent. As part of his plea, he stipulated that he used his military experience to carry out the crimes.
Prosecutors say that at the center of the sniper team was Joseph Hunter, a former U.S. soldier known as “Rambo” who recruited the others. Hunter, who spent two decades in the U.S. Army, is awaiting sentencing next month after pleading guilty to charges that carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
http://time.com/4049713/dennis-gogel-sniper-crime-federal-sting/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_705688

German Sniper Gets 20 Years in Case Targeting U.S. Agent

A sting was created to shut down a murder-for-hire operation

Response by CPO Andy Carrillo, MS made Oct 5 at 2015 5:02 AM

2015-10-05T05:02:23-04:00

Another tick mark on the gun control whiteboard, especially for vets under VA care who've been diagnosed with PTSD...

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Oct 5 at 2015 5:34 AM

2015-10-05T05:34:23-04:00

We are some of the best and brightest within our society and accordingly, we are held to a higher standard.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2015 8:19 AM

2015-10-05T08:19:22-04:00

He signed up to protect a drug organization. There were recorded conversations. I don't buy that he didn't know what was expected of him.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Oct 5 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-10-05T12:05:28-04:00

Unfortunately, we are a very small group and when one of us do something, it reflects on all of us. It is not "right" or "fair", but it is what it is. The Army values (as I am sure the rest of the branches are similar) give us a great basis on how we should act in the civilian sector as well. We are ambassadors to our branches and our actions will positively or negatively reflect on them. It is our jobs to keep living our branches values to show the rest of the population how valuable we are to their companies, neighborhoods, etc.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 5 at 2015 2:36 PM

2015-10-05T14:36:06-04:00

"Gogel, who left the German military" that little but important bit will be left off in mainstream media, but somehow sniper and Soldier will be included freely. That will hurt and hinder more than help the vet community as a whole.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Nov 22 at 2015 11:53 PM

2015-11-22T23:53:10-05:00

I don't think this is a prevalent problem, and I'm pretty sure U.S. trained snipers understand the distinction between working for their country and working for a Drug Lord.